We have some new faces around the Alliance office. Maggie Shipley began work as our Voter Engagement Fellow last week, and Marisa Wilson started as our Communications and Field Coordinator in mid November. Both graduated from the 5th round of the Conservation Leadership Institute (CLI) in November.
Maggie moved to Jackson in February 2015. After spending a few years after college in a fun cycle of temporary work in her hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, mixed with national and international travel, she decided it was time to make a change and pursue her dream of moving west.
AmeriCorps VISTA provided Maggie an opportunity to relocate and make real change at the community level. A year working for the Latino Resource Center allowed Maggie to gain significant skills relevant to non-profit administration. However, Maggie felt she was neglecting an integral part of her life. Her passion for conservation and outdoor recreation led her to the Conservation Leadership Institute in the fall of 2015 and then to a fellowship with the Alliance in February 2016.
Maggie will be working as the Voter Engagement Fellow through November 2016, exploring and implementing tactics to reach underrepresented voices in the community, specifically Latinos and younger voters. She is excited to build on her experience with the Conservation Leadership Institute to impact change in our community by empowering people to engage in the civic process.
Marisa, originally from Iowa, was drawn to Jackson Hole by the wildlife and open spaces. After wrapping up a political campaign she worked on last fall, Marisa saw the opportunity to move west and found herself in Jackson, working the typical restaurant/ recreational jobs and enjoying time outdoors as often as possible.
Unable to leave behind her passion for nonprofit work and politics, Marisa began volunteering with the Alliance on a voter registration project and then enrolled in CLI for the fall session. Though she already admired the work of the Alliance and the passion and talent of the staff, through CLI she gained a deeper appreciation of the history and vision of the organization. So when a position arose where she could use and grow her skills at an organization she deeply respected, Marisa was ecstatic.
She has greatly enjoyed her last several months at the Alliance, learns something new every day, and looks forward to what the future will hold.
If you find yourself in the Alliance office, be sure to say hello to our new team members.
