This year’s election is for president, first vice president, second vice president and four directors (two two-year terms and two three-year terms) of the PNW section
This year’s election is somewhat unique. Pulling of the 2025 annual meeting in Spokane was a massive undertaking for the section. While the event was a huge success, its planning and execution overshadowed some of the other day-to-day operations of the section. Following a missed election in fall of 2024 and a leadership resignation, the section has been operating in 2025 without a first or second vice president and two of the six director positions. Typically, of the officer positions (president and 1st and 2nd VP), only the second vice president is an elected position who then succeeds to a one-year term as the 1st Vice President, followed by a one-year term as President. However, this year the section will be voting on both vice president positions as well as the president in addition to the currently vacant director positions (two-year terms) and upcoming vacancies (three-year terms).
Information about the candidates is followed by an election ballot. Voting closes on October 4, 2025. Only currently paid members of SRM may vote.
President. Serves one year. Vote fore one.
Andrea Mann
I have put my name forward to serve as President of the PNW Section for a second term because I believe in this Section and our abilities to use our wisdom and knowledge for success. Maybe that means we query our membership and find out what they really need from the PNW Section, do we change our bylaws to reflect the needs of today’s members, do we distribute our international meeting funds in a different manner? What do we really need to better reach our rangeland producers, educators, and researchers? I received the best mentorship and leadership from my peers, and I have a passion to share those experiences. I hope to facilitate answering these questions with your help, in order to recruit, lead, and mentor others to feel as passionate as I do to serve a community that has provided so much for me. Please become involved and help the PNW Section to continue to find solutions. Thank you for your vote and your service.
1st Vice President. Serves one year then succeeds to president. Vote for one.
Derek Marin
Derek has been in Range Management for the last 8 years as a Range Specialist and Technician for the US Forest Service, having worked on Salmon-Challis NF, Mt. Hood NF, Giffard Pinchot NF, Columbia River Gorge NSA, and the Colville NF Range programs. Derek has served a subject matter expert in Range for the Forest Service International Program where he had the opportunity to work in Paraguay establishing a Silvopasture Systems Project with WWF on several ranches based in the Gran Chaco dry forest region of the country. Recently Derek was promoted into the District Conservationist leadership role for NRCS representing Northeastern Washington State where he and his team work on various conservation and agriculture issues with landowners both on private and public lands. He is currently working with local NGOs, Cattleman Associations, and other agencies on Wolf-Livestock Conflict and providing assistance with non-lethal deterrence specifically related to Range Riding efforts and funding support. He is also serving on Washington State NRCS’s Predator Deconfliction Cadre helping build the first standalone Range Riding practice in the state. Derek is interested in being value-added to PNW section looking to help provide additional leadership and structure to the group wherever he is needed. Derek would like to bring ideas to the group to include more learning opportunities/ awareness as it relates to forestland grazing issues to SRM. Otherwise, he is interested in participating, helping achieve section goals, having a great time working with the group, and hopefully going on a few adventures with SRM PNW section along the way.
2nd Vice President. Serves one year then succeeds to 1st Vice President. Vote for one.
Andy Neary
I am drawn to the profession of rangeland management because I think it presents a unique host of ecological, economic and social challenges. Throughout my career working in the nonprofit, private and government sectors, I have taken on these challenges from a number of directions including inventorying and monitoring plant communities in Washington, California and across Oregon; teaching introductory rangeland ecology courses; coordinating a watershed council; planning and implementing riparian restoration projects and developing ecological site descriptions. A common thread through this journey has been a focus on improving the health of our land while connecting people with the ecological knowledge and tools to sustain this health holistically. I currently work as a private natural resource consultant for High Desert Ecology. Recently, I attained my Certified Professional in Rangeland Management certification as a means to strengthen my technical knowledge through the support of SRM’s professional program. I became involved with SRM while pursuing a M.S. in Rangeland Ecology and Management at Oregon State. Since 2022 I have served as a director of the PNW section, helping to reengage the Central Oregon Chapter, contribute to the organization of the 2025 Spokane annual meeting and lead the planning effort for the three-day, Spring 2025 Meeting in Prineville, Oregon. If elected, I intend to work towards recruitment and retention, to ensure that our organization and section continues to have a strong presence. I am also excited about the prospects of working toward further chapter involvement and helping to provide opportunities for education and professional development for members. I believe I would serve the section well with a diverse background and a voice of scientific integrity.
