Bio :

As program director, Ben combines his love for the high desert with his passion for the permanent protection and stewardship of its most wild places. He joined ONDA in 2012 as our John Day River Basin program coordinator and assumed the additional role of stewardship director in 2015, before stepping into the program director role in 2019.

Ben has conducted frog research for New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, taught forest ecology at the Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center, served as Central Oregon Field Organizer for the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, and focused on working lands conservation as Outreach Coordinator for 1000 Friends of Oregon. Ben earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Colorado-Boulder.

When not working, Ben explores Oregon’s high desert on foot, skis, and by bike. To him, there is no finer place on earth.