The Methow Valley Citizens’ Council is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1976 in the Methow Valley, Washington.

MVCC Staff

Dana Golden

Resilient Methow Program Coordinator
dana@mvcitizens.org

Resilient Methow, which grew out of the Methow Valley Climate Action Plan (MVCAP) and has been fiscally sponsored by MVCC for the last few years, officially became a program of MVCC in April. Resilient Methow works to build collaboration with partners throughout Okanogan County to advance the goals of the Methow Valley Climate Action Plan (MVCAP).

Dana has loved the Methow Valley since the age of four, when her parents built a yurt in Mazama. She feels incredibly privileged to be living in the valley full time now, working on addressing the impacts and causes of the climate crisis while soaking up the wonder of this place and community. Dana brings eight years of environmental consulting and leadership experience to work on implementation and facilitation of the Methow Climate Action Plan. She has a degree in Environmental Policy from Williams College, and recently completed her MBA in Sustainable Systems from Presidio Graduate School where she learned to apply an equity and systems lens to complex problems. She’s also passionate about health and movement, and teaches yoga, mindfulness, and movement classes.

Madelyn Hamilton

Public Lands and Wildlife Program Coordinator
madelyn@mvcitizens.org

Born and raised in Washington, Madelyn joins MVCC after a decade dedicated to place-based living and learning in both the Methow and Skagit Valleys. With a background primarily in farming and food systems, she also has experience with climate resiliency work, wildlife advocacy, and sustainable economies. Madelyn is passionate about the intersections of land-use issues, climate change, environmental stewardship and environmental justice, and is thrilled at the opportunity to dive deep into their complexities in a place like Okanogan County. She is deeply grateful to call this region her home, and looks forward to continued relationship building as MVCC grows its wildlife and public lands program.

Natasha Hansen

Community Engagement Manager
natasha@mvcitizens.org

Nick Littman

Communications Manager
nick@mvcitizens.org

Nick joins MVCC following a decade in Missoula, MT. After earning a MSc in Environmental Studies from University of Montana, he led experiential college field courses for the Wild Rockies Field Institute, taught poetry to 4th graders in schools around rural Montana, and was an active board member of the Great Burn Conservation Alliance. 

Nick has published nonfiction essays and poetry widely. He loves to use writing to explore the intricacies of place by telling the stories of landscapes and the people who live upon them. He feels fortunate to attune his listening, learning, and communicating to the Methow Valley. Lately, he’s using his free time to wander the forest with his two little ones and build a small home.  

Nick looks forward to hearing many stories of what the citizens of this Valley value about this special place.

Jasmine Minbashian

Executive Director
jasmine@mvcitizens.org

Jasmine Minbashian is our Executive Director. Jasmine has two decades of experience advocating for the environment. She has led successful campaigns to protect and restore forests, including the Cedar River watershed – now the largest lowland ecological preserve in the central Cascades. She also successfully launched a region wide effort to convince the U.S. Forest Service to protect thousands of acres of old-growth in the Pacific Northwest and redirect its efforts towards restoration.

For several years, Jasmine served as both Communications Director and Special Projects Director for Conservation Northwest, where she helped lead major campaigns for imperiled wilderness and wildlife across the region.

Anna Mounsey

Clean Air Methow Coordinator
cleanair@mvcitizens.org

In February 2022, Anna joined Clean Air Methow as the new Program Coordinator. Before living and working in the Methow Valley, Anna obtained a BS in Microbiology and Environmental Health from Montana State in Bozeman, MT. While working on a water quality project on Bozeman Creek, Anna took an interest in the field of environmental health -ultimately leading to a Masters of Science in Environmental Health from the University of Washington (graduating June 2022). When not working for Clean Air Methow, Anna and her partner, Alec, work as commercial fishermen in Bristol Bay and Southeast Alaska for the months of June through August. During the “off-season”, Anna enjoys skiing, biking, whitewater kayaking, and spending time with friends and family.

Lorah Super

Program Director
lorah@mvcitizens.org

Lorah works closely with MVCC’s Executive Director and Board of Directors to develop the organization’s level of engagement and strategy across the range of issues MVCC addresses, with a strong focus on land use planning, water law and public lands management. Lorah’s work involves significant collaboration and problem-solving with local communities, nonprofits, agencies and government officials. She cultivates and manages teams that include board members, staff, volunteers, and contractors to implement MVCC’s programs and ensure their effective delivery. Lorah has also volunteered since 2010 as a state-appointed Supervisor for the Okanogan Conservation District.

