I was born on Fort Sill Army Base, in Lawton, Oklahoma. My father was a U.S. Army Ranger, West Point graduate, and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. My mother was and still is a devoted mom to her three girls, in addition to developing her own career path.

I grew up just north of Atlanta, GA, in the (then) small suburb of Marietta. Growing up there, I learned to appreciate the thick woods and kudzu, as well as the rich culture, of the deep south. As a child, I sought refuge in our neighborhood woods, often getting “lost” for hours.

Instead of Girl Scouts, my father enrolled my older sister and I in “Indian Princesses.” Here I had my first taste of some Native American traditions such as crafting, fire making, and living close to the earth (aka camping). During high school and college I worked summers at High Meadows Camp; the day camp for kids focused on primitive skills where I taught archery, woodworking, and tumbling. As well, we celebrated and honored Native American ceremony.

I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Geology from the College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C., thus confirming my love for and strong connection to the earth. I graduated with a 3.5 GPA while coordinating the philanthropic arm of my sorority. I also focused on Political Science, where I enjoyed the study of government and our rights as American citizens.

I joined the Peace Corp after college, as a fish culture extensionist on the north coast of Honduras. There I learned Spanish, grant writing, grass roots organizing, living in small communities, and cultural sensitivity. In addition, I learned that I enjoyed living simply…where the natural environment, my community, and my family are the priorities.

Returning home from the Peace Corp (see below), I married my husband, Roman, who is also a BFC board member, and gave birth to my son, Japhy. Japhy is now 19 years old, and also a regular BFC volunteer. I dedicated these past years to raising my son, building my own home, growing my own business as a yoga instructor, and helping to support and sustain our work at Buffalo Field Campaign.

My time as a Peace Corp Volunteer (PCV) has informed my work with Buffalo Field Campaign in several ways. First, I am a social servant. I served my country as a PCV and continue to serve our continent by working for the restoration of wild bison. Second, I am a strong advocate. I have strong beliefs around justice, freedom, and healthy ecosystems. Third, I am empowered to create change. When we work together, across social, cultural, or historical boundaries, we can enrich all life.

I have been a member of the BFC for 15 years. I am now Vice President of our Board of Directors, and volunteer in the field every spring. Building my own home and being self-employed has allowed me to live the simple life I desire with a flexible schedule that permits me to dedicate a large portion of my life to the buffalo. It is an honor to work with such a dedicated group of individuals, and to stand with America’s last wild buffalo. The community and family I have found, both at BFC and in the field with these magnificent animals, are highlights in my life.

I am an avid outdoorswoman. I love to hike, cross-country ski, snowboard, build things, and continue to learn of the flora and fauna in the ever-changing ecosystems I love. I am a community builder. In my work as a yoga instructor in the mountains above Boulder, CO, and as a board member and volunteer for BFC, I help to support my communities through my offerings. I have learned much and gained many skills around mediation, group dynamics, facilitation, and organizing by living in community and working to protect America’s last wild bison.

My husband, Roman Sanchez, is a fellow BFC board member for the past 10 years. Our son, Japhy, grew up within BFC and buffalo community. He is now a Buffalo himself, having just completed his first year of college at the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO…the Buffs!

Living in community with the buffalo and with Buffalo Field Campaign feels like coming home. There is a sense of wholeness that accompanies wild, free roaming bison on the landscape. I am here to stand with the buffalo and stand with my Buffalo Field Campaign family so that all may truly thrive.

Rosalie Little Thunder, Lakota, BFC Co-Founder, said this, “Remind yourself every morning, every morning, every morning: ‘I’m going to do something. I’ve made a commitment. Not for yourself, but beyond yourself. You belong to the collective. Don’t go wandering off, or you will perish.’” I seek to apply these sentiments to myself and to my work for the buffalo, every day, every day, every day.

Read about another BFC volunteer Board member - Roman Sanchez >>

I grew up in the pines of Carolina where I was first inspired by unspoiled nature. I have worked since with grassroots campaigns to reverse environmental injustices and restore wild lands.

