Jenny Pursell, President

Juneau resident Jenny Pursell is another strong voice for Alaska’s wildlife. She has been a particularly effective activist and advocate for the wolves of Douglas Island near Juneau. She co-founded Voices for Douglas Island Wildlife, which managed to institute a first time ever wolf management plan there. Jenny also serves as co-chair of the Mendenhall Refuge Citizens Advisory Group, and regularly testifies before the state legislature on wildlife issues.

Art Greenwalt, Vice President

Fairbanks resident, former AWA Board Member, and past Board President, Art Greenwalt is back and ornery as ever. Art is a longtime wildlife advocate and conservation activist. His great wit and thorough knowledge of Alaska’s wildlife issues finds its way into the Fairbanks Daily Miner, and Anchorage Daily news on a regular basis.

Richard Hahn, Secretary

Richard Hahn is an army veteran and a retired engineer with a background in mechanical and nuclear engineering. He is a graduate of The College of Idaho, Oregon State University, UCLA, and is a licensed professional engineer in California (metallurgy). After working for North American Aviation, San Fernando Labs, General Electric, and Litton Industries in the private sector, and for the USAEC, USERDA and the US Dept. of Energy, he moved to Alaska in 1997. Richard now lives in Soldotna, with his wife, Loretta Flanders, where they enjoy volunteer work, Alaska touring, wildlife viewing and photography, boating, hiking, fishing, skiing and snow shoeing.

John Toppenberg, Treasurer

See John's Bio under AWA director.

Andrew Josephson

An avid outdoorsman and runner, Andrew Josephson is an outstanding divorce and custody advocate. Andrew has been an adjunct college instructor and is a public official, serving the municipality of Anchorage (Zoning Board of Examiners and Appeals). He studied in England during his undergraduate education and has a Masters Degree in Arts in teaching social studies.

Kathy Sarns

Bio coming soon!

Kneeland Taylor

Bio coming soon!

Advisory Board

Nick Jans

Nick Jans is a longtime contributing editor to Alaska Magazine and a member of USA Today's Board of Editorial Contributors. He's lived 26 years in Alaska, most of them in remote Native villages, and currently makes his home in Juneau with his wife, Sherrie, 3 dogs, and a varying assemblage of other critters. Jans's writing and photography have appeared in many magazines and books; he is the author of six books, including The Last Light Breaking and Tracks of the Unseen. His latest is The Grizzly Maze (Dutton, 2005). He is currently gathering information for a book on wolves.

Johnny Johnson

Johnny Johnson was a 15-year old Texan when his parents gave him a Brownie box camera. It quickly became his obsession. Through the years - as a wildlife management student at Texas A& M University, as a National Park Ranger at Denali National Park, and as a professional photographer on assignment for National Geographic, National Wildlife, and dozens of other publications - he developed the skills and persistence that have made his name synonymous with wildlife photography. An avid outdoorsman, Johnny along with six other friends made a record-setting 53-day ascent of Mount McKinley in 1968 by a new route (the Traleika Spur), which hasn't been climbed by anyone since. He has skied across the Brooks Range, kayaked Alaska's rugged coastline, built his own log cabin and devoted his life to recording our natural earth from Alaska to Antarctica. Johnny's work is internationally recognized and published throughout the world. He has stock agent representatives in Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA.

His images can be found in books, magazines, paper products and ad campaigns . But Johnny's real love is the photograph as a work of art. Others must feel the same way since his limited-edition prints have been selling out for over twenty years. His personal goal is "to capture and express the essence of our vanishing natural world. I am disappointed by a growing trend among wildlife photographers to photograph animals in controlled situations, such as zoos and game-farms, and then present this work as wild. The use of captive animals holds no interest for me. My images reflect the truth."

Robert Glenn Ketchum

Robert Glenn Ketchum is a photographer and author who has received numerous acknowledgements throughout his unique 35-year career dedicated not only to fine printmaking and book publishing, but also to the issues of natural resource management and habitat protection upon which he has focused within his work. Ketchum has combined his publications with target-specific exhibitions, lectures and direct lobbying to help establish wilderness lands, enhance national parks and further campaigns to protect habitats and biodiversity. In addition to his photography and writing, he sits on the boards of several prominent conservation organizations, and is Fellow in the International League of Conservation Photographers.

Dune Lankard

Dune is a native leader who travels internationally for conservation causes. He has worked closely with the Alaska Wildlife Alliance on several important campaigns, proving to be a capable innovator. Dune is also Executive Director of the Eyak Preservation Council. Among other honors he was pictured on the cover of Time Magazine, as one of America’s fifty most influential conservation activists.

Lynn Sadler

Lynn came to our attention thanks to a recommendation from Barry Lopez. We got to know her better at the Carnivore’s Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico this autumn. Lynn is President and CEO of the Mountain Lion Foundation, Sacramento California, and an expert in structuring effective non-profit conservation organizations.

Lowell Thomas, Jr.

Lowell is a world traveled adventurer and former Alaska Lieutenant Governor. In recent years much of his time has been devoted to conservation causes, with an emphasis on Alaska’s wildlife. His generous and tireless support of wildlife has been an inspiration to all of us fighting for their wellbeing.