Meet Our Team
Martha Tate Jenkins
Executive Director
(Laramie, WY)
martha@wildwyo.org
Martha was born and raised at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains in Sheridan, Wyoming and has been involved with WWA from an early age. Her first experience in the Wilderness was on a WWA youth outing into Cloud Peak Wilderness. Martha vividly
remembers the overwhelmingly beauty of the high-alpine view, experiencing the power of the Wilderness, and the feeling of belonging to something much greater than herself. This early encounter with Wilderness is what inspired Martha to join WWA throughout the years as an intern, administrative assistant, and eventually as a board member from 2020-2025.
Prior to joining the board of WWA, Martha graduated from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 2017. As an attorney, Martha practiced criminal law, family law, civil litigation, immigration law, and international refugee law. She has lived and worked
around the world in Egypt, Thailand, Tanzania, and beyond in the human rights context. Martha's background and experience have cultivated her ability and enthusiasm to dive headfirst into new challenges. She feels privileged to have the opportunity to work for WWA during such a consequential time for our public lands.
Growing up in the suburbs of Alabama, Lauren’s initial concept of public lands stemmed from family camping trips at local state parks and a vague notion of the National Park Service. Post-bachelor’s degree, Lauren drove out west to work for the Bureau of Land Management conducting habitat restoration for desert tortoise in the far reaches of the Mojave Desert. She has been in love with these landscapes ever since; the more rugged the better! Following her time in the Mojave, Lauren dove heart-first into a 10-plus year career of stewarding western wildlands, primarily as a wilderness & climbing ranger crew lead for the US Forest Service in Washington’s southern Cascades, and recently she comes to us from the realm of special use permitting on the Bridger-Teton National Forest in which she has been developing programmatic efficiencies to provide space for creatively addressing conflicts between public demands and natural resource protection. Lauren is excited to bring her love of wilderness together with her love for deserts and high plains landscapes in her new role for WWA. Off-the clock you can find Lauren following elk tracks, trying not to fall off her bike on technical descents, or reaching desperately for that next climbing hold, and generally spending as much time as she can with her partner Brian and their three dogs Kai, Millie, and Thea.
Peggie dePasquale
National Forest Program Director
(Victor, ID)
Peggie@wildwyo.org
There was a time in Peggie’s life when she didn’t even know what designated Wilderness was. Although growing up in the mountains of rural western Maine gave her a deep appreciation for wildness and all that comes with it. In the winter of 2014 after finishing undergrad, Peggie served as an AmeriCorps Service Member with the Teton Science Schools, which brought her to the cabin of Mardy and Olaf Murie in Moose, WY. Here she learned about the Wilderness Act of 1964, the law that permitted wildlands to stay wild. It struck her as an idea worth fighting for.
Fast forward through several years as a Field Educator with the Teton Science Schools, and a Dual Master’s Degree from the University of Wyoming in Natural Science Education and Environment and Natural Resources, Peggie was hired as the Bridger-Teton Community Organizer with WWA in the Spring of 2018. After almost four years with the organization, Peggie realized her need to recharge and recalibrate on the mission of protecting wildlands. She soon ended up in the role of Wilderness Ranger for the Gros Ventre Wilderness on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. To be the boots on ground protector and steward of a Wilderness was a dream come true. Yet on Valentine’s Day 2025 she was terminated from this job, leading her to seek support from her conservation community in opposing these damaging cuts. Close collaboration with WWA organically led to her accepting an offer to be back on the team. Her aim is to continue her efforts to protect and steward national forest wildlands as she did as a Wilderness Ranger, but now across the whole state of Wyoming.
Born in the American West, Kelley Smith developed a connection to its vast landscapes that would ultimately guide her life's journey. After pursuing her education in the South, where she earned both her B.A. and M.A., Kelley relocated to Boston, Massachusetts to build her career in fundraising. During her time in Boston, she honed her development skills across both the startup and nonprofit sectors. Her most formative experience came at the New England Aquarium, where she immersed herself in conservation initiatives aimed at protecting marine ecosystems and educating the public about environmental stewardship. This work ignited her passion for environmental preservation and provided her with valuable tools to make a meaningful impact. While establishing her career, her heart remained drawn to the Western landscapes of her childhood. She spent several transformative summers in Wyoming, falling in love with its pristine wilderness, diverse wildlife, and breathtaking mountain vistas. These experiences reinforced her commitment to environmental advocacy and crystallized her desire to contribute directly to conservation efforts in the region.
In 2024, Kelley made the move to Wyoming, accompanied by her beloved Quarter horse, Butler. This relocation represented the perfect fusion of her personal and professional aspirations—allowing her to live amidst the natural beauty she cherishes while applying her fundraising expertise and conservation background to help preserve Wyoming's unique ecological heritage for future generations.
Jason Pinter
Cloud Peak Wilderness Steward
(Dayton, WY)
Jason's love for the outdoors and wild places began at a young age, with highlights of being a teenager spending time hiking, fishing, and backpacking in the Bighorns, Absarokas, and Black Hills. This led to a 30-year career working in public service both at State and Federal agencies. Jason started working in Grand Teton National Park conducting frontcountry, backcountry, and river patrols. After having worked in public safety for the State of Wyoming for more than ten years, he realized that his true passion was working for land management agencies protecting our public lands. He later worked as a ranger in Devil's Tower National Monument, a short stint in Badlands National Park, and most recently monitoring and protecting ten Wilderness Study Areas totaling more than 450,000 acres for the Bureau of Land Management in southern Utah. However, the highlight of his career was being fortunate enough to spend several years as the lead Wilderness Ranger in the Cloud Peak Wilderness for the Bighorn National Forest. Due to the recent significant reductions to the Federal workforce, Jason is looking forward to bringing his knowledge and experience to Wyoming Wilderness Association, conducting survey and monitoring work in the Cloud Peak Wilderness.