Staff
Michelle Uberuaga Z., Executive Director: Michelle moved to Montana to work on a research crew in Yellowstone National Park. She now lives in Livingston and works as a community organizer, mother and an environmental attorney. She grew up in Mount Rainier National Park where she learned that children should be allowed limitless opportunities to wander aimlessly in the woods.
Erica Lighthiser, Program Director: Erica is a research scientist, mama, wife, adventure cyclist, hiker, skier, lover of local food, tiny houses, large open spaces and most things wild and outdoors. She loves her big life in this windy little town and is inspired to protect Park County’s rugged landscape, wildlife, fresh waters, and the people that enjoy them.
Board of Directors
Nelson King, President: Nelson has been a writer and journalist for over twenty-five years, most of that time following the ups and down of science and technology in columns, blogs, articles and books. Meanwhile he developed software for state environmental laboratories. Prior to that, twenty years were more than occupied by professional theater.
Jenny Harbine, Vice-President: Jenny is a Montana native and lives with her husband and young son in Livingston. Jenny works as a lawyer for the northern Rockies office of Earthjustice, a non-profit law firm that helps ensure that laws and policies protecting environmental health and natural resources are upheld and strengthened.
Bob Hughes, Treasurer: Bob is a former financial manager who now spends his professional time writing mystery novels and short stories as well as magazine articles on western history. As an avid hiker, cross-country skier and fly-fisherman, he’s a denizen of the Absarokas, Beartooths and Crazies. Bob and his wife, Sally, have been active in the Montana environmental community for many years. They live east of Livingston with a pair of rambunctious pups—a Kerry Blue Terrier and a Golden Doodle.
Melynda Coble Harrison: Melynda is a long time Livingston resident with an academic background in environmental science. She works part time for Polar Bear International in Bozeman, doing (among other things) the organization’s social media outreach. She also home schools her two young boys
Max Hjortsberg: Max is a poet and backyard historian who grew up next to Pine Creek in Paradise Valley, and now lives in Livingston with his family. He works as an environmental consultant in the water resources field, specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He would rather be trout fishing.
Tom Murphy: Tom has lived in Park County for over 32 years because of his passion for photographing Yellowstone’s wild places. Tom established Wilderness Photography Expeditions in 1986 in part to give something back to wildlife and wild-lands and to aid in their preservation. He donates the use of his photography to environmental groups to support their efforts, including PCEC. Look for his photographs throughout our website.