In 2004, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Recreation at Virginia Tech with concentrations in Forestry and Environmental Economics. After college, I worked for the BLM as a wilderness ranger, and have also worked as a teacher of 5th and 6th graders at environmental education schools on both the east and west coasts.

My paid and volunteer work with advocacy groups includes, among others: Mountain Justice to end the destruction of Appalachia by mountaintop removal coal mining; Restore Hetch Hetchy campaigning to remove the dam and restore the Hetch Hetchy valley of Yosemite; as well as Buffalo Field Campaign, of course!

I began volunteering with BFC in 2005 and have also worked with the Campaign as volunteer coordinator and office coordinator. I am now serving as Secretary on BFC’s Board of Directors.

I will continue to advocate for the return of wild buffalo roaming freely across their native habitat, and respect and honor of the importance of the buffalo’s rightful place in the American landscape.

Read about another BFC volunteer Board member - Dallas Gudgell >>

Ted Fellman followed the buffalo to Montana and never left. Ted was a volunteer and media coordinator with BFC and worked for a number of environmental non-profit groups before becoming a public defender. He lives on an organic farm in Arlee, MT with his wife and sons and enjoys exploring the wild lands of Montana.

Read about another BFC volunteer Board member - James Holt >>

Born in the Big Apple, I grew up on the beaches of Long Island and spent the majority of my days on the water or in the woods. I lived in a family of strong cultural influence. My father came to the USA from the Dominican Republic to finish his studies in medicine, eventually meeting my mother, a 2nd generation Italian, who was a nurse in the hospital where he was doing one of his residencies.

My days were always filled with extended family, and I had close relations with my grandparents who had a very significant role in my upbringing. My love for the outdoors was nourished by the many hours I spent with my grandfather working in gardens, fishing for flounder and snapper, or digging for clams and muscles along the shores of Oyster Bay.

I received my BA in Communications at Sunny Oswego, NY. Shortly thereafter I received my MA in Education at Adelphi University, NYC. After returning home from Honduras as an Education Volunteer for the Peace Corps, I began teaching for a Bilingual elementary school in Boulder Colorado. After many years in the field I decided to change professions and received my Wilderness EMT certification. With these new skills I became an active member of my rural fire district as well as a Ski Patroller for our local mountain. I now teach Wilderness medicine courses for Aerie Backcountry Medicine and have taught all over the United States and in Costa Rica and Mexico.

Volunteerism has been, and remains, a strong part of my life. After returning from the Peace Corps I have continued the philosophy of giving back to the greater world from working with groups such as No More Deaths on the Arizona/Mexico border to travelling to Haiti for medical disaster response. I continue to be involved in my community as an EMT and firefighter.

I have been a volunteer for the Buffalo Field Campaign for the past 15 years. It has been an honor to work with such a dedicated group of individuals as well as to stand with America’s last wild bison. The community and family I have found both at BFC and in the field with the bison are highlights in my life.

I currently live in an off-grid strawbale home built with the help of family and friends in the high Rockies of Colorado. I love to hike, cross-country ski, snowboard, build, and continue to learn the flora and fauna of the ever-changing ecosystems I love. I am a community builder. I have learned much and gained many skills around mediation, group dynamics, facilitation, and organizing by living in community and working to protect America’s last wild bison.

My wife, Justine Sanchez, has been a fellow board member of the BFC for the past 10 years. Our son, Japhy, grew up within the BFC and buffalo community. He is now a "Buffalo" himself, having just completed his first year of college at the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO…home of “the Buffs!”

An inspirational quote that I seek to apply to myself and my life is from Rosalie Little Thunder, Lakota, BFC Co-Founder, “Remind yourself every morning, every morning, every morning: ‘I’m going to do something. I’ve made a commitment.’  Not for yourself, but beyond yourself.  You belong to the collective.  Don’t go wandering off, or you will perish.”

Standing with the Buffalo feels like what it was like to stand on the land when it was unmarred by the machinery of modern man. The glorious days we spend in the field with the buffalo (when the management agencies are not around) truly offer a spiritual taste of the sacredness of their essence.

Read about another BFC volunteer Board member - Kasi Crocker >>