John is a recent retiree from the Custer Gallatin National Forest where he worked for nine years on the Bozeman Ranger District. A graduate of the University of Idaho, he had a 36-year career with the Forest Service with most of that time spent working in forest management as a silviculturist and forest management specialist in Idaho.  He has also managed wildlife, range, minerals, soils, hydrology and noxious weed programs.  He is a proponent of landscape ecology and progressive forestry techniques.  John enjoys many outdoor activities with his wife Kim who is lead project scientist for a non-profit conservation organization.

Michael Jones was fortunate to grow up in Yellowstone National Park, where he developed a great appreciation of wild places. After earning a B.S. in Fish and Wildlife Management and an M.S. in Fisheries Ecology, Michael began his career in noxious weed management as a seasonal weed control technician working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Michael’s seasonal work captured his interest in invasive plant management as an effective wildlife conservation tool. He has worked for the Gallatin County Weed District as the assistant coordinator since 2010, and been a part of Grow Wild since 2008. Michael takes great satisfaction taking a weed infested tract of land and making it productive for wildlife and people again. When he is not fighting weeds, Michael can be found fly fishing, rafting, or exploring the backcountry.

Cathy Gunther moved to Bozeman in 2016 and then to Big Sky in 2018. She completed a liberal arts degree and worked in human resources for several different industries in Texas. It was here she met her husband, where both chose to follow his career and raise their two daughters mostly overseas. Wanting to know more about gardening in the demanding Texas climate she pursued a Master Gardener’s certification that highlighted the value of native plants, conservation and sustainable gardening practices. Cathy held multiple volunteer positions while living in England, Africa, Asia and Texas. She holds a core belief that fundamental change including conservation efforts happens best with a diverse group of people lending skills and talents toward the common goals.

Don McAndrew worked for 34 years with the Natural Resource & Conservation Service as an Engineer, Hydrologist, and Director of Operations, followed by 20 years as a realtor specializing in farm, ranch, and recreation real estate. Don has served as a volunteer on the Big Sky Planning and Zoning Board, Gallatin Conservation District, and the Northern Rockies RC&D. Don is a property owner in Big Sky and is a founding director of Grow Wild. 

Larry Holzworth has had an extensive career working for the Natural Resources Conservation Service as an Agronomist, Plant Materials Center Manager and Plant Materials Specialist for 37 years. He worked with landowners on soil and water conservation, reclamation of disturbed lands, grazing land improvement and weed suppression projects in CO, AZ, UT, NV, MT & WY. After his official retirement, he has served on the board of the Gallatin Invasive Species Alliance since 2008, member of the Gallatin County Weed Board, is a CES field inspector for Weed Seed Free Hay and Certified Seed field inspector for the Montana Crop Improvement Association. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family exploring the outdoors and working on home and land improvement projects.

Katie Coleman has lived in Big Sky since 1999 and worked in a variety of fields including the food service industry, education, non-profit management, and currently works at the Big Sky County Water & Sewer District. Her love of the outdoors and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has drawn her to the Grow Wild Board where she looks forward to contributing to the education of the community regarding noxious weed management. When not working, you can find Katie, her husband Tim and their dogs cooking, camping and playing outside as much as possible. 

Danielle Jones has been with the Gallatin County Weed District for five years and has worked in the Natural Resources field for over twenty years. Her interest in noxious weeds first began while pulling spotted knapweed on Mount Sentinel as a student at The University of Montana. She lives in Manhattan with her family.

Krisy moved to Big Sky the fall of 1993, working for dude ranches and outfitters, including Lone Mountain Ranch for over twenty years. It is here that she met her husband, Scott, and the rest is history. With their two kids, Chloe and Gus, dogs, cats and horses, they enjoy a busy and fulfilling life hiking, nordic skiing, riding horses and pulling weeds all along the way. A passionate volunteer, Krisy lends her talent and time to the Montana Wilderness Association, Habitat for Humanity, Windhorse Equine Learning and various other groups. Although she went to school for elementary education, her passion for wildlife biology and love for the native grasses and flowers of Montana has led her to join the Grow Wild board.   

After college and business school, Ann embarked on her career in banking. In 2011, she co-founded a family real estate development company in the Midwest and is responsible for projects promoting sustainable initiatives. Ann and her husband Brian discovered and fell in love with Big Sky in 2001, and after living overseas for a time, they moved to the area in 2006. With both sons now living and working in Bozeman, Ann and Brian are enjoying having family close by. In addition to hiking, camping, and enjoying winter sports, Ann and her husband have embraced becoming stewards of the land, managing the forest for health, biodiversity and fire mitigation. Ann loves the land, rivers, native flora and fauna, and is working to help preserve it.

Jennie has been involved with horses her entire life, which led her to the world of healthy pastures. While working on a ranch surrounded by public lands, the importance of not only healthy pastures for livestock but of sustainable land management for the benefit of the entire ecosystem became clear. After getting assistance from Grow Wild, hard work paid off and watching the weeds decrease and the native vegetation increase proved to be incredibly gratifying. Her passion for healthy landscapes gave rise to her joining the board of Grow Wild. In her spare time, Jennie can be found riding her horse, trail running, hiking with her dog, skiing and any other various outdoor activities with her family.

Dale grew up on a small ranch in Beaverhead County and attended school in Dillon. He received his BS in Agriculture Business in 1973 from Montana State University. He worked 6 years as an appraiser for the Department of Revenue. In 1979, his wife and kids bought a farm in Madison County. He started with the Madison County Weed district in 2008 as the crew foreman, then transitioned to the assistant coordinator. In 2020, Dale became the coordinator for the county. He’s a believer in integrated weed management, as with an integrated plan you will be well on your way to eradicating invasive weeds to effectively manage your property.

Jennifer Mohler of Bridger Scientific, Inc., is an ecologist and Grow Wild's Executive Director. For over 20 years, Jennifer has worked with a diverse group of public, private, and non-profit entities to conserve natural resources by promoting sustainable land management practices. Jennifer was a founding board member of the Association of Gallatin Agricultural Irrigators and served on the board for 14 years. In her free time, she’s trains and competes in 3-day eventing with her horses, is an avid gardener, and enjoys hiking the trails with her husband and dog.

Abby is a graduate from University of Georgia, where she got a degree in Wildlife Sciences and a minor in Ecology. Abby served as a Conservation Fellow with the Powder River Weed District summer of 2023 and fell in love with native and invasive plants. Her great experience with MCC led her to pursue another term of service and to learn more about native plants and better serve communities. Abby is our second Big Sky Watershed Corp member and we are so excited to have her join the Grow Wild Team!

Cooper, a life appreciation specialist, joined the team in 2022, as his mom is the executive director. Cooper loves hiking, guarding his flock of  chickens, and meeting new people. He hates houndstongue burrs that stick to his fur, thus is a dedicated advocate for clean recreation. He helps inspire all trail users to do their part to stop the spread of invasive species and #PlayCleanGo!