Lorah has lived in the Methow Valley since 2001 and brings a wealth of hard-earned and widely endorsed experience in the realms of natural resource conservation, land-use planning, organizational development, conflict management and public engagement. She and her family recently moved from their small farm near the town of Methow, to the big city of Twisp to be closer to all the action.

Mary Yglesia

Operations Manager
mvcc@mvcitizens.org

Mary first came to the Methow Valley with her family in the 90’s—living off the grid and practicing midwifery.  She is the mother of three amazing women who were all born at home into the loving hands of midwives. Life took her away for some time but the Methow remained her heart place and as soon as possible she returned with her partner and her mother. Together they began planting and cultivating heritage cider apples, garlic and an unreasonably large kitchen garden.  Mary brings almost 20 years of experience in non-profit administration to MVCC and she is proud and honored to support this amazing group of people doing such important work to preserve our precious environment.

Contract Assistance

MVCC also receives contract assistance from the following individuals:

• Liz Walker, Clean Air Methow
• Nancy Milsteadt, Accounting Services
• Sam Israel, Forestry
• Joanna Grist, Grist Public Affairs
  

MVCC Board

Peter Bauer

Peter Bauer has been involved in various environmental organizations since the original Earth Day in 1970. Born in Bogota, Colombia, of American expats, he grew up in Pennsylvania, finishing medical school and residency in Philadelphia in 1982. His initial job searches were all near the Rocky Mountains, having decided the Eastern US mountains were much less appealing. His first job was in a Utah family practice but he moved to Wenatchee for the bulk of his career. Cross country skiing drew him and his family to the Methow, culminating in a move to the valley full time in 2013. He divides his time outdoors between bird photography, hiking, biking, skiing, and paddling. He writes a bird photography blog (pbauwa.wordpress.com) and enters a variety of photo contests with occasional success. After 21 years of being on Land Trust boards he is looking forward to working on environmental advocacy with MVCC.

Marit Nelson

Junior Board Member

Marit is sixteen and just wrapped up her sophomore year at Liberty Bell High School. She has been granted the great privilege of growing up in the Methow Valley and experiencing the natural wonders of her home. Throughout her early and teenage years, Marit has especially found a love for running, skiing, swimming, and exploring the surrounding mountains. More recently, Marit has been increasingly alerted of the effects of environmental change on the surrounding Valley and its ability to flourish naturally. She notices the incredibly apparent threat climate change is implementing and is motivated to help create positive environmental strides. Marit hopes to help connect the bridge between youth and board members to better fight the climate crisis. She has enjoyed taking on leadership roles within Liberty Bell, while also completing civic action projects to create a better future for the community. In the near future, Marit is excited to become a part of an inspired group of individuals working to prioritize a sustainable environment.

Easton Branam

My name is Easton. I am a full-time resident of the Twisp River flats on shared land, with my partner Caitlin and our two cats. I am an Army Veteran committed to building a future that honors our connection to the natural world. I was raised working class in rural Montana and know how unusual and valuable it is to have an organization like MVCC working hard to keep this valley alive and well-tended.  I currently work as a strategic planner and I hope my skills in communications, facilitation, project management, and scenario planning will be an asset to the whole MVCC team.

Tom Jones

Board Chair

Tom first came to the Methow Valley in the mid-’80s to ski and hike.  Recently, Tom and his wife, Leslie Tregillus, retired from their professions in Seattle and moved to the valley as full-time residents.

Before retirement, Tom worked as an attorney for 35 years in Cozen O’Connor’s Seattle office.  Cozen O’Connor is a national law firm with 30 offices across the country.
While at Cozen O’Connor, Tom served as Vice-Chair of the firm’s Global Insurance Department, Co-Chair of the Climate Change Practice Group, Managing Partner of the Seattle office, and also served on the firm’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
Tom and Leslie enjoy gardening, biking, hiking, skiing, canoeing, and birding in the valley.

Julie Palm

Julie feels she is lucky to have grown up in the Methow Valley on a cattle ranch up the Twisp River where she developed her love for the natural world of this Valley. At a young age, she was introduced to activism in the valley and to MVCC through her mother Pat Christianson who was one of the founders of MVCC over 40 years ago. During college, Julie started working for the Forest Service to fight forest fires in the summers and after college continued this until 1995. In 1997, she started Cascade Pipe & Feed Supply Inc. where she has spent much of her time the last 24 years. Julie is grateful to have been able to raise her three children, with her husband Jerry, in the Methow Valley and now enjoys spending every moment possible outdoors, in the mountains or traveling. She is excited to be able to have an impact on the place where her family has lived since the 1880s and be a part of the organization that her mother worked with to protect the future of the valley.

