Board and Staff

Nicole Rom

Executive Director

nicole@conservationalliance.com

Nicole Rom has over 20 years of experience scaling a nonprofit, managing exceptional teams, and driving progress on conservation and climate change. She spent the majority of her career establishing, building, and leading Climate Generation, a national climate education and advocacy organization founded by National Geographic polar explorer Will Steger. Under Nicole’s leadership, the organization transitioned from a founder start-up to a nationally recognized nonprofit with $2 million in annual revenue, earning recognition from the Obama White House, and presentations at the Global Climate Action Summit and United Nations climate conference. While leading Climate Generation, Nicole was recognized by Energy News Network as a 40 Under 40 Clean Energy Leader and Women in Energy by the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams.

Earlier in her career, Nicole began in the environmental education field, running the education program in the Great Lakes Region for the National Wildlife Federation and serving as Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Kazakhstan. She holds an MS in Natural Resource Policy and Behavior from the University of Michigan and a BA in Environmental Studies from Bates College. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Nicole is passionate about skiing, traveling, and taking her daughter on adventures.

Shoren Brown

Vice President, Public Affairs

shoren@conservationalliance.com

Shoren grew up exploring the swamps of southern Louisiana where he developed a strong connection with rural people and places, fishing, wild country, and Saints football. He has a long history of building and running successful campaigns that include people from all walks of life and both sides of the aisle. Shoren was the architect of the federal campaign to protect Bristol Bay, Alaska, ran the national field program for the campaign that protected the Arctic Refuge, and worked on a number of successful campaigns across the West. Most recently consulted for NGOs, private corporations, and charitable foundations. Shoren earned a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Conflict Resolution from the University of Montana where he studied as a Doris Duke Conservation Fellow. He currently lives in Montana with his wife, son, and Dixie the dog.

Conor McElyea

Senior Director of Membership and Partnerships

conor@conservationalliance.com

Conor joined the Conservation Alliance after spending more than three years as the Product Manager at Cairn, where he managed hundreds of brand relationships throughout the outdoor industry. In 2018 he helped Cairn launch their “Gear Up, Give Back” program, a gear recycling service that works to keep product out of the landfill, while generating funds for the Conservation Alliance. Conor grew up on the beach in Santa Cruz, California, but always used the Sierra Nevada mountains as his escape. You can find him spending his free time fly fishing, backcountry snowboarding, and backpacking with his wife and two dogs.

Sally Hardin

Senior Director, Advocacy and Government Affairs

sally@conservationalliance.com

Sally comes to the Conservation Alliance with a background in federal climate and conservation policy, advocacy and organizing. Prior to joining the Conservation Alliance, Sally was the senior director for Energy and Environment Campaigns at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where she designed and led strategic communications and campaigns, including advocating for the passage of the most ambitious climate legislation in U.S. history, the Inflation Reduction Act. Before joining CAP, she worked on Alaska conservation issues including urging protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Bristol Bay. Prior to that, Sally worked for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, covering public lands and natural resources policy during the end of the Obama administration. She holds a master’s degree in environmental law and policy from Vermont Law School and a bachelor’s degree in environmental policy from Colorado College. A native east-coaster, Sally is hard at work combating the narrative that there’s no nature in DC through frequent trail runs in Rock Creek Park, rock climbing along the Potomac River, and backpacking (with her husband and dog) throughout the mid-Atlantic.

Kim Paymaster

Grant Program Director

kim@conservationalliance.com

Kim comes to The Conservation Alliance with a passion for working with local organizations to increase access and equity. She previously served as a Program Officer at the Pew Charitable Trusts where she supported a wide array of social service organizations, managed a sports-based youth development organization, and supported community-based juvenile justice programs. Kim is a board member of the Scattergood Foundation which strives to create a more inclusive society where behavioral health is central and of ECHO Systems, a local organization focused on decreasing waste and bolstering the circular economy. She is also the chair of the Plastics Reduction Task Force at Weaver’s Way Co-op and is an active member of Circular Philadelphia. Kim currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter, where they take advantage of city life while looking for opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. She loves yoga, climbing, camping, being on the water, and exploring with her family.

