Leadership

The Montana Tree Farm Steering Committee governs the Montana Tree Farm Program. The 2023 members of the Steering Committee are listed below, along with their affiliations:

• Holly McKenzie: MTFS Chair, Inspector, Landowner, Service Forester - DNRC - Columbia Falls
• Angelo Ververis: Treasurer, Inspector, Service Forester, Idaho Forest Group - St. Regis
• Allen Chrisman: Member, Past Chair, Inspector, Landowner - Kalispell 
• Ardrene Sarracino: Secretary, Admin for MTFS, Landowner - Polson
• Angela Wells: Support Staff, Inspector, American Forest Foundation Director - Nine Mile
• Parks Brigman: Support Staff, American Forest Foundation, Western Regional Manager - Summerset, SD
• Gary Johnson: Inspector, Southwest Regional Certification Manager, Landowner - Missoula
• Betty Kuropat: Certification Coordinator, Inspector, Landowner - Yaak
• Zoe Leake: Inspector, Resource Forester, Pyramid Mountain Lumber Company - Seeley Lake
• Ed Levert: Inspector, Member, Landowner - Libby
• Ashley Machus: Outreach Specialist, DNRC - Missoula
• Pat Mandzak: Scholarship Chair, Landowner - Lewiston, Idaho
• Pat McKelvey: Member, Landowner, DNRC - Helena
• Joe Moran: Member, Landowner - Drummond
• Mark Schiltz: Conservation, Montana Land Reliance - Big Fork
• David Sibert: Member, Tree Farmer - Kalispell
• Tye Sundt: NW Regional Manager, Weyerhaeuser Company - Evergreen
• Ali Uwelling: Inspector, DNRC - Kalispell
• Erik Warrington: Inspector, Service Forester, DNRC, Landowner - Missoula
• Jeffrey Whitlock: Inspector, Service Forester, F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Company - Columbia Falls

If you wish to contact a specific member of the steering committee, please send an email to montanatreefarmsystem@gmail.com to request his or her contact information.

If you are interested in being involved with the Steering Committee, please evaluate the following criteria to see if you are eligible.

Any non-industrial private forest owner whose forest is currently certified by the Montana Tree Farm System, forester, or representative of a state or federal agency directly involved with forestry, is eligible for membership on the Montana Tree Farm Steering Commitee. 

The Steering Committee is comprised of:

• Executive Committee

• Board of Directors

• Advisory Individuals

The Board of Directors is composed of the Executive Committee and any additional members approved by the Executive Committee. To be approved to the Board of Directors an individual needs to:

• Meet the requirements outlined above in line 1.

• Attend at least 3 steering committee meetings per year.

• Actively participate in at least one steering committee sub-committee (click here for sub-committee descriptions).

All members of the Board of Directors have voting privileges. Advisory Individuals may provide input on any issue facing the Steering Committee, but may not vote.

The Board of Directors is responsible for guiding the day to day operations of the Montana Tree Farm System and making decisions in the best interest of the Montana Tree Farm Program.

If you are interested in learning more, please attend a Steering Committee meeting.