Chris West to Join National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as Director of the Rocky Mountain Regional Office

​Washington, D.C. (May 11, 2015) -- Today, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announces the appointment of Chris West as director of the newly created Rocky Mountain Regional Office. West will be based in Denver, Colo., and will be responsible for developing and advancing conservation initiatives, managing projects and securing funding for NFWF’s grant-making portfolio. The Rocky Mountain Regional Office addresses conservation priorities in the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.  

West brings more than two decades of conservation experience to his new position. Prior to joining NFWF, West served as the executive director of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT). CCALT is one of the nation’s leading land conservation organizations, and now protects more than 450,000 acres on 300 working ranch properties statewide. West has been with CCALT in a variety of roles since 1997, and in his eight years as executive director, the acreage protected by the organization doubled and the financial assets increased threefold.

Prior to his work with CCALT, West served as the first executive director of the Douglas Land Conservancy in Castle Rock, Colo. At that time, Douglas County was the fastest growing county in the nation and a national example of how conservation can succeed at the same time as rapid growth.

West served on the board of directors of the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts from 1998 to 2005 and was the president of that board from 2001 to 2003. He also serves on the Land Trust Alliance National Leadership Council and chairs the governor-appointed Colorado Easement Oversight Commission. West has an undergraduate degree in geology from Colby College and a master’s degree in natural resource policy and economics from Duke University.

“Chris West’s work leading conservation efforts in the region makes him an ideal choice to serve as the director of our new Rocky Mountain Regional Office,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “Given his extensive experience, I know Chris will have great success in bringing all partners to the table as we strive to optimize conservation funding and implement landscape-level grant programs throughout the Rocky Mountain region.”

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores our nation’s wildlife and habitats. Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF directs public conservation dollars to the most pressing environmental needs and matches those investments with private contributions. NFWF works with government, nonprofit and corporate partners to find solutions for the most complex conservation challenges. Over the last three decades, NFWF has funded more than 4,000 organizations and committed more than $2.9 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.