POV: Having It All When You’re a Mom, Outdoorswoman, and Activist

Wild Montana joins Outside Magazine’s list of “50 Best Places to Work in 2023.” Why did we make the list again? Since 1958, Wild Montana has protected millions of acres of public lands, and our people are the reason for every one of our wins. Non-profit work can be tough, but we understand that attracting and keeping rock stars means taking care of them. We’re built around balancing work and play and making sure we’re always able to enjoy the places we’re working to protect. Check out our staff POVs by Anne Jolliff and Sonny Mazzullo for the inside scoop on keeping it wild at Montana’s strongest grassroots conservation community.

I grew up loving the outdoors. My family went camping and fishing to destress, explore, and enjoy each other’s company. A deer hanging in the garage meant food security. As I grew older, I was able to hunt and provide wild game for my own family. Hunting is often referred to as taking your bow or rifle for a very long hike, so naturally, I added hiking and backpacking to my adventures. My husband and I are looking forward to bringing our three girls backpacking next summer.

After college, I taught for nine years. During my last two years in the classroom, I had the opportunity to develop a dream class focused on outdoor literature and experiences. This class explored topics like fly fishing, big game processing and cooking, public lands policy, and the importance of public engagement in all of it. One day, a student asked me why I was teaching instead of pursuing what they saw as my true passion.

This question sparked a crisis conversation with my husband and later my mom. They reassured me that questioning my career path was perfectly acceptable. I didn’t want to let my students down. Nevertheless, I began to explore job opportunities in the conservation field and, to my delight, Wild Montana was hiring right here in Helena.

The more I learned about the benefits of working at Wild Montana, such as flexible schedules, hybrid/remote work options, sabbatical leave, Fridays off, and affordable health, vision, and dental benefits, the more convinced I became that this was the right move for me. They were hiring four field organizers for a new team. The position involved collaborating with other organizations, leading hikes, educating people about conservation, soliciting and guiding public input on land-use policies, and helping local chapters promote the organization’s mission. These were all activities and issues I had been passionate about and involved in through my class and volunteer work. I was thrilled when I got an offer to join the organizing team.

My first year with Wild Montana has been truly transformative. As a teacher, taking a sick day for myself or my three girls involved a mountain of work, including preparing substitute lesson plans and hoping a sub could be found at the last minute. Now, whether it’s a sick day, a school event, an appointment, a field trip, or a family gathering, I know that my organization fully supports and encourages me to prioritize my family, with the assurance that work can wait. My husband runs a taxidermy shop, and when he took a week-long trip to Wyoming, I was able to work from home and assist clients between my meetings. As a field organizer, I often attend events and meetings outside regular business hours, but Wild Montana actively encourages us to use our flexible time and maintain a manageable work-life balance. Such flexibility is a rare and valuable aspect of this job, making me a more dedicated and productive employee, as I can fulfill my family responsibilities alongside my professional ones.

Wild Montana is a grassroots conservation community, so my work allows me to merge my personal passions with my career. The organization encourages its staff to explore the landscapes we are working to protect. Hiking, backpacking, and trail work can be part of the job, and this paradigm shift has been both liberating and slightly surreal for me. Although I haven’t fully taken advantage of this perk, I’ve relished the opportunity to connect with people and help them craft letters to the editor or provide public comments during legislative sessions. I’ve enjoyed leading groups on hikes through our beautiful landscapes, teaching them about bear safety, and educating them about the essential work Wild Montana is doing to safeguard our wildlands.

Wild Montana represents more than just a career shift for me; it signifies a complete mindset change. It allows me to build upon my passions and share them with others in an extraordinary way, making a positive impact on our natural world and the communities that depend on it. I won’t lie, I was terrified (and some days I still am!) to walk away from the career I’d crafted and the relationships I’d built in education. At Wild Montana, I’ve been able to build upon and use almost everything I did as a teacher with a clear focus on my personal interests and strengths.