Staff | Montana Conservation Voters

Whitney Tawney

Executive Director | Bozeman

Whitney Tawney joined MCV in September 2018 as the Program Director, became Deputy Director June 2019 and Executive Director January 2021. Born in Montana, Whitney returned to the Big Sky State after working for a decade on conservation issues in Washington, DC, where she most recently was the Senior Water Policy Advisor for Ducks Unlimited. During her tenure in DC, Whitney also worked for Senator Max Baucus and the Western Conservation Foundation to build new leaders for the West’s land, water and air. Whitney enjoys anything outside with her husband Dan, son Henry and their black lab Woodley.

Renee Kelley

Operations Director | Helena

Renee Kelley works from the Helena office and guides MCV’s administrative, financial and organizational processes as the Operations Director. She joined the team in May 2022 after a decade in Montana’s public sector, including service with the Montana Board of Land Commissioners, Department of Natural Resources & Conservation, Holter Museum of Art, and Montana Historical Society. In addition to degrees in History and Music from the University of Portland, she recently earned a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Montana. After hours, Renee enjoys long, rambling walks around Helena’s historic neighborhoods with her family.

Molly Bell

Political Director | Billings

Molly is based out of MCV’s Billings office, where she serves as MCV’s political director. Prior to joining MCV in 2022, Molly served on numerous electoral and issue advocacy campaigns in Montana and around the country. Most recently, Molly served as Senator Jon Tester’s Billings Regional Director for his district Senate office. Molly holds her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Furman University and holds a master’s degree in Philosophy and Public Policy from the London School of Economics. In her free time, Molly enjoys reading, traveling, and being outside with her toddler, Jack.

Jocelyn Leroux

Deputy Director | Missoula

Jocelyn Leroux works out of MCV’s Missoula office as the Deputy Director. Jocelyn came to MCV in 2023 originally as the Program Director after three years working for federal lands and wildlife protections as Western Watersheds Project’s Washington and Montana Director. Prior to that, Jocelyn spent four years with The Mountain Pact working with local elected officials in the West to unify action on federal public lands and climate change policies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology and Ecology from Western State University and a master’s degree in Environmental Policy from Western Washington University. When not working, Jocelyn can be found on a trail, river or skin track with her adventure pup, Pacho.

Jessica Lillie

Development Director | Billings

Jessica Lillie is based in Billings and serves as MCV’s Development Director. Jessica has over 12 years experience working in the nonprofit sector in both Washington D.C. and Montana. Most recently, she worked as the Executive Director for the US-Mexico Foundation for Science. Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Montana. In her free time, she loves spending time with her Husband Chad and their boys Carter and Hudson.

Kearstyn Cook

Program Director | Whitefish

Kearstyn is based out of the Flathead Valley and serves as MCV’s Program Director. She originally joined Team MCV as the Field Manager in 2023. Prior to that, Kearstyn spent three years working as a park ranger on public lands including Lone Pine State Park, Glacier National Park, and Flathead National Forest. She holds a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in environmental policy from the University of Pennsylvania. When not working, Kearstyn enjoys running, skiing, and climbing mountains.

Anna Shaffer

Communications Manager | Bozeman

Anna comes to MCV after eight years as a journalist at the Casper Star-Tribune, Wyoming’s largest news organization. She worked her way up from a part-time sports clerk to interim editor-in-chief. She had a hand in every part of the newsroom from reporting and editing to design and production. Growing up in Wyoming grew her passion for all things outdoors, instilled a desire to be a good steward of this world and to leverage her skills as a journalist to further conservation efforts. In her off time she can be found fishing, skiing, hiking or anything else that gets her in the mountain air.

Natalie Wright

Field Manager | Whitefish

Natalie originally joined the MCV team in 2023 as the Lead Field Organizer for the Flathead Valley before moving to the role of Field Manager. She was initially sucked into the world of politics while working on 2016 presidential campaigns during high school, and ultimately graduated from George Washington University with a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Political Science. Before returning to organizing, she worked as a ranger for the Park Service and did nonprofit environmental education in Glacier National Park. She is passionate about hiking, simply existing outdoors, and inspiring others to cultivate a healthy relationship with the natural world.

Jesc Gallegos

Lead Field Organizer | Billings

Jesc serves as Team MCV’s Lead Field Organizer in Billings! Her family moved to Montana when she was five, and she has spent the majority of her childhood in the wilderness. Her father taught her to hunt, fish, and have a true appreciation of the land she lives on. Prior to joining MCV, Jesc was known as the ‘Billings megaphone girl’ because she uses her voice to advocate for others.

