Meet our new Teton Science Schools AmeriCorps member, Grant Gallaher! Learn why he chose to work with the Alliance and what he’ll be doing for us in the next few months.
“Hello, Jackson! My name is Grant Gallaher, and I am a Teton Science Schools AmeriCorps member serving with the Alliance this fall.
I grew up in Spokane, Washington but have been lucky to call many places home over the years. Amidst the wheat fields of Walla Walla, I received a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Whitman College, with specific interest in ecology, biochemistry, and environmental justice. These passions led me north to investigate climate change in the tide pools of Sitka, Alaska, and south to survey tropical plants in the cloud forests of Ecuador. Wanting to enrich my science background by gaining experience in the educational realm, I spent the past year teaching English as a foreign language at a primary school on the small Spanish island of Menorca. And this summer brought me back home to the waters of Spokane where I guided kayak and rafting trips, as well as organizing the Spokane Riverkeeper’s first-ever standup paddleboard river cleanup.
Now, I call Jackson and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem home. I can think of few better locations – and few better organizations than the Alliance – to learn about the intersections of wildlife management, conservation goals, and community need. I chose to serve with the Alliance because their work makes it clear that ecological health and social wellbeing are not in conflict; rather, in Jackson, as in all places, the advancement of both must necessarily go hand in hand. I am excited to explore these ideas this fall as I create a Human-Wildlife Coexistence Report for the Wild Neighborhoods initiative, in addition to promoting and expanding the Don’t Poach the Powder winter program.
Already in my first weeks here, I have stumbled upon grizzlies and pronghorn, connected with new friends and community leaders, and hunted diligently for every state license plate (if you call West Virginia home, please reach out!). With curiosity and humility, I look forward to continuing to get to know the people, places, wildlife, and complexities of Jackson in the coming months!”