"The cause should lead the organization, not the organization leading the cause." 
~ Jeffrey Wilcox, The Non-Profit Leader of the New Decade

​BOARD OF DIRECTORS
​

 Karin Vardaman, President, Co-Founder
 ~ 36 years experience in non-profit leadership
 ~ 38 years experience in wildlife conservation and environmental education
 ~ Member of the California Wolf Management Stakeholder Working Group
 ~ Former Director of California Wolf Recovery at California Wolf Center;  
     animal husbandry lead and education and outreach lead
 ~ 14 years experience in wolf conservation; experienced wildlife tracker
 ~ ​12 years experience in wolf-livestock conflict mitigation and conflict risk evaluation, and range riding
 ~ 10 years on-the-ground training in stockmanship/herd management
 ~ The New Yorker Magazine- July 9, 2019;  The Persuasive Power of the Wolf Lady
 ~ Harvard University, Harvard Business School - Working Circle Case Study: Download File
 ~ Forbes, 50 over 50 Impact List 2021 
 ~ The Wolf Connection - Ranching with Wolves
 ~ The Guardian: Ranchers Seek to Protect Herds as Wolves Move In ​
Patrick Valentino, Vice President, Co-Founder
Attorney at Law, Northwestern School of Law
  • Working Circle's Co-founder and partner since 2014
  • Founder, Mexican Wolf Fund; a partnership between agencies, NGO's, and Livestock producers
  • Board of Directors, HomeRise, supportive housing developer for the formerly homeless
  • Former Executive Director and Board Member, California Wolf Center
  • Founder, California Wolf Recovery program, California Wolf Center
  • Member of the California Wolf Management Stakeholder Working Group
  • Partner, Rodriguez Wright LLP
Over 35 years experience in wolf conservation bringing innovative and visionary ideas to fruition.  Patrick's leadership and years of forwarding a better way for wolves, livestock, and people laid the foundation for the Working Circle model to be born.   
Nathan Atkins, Treasurer
B.S. Cinema and Photography, Ithaca College
  • Working Circle partner since 2020
  • Experienced Wildlife Tracker
  • Experienced in managing and conducting fieldwork to reduce wolf-livestock conflict including:
    • wolf, cattle, and ungulate monitoring
    • camera deployment
    • data collection
    • landscape surveying and mapping
    • Conflict risk evaluation
    • Community engagement and relationship building
  • Communications expert
  • Avid outdoorsman and wildlife conservationist
  • Passionate supporter of Working Circle's vision to support ranchers and bring people of diverse values and perspectives together in understanding and respect​
Dr. Diana Tomback, Secretary, Science Advisor
B.A. and M.A. at University of California Los Angeles and Ph.D. at the University of California Santa Barbara.
  • Professor of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado, Denver
  • Recipient of the U.S. Forest Service Centennial Conservation Award, 1991 
  • Co-founder, Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation
  • Author of more than 125 publications
Diana 's impressive science background includes her renowned work around the whitebark pine. 

 In 1986, she was invited to join a federal inter-agency research team to study the decline of whitebark pine. And as a result of her pioneering studies, she was elected a Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union in 1994.

Diana was awarded a Charles Bullard Harvard Forest fellowship for a 9 month residency at Harvard University in 2014. Her publications are a primary information source for the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service status review of whitebark pine under the ESA.  
 
A long-time Yellowstone National Park researcher, Diana more recently advocates for science-based wolf conservation in Colorado. She currently serves as a member and science advisor for several wildlife/organization teams in Colorado. and on the editorial board of several scientific journals. 

With her strong and solid science perspective and foundation, Diana's role as science advisor to Working Circle is invaluable to ensuring a solid science-based effort. ​
Dr. Norm Switzer, DVM

Dr. Norm Switzer, born in Pasadena, California, grew up with a passion for nature and the great outdoors. After attending Pasadena City College, U.C. Irvine, and UC Davis, earning a BS in Biology and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, he moved to Poway, CA. Dr. Switzer started his career working at Midland Animal Clinic where he established himself as an excellent veterinarian and surgeon. He has lived and worked in Poway for 38 years and is currently the managing veterinarian at Midland Animal Clinic. Norm has served on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for the University of San Diego for more than 30 years.

Norm has also served as the veterinarian for California Wolf Center in Julian, California since the early 1990’s, and led the organization as Executive Director for many years.  Norm believed in Working Circle’s vision on day one and his continued support of our efforts have helped Working Circle become what it is today. 

Norm has been married to his wife, Patrice, for 41 years, and has three terrific children. His interests outside of work include hiking, backpacking, body surfing, walking his dog, reading a good book, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He backpacked the entire Pacific Crest Trail in 1977 prior to starting work as a veterinary assistant and pursuing studies and a career in veterinary medicine.


​ADVISORY BOARD
​

Joe Engelhart, Herd and Rangeland Management Advisor 
Livestock Producer and Ranch Manager, Alberta, Canada​
  • Stockmanship and wolf-livestock conflict specialist
  • Working Circle partner since 2016 
From a multi-generational ranch family living and working in wolf and grizzly country, Joe recognized from an early age that in order for ranchers to keep ranching in the modern world, an evolution in herd and range management was key. Joe became an avid student in stockmanship strategies including: Bud William's low-stress livestock handling, rekindling the herd instinct, and prescribed grazing practices. Joe also took it upon himself to better understand predators' behavior and ecology to make better herd management decisions.  Joe has successfully learned to combine his knowledge of the land and wildlife to work around wolves and other predators and increase his ranch sustainability, resiliency, and economic viability.  
Hilary Zaranek Anderson, Advisor, Clinician
M.S. Wildlife Biology, University of Montana, 2008
Livestock Producer, MT, Crazy D Ranch
  • Regenerative agriculture practitioner 
  • Predator-livestock conflict reduction innovator and clinician
  • Co-founder, Tom Miner Basin Association, MT
  • Committee Leader, Centennial Valley Association, MT 
  • Working Circle partner since 2018
Hilary is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in predator-livestock conflict reduction via herd management.  A leader and innovator, Hilary is passionate about ranching and wildlife and believes that conserving both go hand-in-hand. With a focus on ranch resiliency, Hilary is also a visionary force in forging practices in regenerative agriculture and bringing diverse voices together to forward a new and better path for wolves, livestock, and people.  Her experiences as both a rancher and biologist is invaluable to forwarding Working Circle's mission.  
Serving California, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon
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to reduce wolf-livestock conflict, thus protecting both cattle and wolves.
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