Kelly Campbell

Operations Manager

kelly@conservationalliance.com

Kelly is an outgoing people person who loves mission-driven work and building relationships, and whose obsession with spreadsheets and budgets meant operations was clearly the true path for her. Prior to joining The Conservation Alliance, Kelly ran operations for Teach For America Colorado and Nickelodeon. In addition to teaching her the secret Nickelodeon recipe for slime, Kelly’s time in Los Angeles also granted her access to her happy place—the ocean. Even though she’s traded beaches for boulders with a move to Colorado, Kelly still enjoys getting on/near the water in any way she can, whether it’s a hike by a mountain stream or a swim in a local lake.

Bridgette Windell

Public Lands Advocacy Coordinator

bridgette@conservationalliance.com

Bridgette joined the Conservation Alliance as the Public Lands Advocacy Coordinator through the Wyss Fellowship Program. Growing up in Colorado, Bridgette developed her love for the outdoors through hiking, skiing, biking, and most of all rafting the West’s many iconic rivers. She brings a background in communications and public engagement and has worked with public and private agencies ranging from the National Park Service to New Belgium Brewing. Bridgette earned a masters degree in Conservation Leadership from Colorado State University where she focused on conservation easements for private lands as a tool for conservation. You can often find her on skis or on the river with her partner and 2 pups and is excited to explore Montana, her new homebase.

Annie Nyborg

Chair – Peak Design

Annie is the Sustainability Director for Peak Design, a San Francisco-based product design company, and certified B Corp. She oversees the company’s environmental and social initiatives including supply chain standards, policy advocacy, 1% for the Planet giving, carbon footprinting and reduction, and DEI programming. She was also a founding team member of Climate Neutral, an organization aimed at helping companies measure, reduce, and offset their carbon emissions. After spending 15 years in the Bay Area, she moved back home to Ojai, CA, with her family where she’s enjoying the slower pace of life and the beautiful trails.

Kate Larramendy

Vice Chair – Toad&Co

Kate has a long history in the outdoor industry, beginning with 16 years as the Design Director at Patagonia followed by nine years as the Director of Design and Sustainability for Toad&Co. Kate spent many years as Toad&Co’s Conservation Alliance ambassador engaging her colleagues in conservation issues and participating in our annual trip to Washington, DC. She is a founding member of the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy, now the Ventura Land Trust, and produced the Ventura Hillsides Music Festival for a decade. When she’s not working, Kate enjoys the good life – travel, food, dogs, natural beauty, and surfing outside her front door.

Amy Beck

Secretary – Oboz Footwear

Amy is the President of Oboz Footwear and Kathmandu North America. Amy has spent the last 14 years working in the outdoor industry-leading sales, marketing, and GTM strategies. Amy spent 11 years at Smartwool as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and before joining Waypoint she was the Vice President of Wholesale for Lucy Activewear. She loves working in the outdoor industry and is inspired by the people in it. She is grateful for the relationships she has built with her retail partners and industry colleagues. Amy is originally from the Midwest but has spent the last 14 years west of the Mississippi living in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and now in the Oakland Hills. Amy is and outdoor enthusiast and loves animals, yoga, skiing, biking, and hiking, and live music.

Deven Clemens

Treasurer – White Road Investments

Deven is both the director of Finance at Clif Bar and Company and managing partner of White Road Investments.  He has worked at Clif Bar for 10 years where he has held multiple roles focused primarily in finance and operations. Five years ago, the founders of Clif Bar asked him and his partners to start White Road Investments, a venture fund focused on investing in healthy active lifestyle companies in the food and outdoor industries. His passions include biking, mountain running, skiing, stand-up paddling, travel, and the good food found in the Bay Area. He lives with his wife and two children in Marin County, California. When not at work you can find him deep on trails of Mount Tamalpais running amongst the redwoods with his dog Nalu.