Douglas Marconi Jr.
Chu’ma (choo-ma)

e’he oy’kalo (hello everyone, in the nimiipuu dialect), I appreciate the opportunity to share a few words that may help describe myself as a human being. I am enrolled nimiipuu (Nez Perce) ka (and) palus (Palouse) on the Colville Indian Reservation. I also have lineal descendancy from the Nez Perce Reservation in Lapwai, Idaho. I currently work as the Grant Development Coordinator in the Colville Tribal Planning Department at Nespelem. I bring almost twenty years of technical writing experience from various environmental sciences to the Tribe. Over the course of my professional career, I have focused on understanding, learning, and applying sustainable land use principles and practices in the context of traditional ecological knowledge. In the last few years I have been building a relationship with the Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness via backpacking to find our sacred foods and medicines. I look forward to continuing to learn about the homelands of the Methow People.

Melanie Rowland

Legal Counsel

Melanie is an environmental attorney who retired in 2011 after 15 years with the Office of General Counsel for NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) where she worked on conservation of salmon and marine mammals protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. Prior to that, she taught environmental law at the University of Washington. As Senior Counsel for The Wilderness Society, she worked on the national campaign to preserve Northwest ancient forests. She also served on the boards of Seattle Audubon, the Washington Environmental Council, the Washington Foundation for the Environment, and Pacific Biodiversity Institute in Winthrop. She holds a BA from Stanford University and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Melanie and her husband, Randy Brook (also a public interest lawyer), have been coming to the Methow Valley since the early 1980s and bought a recreational cabin on the Twisp-Carlton Road in 1999. They built a house on their property and moved here full-time in 2011.

Melanie and Randy are avid birders, hikers, cross-country skiers, and sea kayakers. Melanie spends as much time as possible learning about plants and animals. She often has her nose buried in a wildflower or a science book.

say’ ay’  John Eli Sirois

say’ ay’ is a father of two beautiful girls, husband and committed citizen of the Colville Reservation.  An enrolled citizen of the Okanagan, Methow and Wenatchi Tribes of those Confederated Tribes, he was born and raised on the Colville Indian Reservation in Omak, WA.  Mr. Sirois carries cultural education from his grandmother and extended family that ties him to the lands and waters.  He completed degrees at Dartmouth College (AB History, Minor Native American Studies) and Master of Public Administration at the University of Washington.  Working over 20 years in the Colville Tribes’ government, he was able to work on tribal lands, cultural preservation and revitalization, economic development, renewable energy project development, policy development, governance. Mr. Sirois promotes the rights of sovereign Indigenous Peoples and Nations to ensure that those rights are fully respected and upheld.  Mr. Sirois currently serves as the Committee Coordinator for the Upper Columbia United Tribes to assist the collaboration of those Tribes’ work on reintroduction of salmon, wildlife habitat, water, forestry and addressing climate change impacts.  Mr. Sirois seeks to build a better future for all for generations to come.  You can find say’ay’ camping, hunting, hiking, reading and salmon fishing with his family

Murray Taylor

Murray’s journey to the Methow valley started 23 years ago when he moved to Washington after living and working in Kenya, UK, and Australia. He and his family became regular valley visitors to this unique and special place. Murray and his wife Helen become full time Winthrop residents after Murray retired from a career in the technology industry which centered on the intersection between the technical, legal and business domains.

Murray has a deep passion and interest in the natural world from his initial training in the biological sciences and botany, an ongoing engagement in environmental causes and a consuming love of the outdoors. Through backpacking and travelling in diverse and remote areas of the world including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Africa, and Australia, Murray recognizes the vital importance of valuing and working to protect our planet’s special places.

Board Chair Emerita, Maggie Coon

Sounding Board

Our sounding board includes individuals with wide ranging expertise who are available to help connect us with our surrounding communities, make professional connections, and deepen MVCC’s understanding of relevant issues.

Current members include:

K.C. Golden
Katie Haven
Maria Hines
Michael Lazarus
Joaquin Marchand
Amelia Marchand
Mark Miller
Kent Woodruff
Ed Zuckerman