Kari Kingery – President-Elect
Kari Kingery is a wildlife biologist, and program manager, for the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Wildlife Management Program. As a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, she started her career with CSKT’s Wildlife Program as a Biologist Trainee in 2008 while studying terrestrial Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana. Kari earned both her Bachelor of Science Degree (2013) and Masters of Science Degree (2020) from the University of Montana – Missoula. Kari is also an active member of The Wildlife Society, on both a national and state level, receiving her professional certification as a Wildlife Biologist in 2020.
Having been awarded the Alfred P. Sloan’s Research Fellowship in 2017, she conducted a master’s project on grizzly bear habitat selection and studied the effects of small livestock (chickens, goats, pigs, llamas) on the selection of habitat by grizzly bears in the Mission Valley on the Flathead Indian Reservation. This research was completed while working full-time as a grizzly bear research and conflict management biologist with the CSKT Wildlife Management Program. Upon graduation, Kari continued to work with landowners in reducing carnivore conflicts on the Flathead Reservation until becoming the program manager in 2022.
Wildlife does not exist in a vacuum, nor do they perceive or understand jurisdictional boundary-lines. Because of this, Kari recognizes the importance of coordination and collaboration across all efforts within our fields. Whether it’s partnerships with landowners and non-profit organizations; Universities and Colleges; or inter-Agency and Governmental relationships, managing for viable populations of wildlife across all of Montana rests on the incredible collaborative efforts of us all. If elected as TWS president elect, Kari would value the opportunity to continue to expand working on building relationships between our respective agencies and entities, while also highlighting some of the incredible partnerships we have that progress wildlife and habitat conservation today!
Rebecca Mowry – President
Rebecca Mowry has worked as the Bitterroot-area wildlife biologist with Montana FWP since 2014. She came to Montana via Texas Parks and Wildlife, University of Idaho (B.S.), and University of Missouri (M.S.), as well as a dozen or so odd tech jobs ranging from woodpeckers in the Black Hills to grizzly bears in Yellowstone. Rebecca was also your Montana Chapter secretary from 2020-2022, and is a TWS Leadership Institute alumnus (class of 2016).
Having served on the MTTWS board recently, Rebecca understands the challenges with making MTTWS more impactful and accessible to professionals and students. She would especially like to increase the Chapter’s influence on current political and conservation issues, hoping to lean heavily on National TWS to change things for the better for Montana wildlife and its stewards.
When not fielding hunter phone calls, catching bighorn sheep, or mentoring local high school and college students, Rebecca enjoys doodling wildlife on meeting agendas (some of which become MTTWS t-shirts), writing novels, and backpacking the nearby wildernesses with her dog Willow.
Katie Benzel – Past President
Katie Benzel is a Wildlife Biologist for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Dillon Field Office. Growing up in Dillon, she spent her free time in the mountains where she cultivated respect and appreciation for the outdoors and wildlife. She attended Colorado State University for 2 ½ years before transferring to the University of Montana and graduating with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in 2004. To diversify her knowledge of range management and wildlife habitat, she completed a M.S. in Range Science from Montana State University in 2008. Throughout undergrad and grad school she worked as a seasonal wildlife technician for the Forest Service and BLM. She has been in her current position since 2008.
Katie believes that public lands are essential, and she is grateful to work on the landscape that is deeply important to her. As a Wildlife Biologist for the BLM, she advocates for wildlife and habitat while navigating the complexities of managing multiple use public lands. Communication
and willingness to hear all perspectives is required. Over the years she has worked with several
agencies, groups, and private landowners covering a variety of species including amphibians, carnivores, big game, pygmy rabbits, raptors, sage grouse, migratory birds, and pollinators.
Katie would enjoy the opportunity to be MT TWS President to work with new wildlife colleagues in the state and expand her experience and knowledge. She continues to spend her free time in the mountains hiking, skiing, running, hunting, and camping.
Heather Harris – Treasurer
Heather was born and raised in Northern Ontario, Canada, spending most of her time outdoors where she developed an interest in wildlife and conservation. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Trent University and a M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Mississippi State University.
She started her career with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) in 2014 as the Region 6 Nongame/Furbearer Biologist. In this role she gained a deep appreciation for the grassland and sagebrush ecosystems and their associated species. In summer of 2021 she transitioned to the statewide Grassland/Wetland Coordinator for FWP based in Glasgow. In this role she works with private landowners, FWP staff, state wildlife agencies, federal partners, and NGO’s to deliver conservation programs, with a focus on supporting sustainable ranching operations. She has been a member of TWS for over 10 years and is involved with multiple TWS working groups. In her 10-year career with FWP, she has witnessed the tireless conservation efforts of wildlife professionals and the role TWS plays in not only promoting wildlife conservation but also serving as a venue for exchanging ideas and forming collaborations. She would like to serve as treasurer to contribute to these efforts.
In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, birding, dog training, and hunting with her cocker spaniel, Riggs.
Alissa Anderson – Secretary
Alissa is running to serve as secretary because Montana TWS has been an important part of her career journey. She has gotten a lot out of attending meetings over the years while a student and an early career professional and would like to give back now that she has the stability and capacity to do so.
In 2012 she received a bachelor’s degree from The University of Montana and then worked seasonal gigs for 7 years for the Forest Service, FWP, Glacier Park, Idaho Fish and Game, UM (go griz) and MSU (go cats). She worked on a variety of projects during these years including those focused on nongame critters in NW MT, sharp-tailed grouse habitat, fisher and lynx collaring, seal population dynamics in Antarctica, community science in Glacier, and forestry related wildlife surveys. In 2022 she received a master’s degree from Washington State University after studying Canada lynx occupancy and impacts of recreation on wildlife activity in Glacier National Park. She then worked for FWP as the mountain lion monitoring biologist working with many agency partners and houndsmen to study lion populations in the Little Belt and Gallatin mountains. Since February 2024 she has been happily employed in her ultimate dream job, FWP nongame wildlife tech for both regions 1 and 2.