Board of Directors | MT Voters Education Fund Site

Jock Conyngham

Chair

Jock Conyngham’s grandfather homesteaded in the Jefferson Valley before settling on a cattle ranch outside of Wilsall. Jock is a retired research ecologist for a federal environmental research laboratory, where his work was recognized with multiple major awards. He is currently the principal of River Research and Restoration LLC. His specialties include multi-scaled assessment, restoration, and monitoring of watersheds, streams and rivers, riparian zones, and aquatic populations. He has implemented or provided technical support to dam removals, fish passage projects, and stream, river, riparian and watershed-scale restoration initiatives in the US and other countries. He received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and master’s degrees from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Yale University. Jock was Director of Watershed Assessment and Geomorphic Restoration for the national office of Trout Unlimited before his federal career. He passionately enjoys backcountry bowhunting, bird hunting, and fly-fishing in fresh and salt water.

Jeanne Marie Souvigney

Treasurer

Jeanne is one of MCV’s founders and was the Program Director from 2001-2005. Jeanne then coordinated MCV’s work on federal policy issues including the clean air act protection campaign, until her retirement the end of January 2018. She is now involved in the Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund as a board member. Jeanne and her husband, Bob Raney, live in Livingston.

Katie McKalip

Secretary

Katie McKalip is a longtime conservationist and communications leader. Katie currently leads the communications and marketing programs of the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society as the VP of Communications and Marketing, a strategic role she has previously served for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. She is most at home in Montana’s forests and habitats, and she enjoys hunting, fishing, floating, and hiking with her family.

Brendon Cechovic

Director

Brendon Cechovic is the CEO of Western Conservation Foundation, a public charity that works to advance protections for our public lands and climate. Prior to that, he was the Executive Director of Washington Conservation Voters. Brendon is a board member of the national League of Conservation Voters, and though lives in Denver, considers himself a proud Montanan. He’s a University of Montana Grizzly who is happiest with a fly rod in his hand.

Ben Super

Director

Ben was born in Rapid City, South Dakota and raised in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. In 1997 he bought a one-way ticket to Missoula to attend the University of Montana, where he received an Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps scholarship and majored in forestry. After graduating he spent five years as an active duty Army officer and served two tours in Iraq.

Ben moved back to Missoula in 2006 and worked primarily for the Montana Department of Natural Resources before joining the UM Foundation as the Director of Development for the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. For Ben, this job is a homecoming, and he feels honored to serve the mission of the college and make a difference. Ben and his partner spend most of their time doing their best to keep up with their son while enjoying all that Montana has to offer.