STEWARDSHIP

Derek joined the Land Trust team as Land Steward & Staff Biologist in February of 2016. Derek grew up in Ohio, but after gaining as B.S. in Botany from Miami University, he traded the flat-lands of the Midwest for the alluring landscapes of the West. After 22 years working in ecology and habitat enhancement for a number of federal, non-profit, and consulting entities, Derek is excited to help uphold the conservation vision of easement donors and landowners. Above all, Derek enjoys sharing the wonders of the Greater Yellowstone Area with his wife, Jen, and two little girls, Lila and Quinn.

Steffan was born and raised on Colorado’s Front Range. He holds a B.A. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, and a Master’s of Natural Resources Stewardship from Colorado State University. Steffan has previously worked at the Aldo Leopold Foundation and in Minnesota for The Nature Conservancy on grassland conservation and management, as well as for the Institute of Ecosystem Studies and the USGS. He draws inspiration from Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic.

Erica joined the Jackson Hole Land Trust as a Land Steward and Staff Biologist in the winter of 2017. She holds a B.S. degree in Zoology with Honors from Colorado State University, and an M.S. degree in Wildlife Biology from Utah State University. She has conducted research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem since 2007, and brings experience working for diverse stakeholders including research institutions, consulting firms, and the National Park Service. Erica specializes in the spatial ecology of wildlife, and has worked with a number of iconic western species including mule deer, pronghorn, elk, bison, and Greater sage-grouse. She is passionate about understanding how animals move across our landscape, and how that might change as more people come to enjoy the beauty of the Jackson area. When she’s not in the field, you can find her backcountry skiing, birding, trail running, and trying not to crash on her mountain bike.

Liz Long joined the Land Trust in July of 2012 as Protection Manager. Liz was born and raised Birmingham, Alabama and holds a BA from the University of Georgia in Philosophy. She moved to Wyoming upon graduation and fell in love with the Tetons and the community of Jackson. She then returned to the University of Georgia to earn her law degree where she focused in environmental and land use law and gained experience with governmental agencies and numerous non-profits, hoping to return to Jackson. Outside of work Liz enjoys skiing, biking, hiking, yoga, music and time with her two pups, Murphy and Bella.