Prairie Neighbors

Dan works as the safety manager for American Prairie and also assists with wildlife restoration projects. He received a BS in resource management from University of Montana Western, and is a trained facilitator in the fields of operational safety leadership and risk management. He is also a commercial rated pilot with the majority of his flight experience gained from flying small bush planes in Alaska, and he’s a member of the aircraft owners and pilot association.

Before joining American Prairie, Dan worked for 8 years as a non-game biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department where he worked mainly with wildlife restoration projects involving trumpeter swans, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and black footed ferrets. He also worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service at the National Bison Range in western Montana and worked as a wilderness manager and pilot for over 20 years in Alaska.

Dan is a fourth-generation Montanan. His great-grandparents homesteaded along the front range, and he and his wife are currently building a house near the old family homestead. He was fortunate to be raised in a strong conservation-minded family which pointed him in the direction of a conservation career in order to give back. He grew up fishing and hunting the remote streams and lonely fields of Montana and continues to do so at every opportunity.

Dr. Daniel Kinka is American Prairie's Wildlife Restoration Manager. His primary responsibilities include restoring and monitoring wildlife on the Reserve and managing the wildlife-friendly ranching program "Wild Sky." He also acts as a liaison to scientists conducting research at American Prairie, other non-governmental organizations, agencies, and other external entities. He joined American Prairie in 2018, shortly after completing his doctoral degree in ecology at Utah State University. In graduate school, he studied the use of livestock guardian dogs to promote coexistence between large North American carnivores and ranchers. Originally from Florida and the Washington DC area, Daniel has enjoyed living “out west” since 2010. In addition to restoration ecology and applied science, Daniel harbors a deep passion for science communication, having worked as a science reporter for Utah Public Radio, publishing in High Country News, and serving as a National Geographic Society Fellow.

Ellen’s primary responsibilities focus on habitat restoration, currently in a part-time capacity. Before joining the Field team, Ellen was a graduate research assistant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She is originally from St. John, Washington and earned a B.S. from Washington State University in Natural Resource Sciences, minoring in Rangeland Ecology and Management. She graduated from UNL in December 2016 with an M.S. in Agronomy, specializing in Range and Forage Sciences. Ellen enjoys living on the Reserve and is most excited about working on a landscape-scale conservation project that is available to the public for their use and enjoyment.

Garrett oversees and directs all aspects of American Prairie's land acquisition program, advancing our goal of assembling the largest nature reserve in the contiguous United States.

He received his undergraduate, graduate, and law degrees from the University of Montana, where he focused on environmental and natural resource law and policy, and was named to the inaugural class of Wyss Scholars. Garrett has spent his career in the non-profit conservation space, working to protect land, water, and wildlife at the national, regional, and local scale. In his spare time he enjoys reading and running, cycling and snowboarding, and exploring the road less traveled with his wife, kids, and dogs.

Henry's role at American Prairie is to provide support for the bison restoration program. This involves fencing, habitat restoration, and bison herd monitoring and handling. Before joining American Prairie in 2018, he worked various seasonal natural resources jobs. He holds an associates degree in Wildlife Resources Management. Growing up, Henry always imagined himself exploring wild places under big skies and found the prairies of north-central Montana the perfect place for just that.

Katy supports operations of the Wild Sky Program and executes field projects on Wild Sky Ranches, including the Cameras for Conservation Program. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT. Before joining American Prairie in 2019, Katy was a field technician for various research projects that focused on grassland ecosystems in Montana. She also loves spreading a passion for the outdoors and has led student trips into the Beartooth Mountains and through the Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River. Growing up in North Dakota, she loved visiting the western badlands. It's where she gained an appreciation for our public lands and prairie wildlife.

Lars’ primary responsibility is landscape stewardship on American Prairie lands. He is originally from Chappell, Nebraska and received his education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he earned an MS in Agronomy specializing in Range and Forage Science and BS degrees in Rangeland Ecosystems and Fisheries & Wildlife. Lars began working for American Prairie in 2013 and is still excited to be part of a project that is effecting change over an entire landscape.

Pedro works with the bison team in the field leading the implementation of everyday actions to reach the goals of American Prairie. He holds an MSc in Natural Resources Management and a BSc in Ecology from the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Mexico. He is specialized in range and wildlife management and conservation and is certified in Holistic Management by the Savory Institute. He is an active member of the low stress stockmanship and regenerative grazing communities. Before joining American Prairie in 2022, Pedro was the ranch manager for Chapman Livestock LLC in northwestern Oklahoma. Prior to that he managed Rancho El Uno in Chihuahua, where he was also the manager of Mexico’s bison conservation herd. Growing up in northern Mexico and having worked in the Chihuahuan Desert for over 20 years, Pedro is hooked on wide open spaces, wildlife conservation and the culture and life on the range.

Scott’s primary role is leading American Prairie’s Landscape Stewardship program; including developing long-term strategies and goals for infrastructure on the landscape, grazing and bison restoration. He also works closely with neighbors, agencies and partners. Scott joined American Prairie in 2015. Prior to joining American Prairie, he was a Park Ranger, managed recreation areas and campgrounds and did tallgrass prairie restoration work. He has a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from South Dakota State University. Since a young age Scott has imagined large prairie ecosystems teeming with wildlife and working in the prairies of Montana offers just that.

Travis’ role at American Prairie consists of maintaining our land infrastructures and our growing number of buildings and vehicles, while actively ensuring that the organization’s monthly maintenance goals are met. Travis holds a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Rio Grande. Prior to moving to Montana, Travis spent 9 years in the construction field and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role as Maintenance Operations Specialist. Originally from Ansonia, Ohio, Travis’ wanderlust led him to Montana in search of adventure and the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than himself. Travis has planted his roots in the prairie and treasures the sense of purpose and freedom that he has found here.