Forest Tindall

Field Organizer | Billings

Forest serves as a Field Organizer in Billings. Since their youth, they’ve loved the outdoors. As a child, Forest was an avid tree climber and adored every bug and critter they could find. They will always carry a fondness for the world around them and use the wilderness as a muse for art. In their free time, they love to craft and read. Forest has dipped into past activism work, and they are excited to move forward with MCV!

Janie Roberts

Field Organizer | Billings

Janie grew up in the Bitterroot Valley and moved to the Laurel/Billings area with her family as a teenager. She loves that Montana always feels like home no matter what part of the state she resides in! Janie’s interest in flora and fauna grew while she worked at a greenhouse for three years, learning all about the environmental benefits of native perennials. In her free time, you can find Janie with friends, family, and her cat, Meeko. She loves being outdoors, caring for houseplants, reading, doing yoga, and playing video games. She is excited to help move Montana’s future forward with Team MCV!

Andrea Cubberley

Lead Field Organizer | Bozeman

Lead Field Organizer Andrea Cubberley is based out of MCV’s Bozeman office. Growing up as a military kid, she spent her life all over the place but now calls Montana home. She graduated from Montana State University in the winter of 2021 with a degree in Conservation Biology Ecology and as a leadership fellow for her alma mater. At MSU, Andrea interned with Montana Public Interest Research Group (MontPIRG), leading campus tabling events, registering students to vote, organizing events such as their legislative transmittal event in 2021 and advocating for access to clean water, air and public lands. Andrea has also worked for Moonlight Basin as an environmental educator and backpacking guide, leading multi-day trips into Yellowstone National Park with kids! In her free time she enjoys all of the wonderful outdoor activities Montana has to offer from hunting and fishing to rafting, skiing, and biking.

Joe Mattson

Field Organizer | Bozeman

Joe is from a town a little north of Chicago called Libertyville. Growing up, he would spend a lot of time at his grandparents’ farm in the upper peninsula of Michigan where he found a love for all things outdoors. Joe came to Montana for school and completely fell in love with the state. He interned with Montana Public Interest Research Group (MontPIRG) in the spring of 2023 and thought Montana Conservation Voters would be a great next step to give back to a state that gave him so much opportunity. When he’s not working, you can catch Joe on the river, on the slopes, or therapeutically driving his tractor and mowing the lawn.

Miranda Hernandez

Lead Field Organizer | Flathead Valley

Miranda joined MCV’s Flathead Field Team in January 2024. Miranda has always enjoyed being in nature, as they grew up among the chaparral of southern California. They attended school among the redwoods of northern California, where they received a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science. Miranda has worked throughout the northern Great Basin Sagebrush and Juniper. Miranda is passionate about conservation and enjoys plants, insects, fungi, and food.

Trey Webster

Field Organizer | Flathead Valley

Trey is based in the Flathead Valley and serves as a Field Organizer. Trey is a Flathead native and a college student transferring from FVCC to UM pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and plans to go to law school afterward. Trey has worked at Prestige Assisted Living in Kalispell for four years since the beginning of the pandemic. When not focusing on work or school, Trey enjoys painting, drawing, reading, and writing about politics, philosophy, and economics in his journal.

Lauren Grabelle

Field Organizer | Flathead Valley

Lauren is an award-winning editorial and fine art photographer, and is known for her imagery celebrating the people, animals (both wild and domestic), and the incredible landscape of Montana. She spent nine years on the board of CANSC (Community Association for North Shore Conservation) fighting to protect the north shore of Flathead Lake, ultimately succeeding in having an illegally built bridge removed so that all can enjoy the significant scenic value and natural environment guaranteed to us via the Lakeshore Protection Act of 1975. She also has spent 12 days (alone!) in the Great Bear Wilderness as part of an artist residency sponsored by the Flathead National Forest and Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation. Lauren has a B.A. in Anthropology from New York University of all places.

Rex Koenig

Field Organizer | Flathead Valley

Rex is a fourth-generation Montanan raised by two public servants and a blind basset hound named Charlie. Raised in Missoula, Rex grew up camping with the Boy Scouts around Western Montana. After reading the book The Wolverine Way by Whitefish author Doug Chadwick, Rex became passionate about conserving Montana’s wild lands and creatures. Rex has worked on MPG Ranch in the Bitterroot Valley, cleared trail in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and interned with the Council on Environmental Quality in Washington D.C. Rex enjoys belting Bluegrass on his guitar, running the Missoula marathon, and walking two new (seeing) basset hounds – Bernie and Ringo.