SSLT Board of Directors

Nancy Armstrong grew up in Robin, Idaho, farming and ranching with her parents on the same land her grandparents homesteaded in 1898. She did 4-H and rode her horses all over.  Her roots run deep in Southeast Idaho, and after 40 years of a nursing career, she has retired back home to preserve the legacy and hard work of her family. She felt the place to start was to protect the land from development and preserve its heritage forever. In 2017 Nancy and her wife, Dr. E.J. Zita, worked with the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust to put the land in a conservation easement. They also maintain some grouse habitat preservation, and plan to farm alfalfa.  Nancy and Zita have retired from cattle ranching.

“We are so pleased that the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust was there to help us throughout the entire process. I am excited to be a part of this great organization as a new board member, and look forward to working to preserve even more land through conservation efforts such as ours.”

Nancy earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Idaho State University, and also holds two Master’s degrees. For the past 25 years she worked as a Nurse Practitioner at her own clinic in Olympia, Washington. Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) Armstrong is a Veteran of the Army Nurse Corps, with 23 years of service in active duty and reserves.

Shawna joined the NeighborWorks Pocatello team in 2008 as their Chief Financial Officer. Prior to employment with the company she served on their Board of Directors and Executive Board of Directors. Shawna has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Masters of Accountancy. She is a Certified Public Accountant with a Chartered Global Management Accounts designation from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She is a HUD Certified Reverse Mortgage Counselor and has her NCHEC Certification in Financial Capability.

While working on her Master’s degree, Shawna was a member and officer of the Beta Lambda chapter of Beta Alpha Psi that received a 2013 National Ethics Award sponsored by Grant Thornton.

Shawna enjoys spending time outdoors and the open spaces of Idaho.

Originally from New England, Karla developed a love for the outdoors early in life while playing in the great outdoors – hiking, skiing, rock climbing, camping, canoeing and kayaking. Today, the outdoors continues to be a place of peace and wonder where she can recharge her internal batteries as she explores the wild places of Oregon. Karla recently retired from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and currently lives outside Portland Oregon. After graduating with an MS and PhD from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Karla worked as a field technician on the black bear project in western Massachusetts and on the gray wolf project at Glacier National Park. Later, she managed the Behavior Lab at the New Mexico Regional Primate Research Center in Alamogordo New Mexico before moving west to Crouch, Idaho where she co-owned and operated a hunting and fishing outfit. Towards the end of her career, Karla worked for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game managing USFWS grant programs to benefit endemic and threatened species and their habitats.

Raised in upstate New York with the Adirondack Park as her back yard, Jennifer developed a great affinity for nature and protecting the environment.  Jennifer and her family moved from Syracuse, New York, to Pocatello in 2006. She and her husband raised their daughter and son here, enjoying the many wonderful outdoor opportunities available. Jennifer enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, skiing, fishing, camping, water sports and gardening.  Jennifer has a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a master’s degree in Stream Ecology form Idaho State University.  For the past 8 years she has worked for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality as a water quality analyst.  This position allows Jennifer to contribute to and collaborate with many entities to improve the important habitats and ecosystems here in Southeast Idaho.

Being part of the board presented an appropriate venue for her to pursue conservation efforts in Southeast Idaho and she looks forwards to giving back to the area that has been a great source of enjoyment for her family. Jennifer has been a board member of the land trust since 2015.

Dave Pacioretty served with the BLM for 34 years, with extensive experience as a rangeland management specialist, field manager, associate district manager, and field office manager. In 2007, Dave’s BLM career moved to Pocatello Idaho, where he held the position of BLM’s Pocatello Field Office Manager until his retirement in 2017.

Dave has established an enduring legacy in land management and restoration, with an affinity for fisheries habitat and restoring and conserving rivers. Through cooperation and coordination with multiple partners, Dave worked to safeguard valuable land both for wildlife and for future generations.

Jennifer Ellis is an Idaho rancher in Bingham and Caribou Counties. She has been involved with many agricultural and natural resource groups in Idaho and nationally. Over the course of 25 years of involvement with these organizations she has come to appreciate the complex relationships between the agricultural communities and those who recreate on, and move to them. The stunning pace at which agricultural lands are being converted to commercial and residential areas is of grave concern to many farmers and ranchers, and the Ellis’ are no exception.

As a fourth generation Idahoan, the people, places, and critters of Idaho mean a tremendous amount to Jennifer and her family. She looks forward to working with the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust to ensure her grandkids have the same quality of life and access to the great natural wonders Idaho has to offer that she has enjoyed throughout her lifetime.

Jennifer is married to Shawn and mother of Kassidy, Devon and Chandler and grandmother of Sloane and McCoy- who will hopefully be the 6th generation of Idaho cowboys in the family.

John O’Connell was born and raised in central Illinois and learned the importance of preserving open space, habitat and places to recreate from his parents, who were active in the Sierra Club’s Heart of Illinois chapter. He graduated from University of Illinois in 1999 with a journalism degree. O’Connell worked in journalism for more than two decades, specializing in agriculture. In the spring of 2021, he joined the communications team serving the University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, where he continues to work, publicizing the college’s cutting-edge agricultural research and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. 

O’Connell enjoys mountain biking in the foothills surrounding Pocatello, as well as skiing, camping and hiking with his family. 

Richie Evans is a 5th generation Idahoan who grew up in Springdale, Idaho in Cassia County.  His family roots run deep in southeastern Idaho where his ancestors homesteaded in Malad, ID in 1871.  Growing up, Richie spent much of his time working on a ranch in southeast Idaho where he learned to appreciate the beauty of Idaho’s natural landscapes. 

Prior to starting his career in banking, Richie worked for the Bureau of Land Management as a wildland firefighter where that work helped to further shape his appreciation for the Great Outdoors.  Richie is a family man who enjoys snowboarding, snowmobiling, hunting, hiking and all other things outdoors.  He devotes much of his time to serving his community and is excited to be on the Board of Directors for the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust as he believes this organization is a tremendous asset to our local communities.

Raised in Bear Lake County, Austin learned a great respect for the outdoors early on through hunting, fishing, hiking, and other outdoor exploration in Southeast Idaho. After working around the country, he settled back in his hometown of Montpelier with his wife to raise a family. An accountant by trade, he has been involved in many local organizations to bolster the local economy and seek balance between the wild spaces and the people that wish to enjoy them. As he and his wife raise their four boys outside sharing the activities they love – rock climbing, backcountry snowboarding, mountain climbing, and backpacking – he was inspired by the efforts being made to protect surrounding forests, wildlife and agriculture from the impact of the increasing population.