Director. Three-year term. Vote for two.
Sophie Escobar
I graduated from Oregon State University in 2019 with a Bachelors of Science in Natural Resources. After graduating I worked on the Ochoco National Forest as a Natural Resource technician for 3 years. Now, as a Rangeland Management Specialist for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, I focus my time on looking at rangelands through an ecological lens. Habitat restoration, riparian system improvements, and livestock coexisting with wildlife are my passion. While I am not an enrolled tribal member, I feel very fortunate and have great pride in being able to work on the Tribes rangelands.
Marika Kearsley
I grew up in Southeastern Idaho in potato country. While I was working on my Range Livestock Management degree from University of Idaho, I started work as a SCEP student (now Pathways) with the NRCS. I was able to work in three different offices in southern Idaho and learned more about rangelands and NRCS. When I graduated, I was hired full time with the NRCS as a Range Conservationist in Burley, Idaho. After 2 years, I was moved over to Mountain Home, Idaho, with a new title: Rangeland Management Specialist. Seven years ago, I moved up to Davenport, Washington as their Rangeland Management Specialist. Two years later, I moved into my current position as a Resource Conservationist for the Ritzville, WA field office. Over my 24-year career with NRCS, I’ve been able to work with new ranchers and multi-generational ranchers. I’ve also been able to work on grazed range & irrigated pastures, grazed forest, and aftermath grazed cropland. I’ve also been able to work with farmers across the gambit of land uses and crop types. I’d like to do more outreach to our ranchers and bring them into NRCS and SRM.
Director. Two-year term. Vote for two.
Tammy Chesier
I am currently a Rangeland Management Specialist with the U.S. Forest Service in Washington. In my role, I focus on sustainable grazing management, ecosystem monitoring, and supporting the multi-use mission of our public lands. Before joining the Forest Service, I worked as a Research Assistant with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension, where I gained hands-on experience in applied rangeland science, forage systems, and a passion for connecting the two. I earned my B.S. in Animal Science with a concentration in Rangeland Management from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas in 2022. My academic and research experiences gave me a strong foundation in the science of Rangeland Stewardship. I grew up on a ranch in East Texas, where I developed a lifelong appreciation for the land and the values of hard work, integrity, and conservation. That background continues to shape my passion for rangeland management and the connectivity to rural community engagement. I have been a member of the Society for Range Management since 2021 and am excited for the opportunity to give back to the organization that has supported my professional growth from the beginning. I am happy to serve on the PNW section board because I care deeply about sustaining our region’s rangelands and supporting the people who manage them. I hope to bring a fresh, early-career perspective and further my knowledge while supporting collaboration, mentorship, and continued excellence in rangeland science and management.
Aaron Johnston
Aaron grew up in the foothills outside of Boise, Idaho, where he gained an appreciation for the rangeland and forest landscapes of the inland Northwest. Graduating from Capital High School in 2018, Aaron migrated north to the University of Idaho in the town of Moscow to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in environmental science. During his undergraduate experience, Aaron worked as rangeland water resources coordinator, and as a rangeland technician near the Sawtooth mountains in central Idaho. He then went on to pursue his master’s degree, where he conducted thesis research on the economic viability of rangeland wildfire fuel breaks in the Twin Falls BLM District of southern Idaho. Since May of 2024, Aaron has worked with the High Desert Partnership in Hines, Oregon, as the coordinator for the Harney County Wildfire and Forest Restoration Collaboratives. In this role, he has worked with agency officials, Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, and landowners to implement fuels mitigation treatements across forest and rangeland landscapes. A background in both science and economics provides Aaron with a skill set to connect with stakeholders of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. His passion for natural resources and understanding people has allowed him to excel in collaborative settings. Outside of work, Aaron loves to hike, ski, read, and research investments in equity and financial markets.