Who We Are

The people behind Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance — advocates, scientists, attorneys, and volunteers working for wolves and wildlife.

Melissa Smith

Founder and Executive Director. Melissa founded Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf & Wildlife in 2011 and has led the organization’s science-based, litigation-forward advocacy ever since.

Stacy Gilson

Wolf petition co-petitioner. Passionate about wolves since the first time she saw one, Stacy believes in taking action for animals that can’t speak for themselves.

Marya Bradley

A trauma-focused psychologist who brings a somatic, whole-person lens to her work, Marya is also a biodynamic craniosacral therapist, yoga instructor, and writer with an M.A. and M.Phil. in English Literature from Yale. A gifted storyteller, her testimony speaks powerfully to animal emotion and the fight against wildlife cruelty.

Gabby Dahl

Land Steward for Restoring Lands with a Master’s in Environmental Policy & Fish and Wildlife. Certified in wildlife capture and chemical immobilization for wolves, cougars, and black bears.

Nicole Miller

Communications Associate Director at UW–Madison CALS. A science writer and editor with 15+ years of experience across ecosystems, climate, and community topics.

Diana Miller

Member of the Menominee Nation and former tribal chairwoman, working closely with Wisconsin tribes on water and wildlife issues.

Nancy Warren

Active board member since 1993, committed to dispelling myths about wolves. Executive Director of the National Wolfwatcher Coalition.

Allyson Dallmann DVM

Retired veterinarian and long-time advocate against animal cruelty, with 17 years running her own clinic in Colorado.

Chris Albert DVM

Full-time veterinarian in Kentucky, encouraging people outside wolf country to feel empowered to contribute to wolf advocacy.

Sarah Bergstrom

Runs a four-generation family farm in Wisconsin. Believes wolves are a keystone species vital to a healthy ecosystem.

Jessica Blome

Attorney with Greenfire Law, with 15 years of experience in complex animal, environmental, and land use litigation.

Rene Hersey

Wildlife ecology graduate of Teton Science School, docent for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, and large carnivore advocate.

Erik Schyvinck

Ecologically-minded deer hunter with a degree in Forestry Management, gathering only what can be used sustainably by his family and community.

Tana Brandt

Veterinary technician and alpaca hobby farmer, advocating for coexistence between farms and wildlife through non-lethal protection.

Gerri Clemens

Animal advocate since the 1970s, working with organizations on gray wolf and cougar protection and community education.

Don Smith

Co-petitioner on GLWA’s gray wolf state endangered species petition and a research scientist at Promega Corporation, focused on nucleic acid purification and DNA extraction methods for genetic sequencing. Outside the lab, Don is an avid hiker, camper, backpacker, and rock climber who loves the mountains, and a skilled woodworker and artist.