Hans Cole

Past Chair – Patagonia

Hans is the Environmental Campaigns and Advocacy Director at Patagonia, Inc. In this role, he works with colleagues to develop and implement programs that achieve a key element of Patagonia’s mission:  to use business to inspire solutions to the environmental crisis.  Hans’ career in the environmental sector includes youth development and education work in the U.S. and Tanzania with the Jane Goodall Institute, and environmental education with the Yosemite National Institutes. He has a B.A. in biology and environmental studies from Williams College, and an MBA (nonprofit management focus) from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. On weekends, you can find him hiking, biking, or backpacking in the hills around Ventura, California.

Kirsten Blackburn

KEEN

Kirsten is the Director of the KEEN Effect, overseeing KEEN’s environmental and social initiatives from climate strategy, to philanthropy, to product sustainability. Prior to her second tenure at KEEN, Kirsten was on staff at The Conservation Alliance for four years serving as our Advocacy Director. She finally made it back to her home state of Montana where she enjoys running in the mountains surrounding the Missoula Valley and trying to keep up with her twin toddlers with her husband, Sam.

Taldi Harrison

REI

Taldi Harrison is REI’s Community & Government Affairs Director.  In this capacity, she oversees REI’s federal government affairs work and policy-related philanthropy. Her work focuses on fostering collaborative partnerships with a number of national nonprofits and decision-makers at the federal level to ensure access to and infrastructure for inspiring outdoor recreation opportunities. Taldi serves on the Board of Directors of the Washington Green Schools Alliance, Eastrail Partners, and the Mountains to Sound Greenway Technical Advisory Committee. Raised in the Flathead Valley in Montana, Taldi is an avid outdoors woman who enjoys hiking, mountain biking, climbing, camping, mountaineering, and skiing.

Peter Metcalf

Wildlands Policy Institute and Consulting

Peter is the founder of Black Diamond Equipment, a global leader in the design and production of innovative equipment and apparel that allows its customers to better navigate the vertical world of snow, ice, and rock. Peter created BD in the 1980’s to “make a difference for a fellow community of technical outdoor enthusiasts” through both innovative gear and by championing the issues of great importance – such as access and the preservation & stewardship of the wild places we ply our craft. Peter resides, with his wife, Kathleen, in Park City, Utah; remains a passionate rock climber and alpinist; serves as a Director of the Federal Reserve; and is highly involved in public policy land issues in the West.

Russell Rowell

KELTY

Russ is the Sr. Vice President and General Manager at Kelty. He brings 30 years of outdoor industry experience to the Conservation Alliance. His background includes managing specialty climbing and backcountry ski shops, and directing the marketing and product development efforts for several legacy outdoor brands. For fun, Russ loves winter sports, fly fishing, hiking, and camping with his family.

Soraya Shattuck

Adventure Travel Conservation Fund

Soraya is the Executive Director at the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund. She has a demonstrated history of working with international organizations and communities to integrate diverse conservation and sustainable strategies that support the local economy and help to preserve the natural environment. She brings a unique understanding of local, national, and international challenges around conservation, as well as experience in grant administration, partnering with grassroots organizations, fundraising, and donor engagement.

Carol Shu

The North Face

Carol is the Senior Manager of Global Sustainability at The North Face, where her work ranges from retail waste to sustainable products and materials. She collaborates with cross-functional teams across the brand to action on TNF’s sustainability strategy and goals. She is a textiles enthusiast and loves handcrafts, including weaving and natural dyeing. She co-founded Aggie Reuse Store, a creative reuse store housed at UC Davis’ EcoHub that is dedicated to diverting waste and upcycling. Originally from California and now based in Colorado, her favorite outdoor places are in California, especially the redwood forests along the coast.

Dana Villeneuve

New Belgium Brewing

Dana Villeneuve specializes in policy, advocacy, and operational sustainability at New Belgium Brewing. In her role, she strives to minimize the brewery’s impact on the planet and leverage New Belgium’s platform to advance policies which safeguard protection and access for public lands & waters, assure equitable treatment for all, and mitigate carbon emissions at the local, state & federal level. Originally hailing from the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Dana has proudly called Colorado home for about 20 years. She spends her free time on her bike, on the water, and on the trail with her husband & their dog, listening to good music & nerdy podcasts, and finding opportunities to share her love of people & planet with her nieces & nephews.