MCV Director Wins 2008 MT Audubon Award

MCV's staff and volunteers have always known that their Executive Director, Theresa Keaveny, is a talented and exceptionally hard-working conservationist. 

This was only further validated when she was honored this year with Montana Audubon's 2008 Conservationist of the Year Award. 

Congratulations Theresa!

- Text of the award -

Audubon in Montana is blessed with a wealth of dedicated volunteers.  For this reason, the Conservationist of the Year Award usually has gone to a volunteer.  This year, however, Montana Audubon is departing from this tradition by recognizing a professional in the conservation field.  The choice was rather easy, because when contemplating the contributions that professionals have made to conservation in Montana, one name stands out among all others: Theresa Keaveny.  Accordingly, it is most fitting that we recognize Theresa by honoring her with our 2008 Conservationist of the Year Award.

For those of you who don't know her, Theresa is Executive Director of Montana Conservation Voters, which is an organization that serves as the political voice of Montana's conservation and environmental community.

Montana Conservation Voters - known as MCV - was founded in 1999 because of all the attacks on environmental laws in the state. Theresa was hired as its first Executive Director.

Theresa and the organizations she has built are effective. They are dedicated to:

• Recruiting, supporting, and electing conservation candidates to offices at the local, state, and national level;
• Making conservation issues important to both voters as well as candidates;
• Shining a spotlight on the conservation votes and actions of elected officials-so that once these individuals get elected, they continue to support protecting clean air and water, open spaces, wildlife, and public health;
• Assisting Montana's various conservation groups-including Montana Audubon-with its policy work by helping develop political strategy, coordinating and fostering cooperation amongst Montana's environmental groups, and giving us important tools to mobilize our members at critical times; and
• Conducting polling and public interest research for the benefit of Montana's conservation groups to make ensure that our messages on issues effectively can reach Montana citizens.

Many of us are involved with Audubon because we care about Montana's natural environment. Montana Conservation Voters has been able to tie people together as a voting block who ranch, hike, hunt, watch birds, fish, or recreate. Through Theresa's leadership, her organization has been increasingly successful at helping elect pro-conservation candidates-which can determine Montana's environmental health for years to come. This work helps ensure that future generations will continue to have "a clean and healthful environment," as our constitution requires.

Theresa, we are grateful for your steadfast commitment to conservation and for your dedication in helping other organizations with their conservation and policy work throughout the state.  Your efforts have been-and will continue to be-highly appreciated by Montana Audubon and by the rest of conservation community.