Hold the Line, Shift the Strategy: Conservation in a Midterm Year 

Description

After a decade of growth and program expansion, many conservation organizations across the West and beyond are at an inflection point. In a time of political uncertainty, they are being called to do two things at once: stay grounded in their mission and adapt quickly to changing conditions. For many groups—especially those working in rural and politically complex landscapes—this moment calls for sharper focus, strategic clarity, and resilience in liminal times. 

Join a panel of experienced leaders in government affairs, conservation advocacy, and rural political organizing to explore what the U.S. midterm elections could mean for conservation and community-based land stewardship. Panelists will share insights on emerging strategies, how to prioritize limited resources, and which political and policy levers may be most effective in the years ahead. Participants will leave with a clearer sense of how to focus their efforts and navigate what lies ahead. 

Participants will learn

• How to prioritize limited resources.
• A clearer sense of how to focus their efforts and navigate what lies ahead. 

Who this is for

• Wilburforce grantees
• CLF partners
• Campaign professionals

Presenter Biography

Ryan stepped into ONDA’s executive director role in 2018, with 20 years of experience in the conservation sector under his belt.

While serving as the executive director of the Bend-based Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, he built award-winning restoration and stewardship programs, developed long-term partnerships, and recruited a talented team of staff and collaborators. Through this work, he developed a reputation as a committed and effective leader in Oregon conservation, well known for strategic vision and a dedication to collaboration. He has taught courses at the university level, worked as a research fellow with the Smithsonian Institution and led several ecological research projects.  He earned his undergraduate degree in environmental science from the University of California at Berkeley and his masters in ecology from the University of Arizona.

David Feinman (he/him) is CLF’s Vice President of Government Affairs. Prior to joining CLF, David served as Washington Representative for both the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) and World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), as Senior Legislative Associate and Project Director for The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), and on the staff of former U.S. Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida and former U.S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley of Nevada.

David is an adjunct professor in the Department of Government, School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, DC, where he teaches courses on Congress and Legislative Behavior and a Dialogue Skills Practicum on Grassroots Advocacy and Coalition Building. He is an alum of the University of Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a focus on International Relations, and of the University of Central Florida, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in Political Analysis and Public Policy. 

Kiersten Iwai (she/her) has spent her career advocating for climate policy and young people’s access to civic education in the mountain west. Most recently, she led and grew Forward Montana, a statewide organization that makes civic engagement more accessible to young Montanans. Under her leadership, the organization has achieved remarkable success, including playing a vital role in overturning unconstitutional voter suppression laws in Montana.

Kiersten approaches her work with the same energy she approaches life – seeing the joy in every situation and the human behind every conversation. She loves playing in the mountains, escaping reality with a good book, and dancing the night away.