Michelle Buzalsky – President
I grew up on cattle ranches in South-central Colorado and Northeastern Oregon. I took my love of the outdoors and the land as the basis for my education. I attended Northeastern Junior College in Sterling Colorado before moving on to Colorado State University where I earned a B.S. in Range Ecology with a minor in Wildlife Biology. All thru college I worked as a range student trainee with the NRCS then as a Range Tech seasonal for the Forest Service on the Rio Grande National Forest.
I currently work on the Shoshone National Forest where I have been for the past 11 years as a Range Technician. My biggest achievement so far is building and maintaining a monitoring program on the Wind River and Washakie Ranger Districts and having a high percentage of permittee participation in the process. I am also on the Wyoming Riparian Services team where I help teach the riparian vegetation portion of PFC classes. I am the current chairman of the Red Canyon CRM and have been on the CRM since 2001. I also participate in the Dubois-Crowheart Weed Management Area and helped to form and am the current chairman of the Popo Agie Weed Management Area. In relation to the Wyoming Section of SRM I have been on the Range School teaching cadre since its beginning in 2003. My main contribution is teaching the Rangeland Monitoring sections of the schools but have filled in and taught the Riparian and watershed portion as well.
I was a Student member of the SRM from 89-93 and have been a regular member since. I enjoy the student activities and prepping the younger generation for careers in range management. I also value the opportunities to know, associate with, mentor, or be mentored by fellow range professionals from around the state of Wyoming.
My time away from work is also spent being in the great outdoors. I do this thru my hobbies of Horseback riding, Snowmobiling, photography, hunting, fishing, and camping.
Brian A. Mealor - President-Elect
In looking back over my relationship with the SRM, I have had the good fortune of being involved at many different levels: student, land manager, producer and academic. Each of these situations comes with its own set of opportunities and challenges, and I found that SRM had something positive to offer at each stage. Because of the benefit I have received from SRM through my career thus far, and because I see the great potential for SRM to continue enhancing and improving skills and opportunities for current and future rangeland professionals, I would be honored to serve as Wyoming Section President.
When compared to many other professional organizations, SRM’s commitment to students is unmatched. I believe working with students is an important investment in the future of range management, and hope the Wyoming Section will continue this commitment to students. However, SRM does not exist solely as an outlet for student training and competition. We should also provide science-based information to rangeland managers and work together as a group of lifelong learners who continually seek a better understanding of how to manage these complex ecosystems.
Education: B.S. Biology, North Georgia College and State University (1999), M.S. Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management, University of Wyoming (2003), Ph.D. Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management, University of Wyoming (2006)
Employment Experience: Assistant Professor and Invasive Weed Extension Specialist, University of Wyoming (since 2009); Director of Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming (2006-2009), Postdoctoral Research Scientist and Lecturer, University of Wyoming (2006), Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wyoming (2001-2006)
SRM Activities: Life member of SRM (member since 2001); Developer and co-chair of the Rangeland Cup competition, SRM Student Activities Committee (since 2004), Wyoming Section SRM Graduate Student Scholarship (2002-2003), UW Range Club Outstanding Graduate Student (2005), Wyoming Resource Education Days (WyRED) volunteer instructor, UW URME Coach (2005-2007), Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Support – UW Range Club (2010), Rangeland Invasive Species Committee member and chair (2013)
Other Professional Service: Western Society for Weed Science Finance Committee (2012-2014), Wyoming Weed Management Association Ex-officio board member (since 2009), Wyoming Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Advisory Group (since 2009), Wyoming State Weed Team (since 2009), Wyoming CRM Executive Committee (since 2008), Wyoming Plant Materials Committee (since 2007), Wyoming Non-Point Source Task Force (2008-2001)
Marji Patz – Secretary/Treasurer
I am a Wyoming Native, raised on a ranch north of Gillette, Wyoming. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Chadron State College in Rangeland Management with an emphasis in Animal Science and Agronomy. I then went on to graduate with a Masters of Science in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management with an emphasis in water resources and bioremediation.
Through my Masters project, I was able to gain a Co-op position (student career intern) with the NRCS in Nebraska/Wyoming Joint venture. I worked one summer in Valentine Nebraska and the next in Buffalo Wyoming. I was placed in Ogallala, NE as a Rangeland Management Specialist from 2002 to 2004. I then became a Resource Conservationist/District Conservationist in Medicine Bow, WY from 2004 to 2010 where I was then transferred to Powell, WY where I am the Ecological Site Inventory Specialist (Rangeland Management Specialist) for the MLRA 32 Soil Survey Office (2010-current).
I am currently serving as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Wyoming Section, Society for Range Management. I served as president in 2010 for the chapter and have been involved in WyRED youth camp or served as co-chairman since 2005.
Outside of Rangeland planning and ESD development, I love collecting, photographing and studying the plants in the area. I am active with the Cub Scouts locally, and assist with coordinating their outdoor activities. I am involved in different groups/activities through church and in any other spare time enjoy crafting, quilting, quilling, scrapbooking, hiking with my dogs, hunting and fishing.
Summer Schulz - Newsletter Editor
As owner of Dusty Spur Consulting, LLC, my goal is to empower landowners and managers to further realize their resource values through the pursuit of opportunities in conservation, management, marketing and networking, in addition to helping folks maneuver through the not-so-inherent processes related to the many governmental entities, including permits and assistance applications.
Over the past 20-years, my career in natural resource management has included work as Associate Director of Conservation with the Wyoming Land Trust; Rangeland Management Specialist with the Pinedale, WY, and Monticello, UT, Bureau of Land Management offices; Program Analyst and Integrated Pest Management Specialist for the National Park Service; and as a seasonal for the US Forest Service, Ag Research Service – Ft. Keogh, Montana State Legislature, and University of Wyoming.
I earned a B.S. in Rangeland Resources with a minor in Water Resources from Montana State University (1998), an M.S. in Agronomy-Weed Science from the University of Wyoming (2002), and gained a wide array of experience while working on cattle and horse ranches from New Mexico to Montana.
An active SRM member since 1999, I truly consider SRM a high priority at the local, especially. I have served as the NW Council Rep for WY SRM, an officer on the SRM Advisory Council and the Young Professionals Conclave, and continue to participate on various other committees.
I enjoy cooking, reading, horses, fly-fishing, taking pictures and writing. I am a steak-snob, a world-traveler, and delight in torturing great minds into sharing life experiences.
Mark Lambert – NE Council Rep
My name is Mark Lambert and I am employed by the USFS on the Black Hills National Forest in Sundance Wyoming. I have been a Range Technician on the Bearlodge Ranger District since 1987.
I was raised on a family ranch near Sedalia, Colorado and after graduating from High School attended Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. In 1976, I received a BA in Business from WSC. After graduating from college, my work experience included working for a retail livestock feed and supply business for 8 years, working as a carpenter for a couple years, moving to Belle Fourche, SD and working at a livestock sale barn and on a few ranches. In 1987, I moved to Wyoming and purchased a small ranch near Sundance. At this time I was able to get a seasonal job working for the USFS and in 1989 received a permanent Range Technician position.
My experience and involvement in SRM has only been for approximately the last 10 years. Since joining SRM, I have been impressed with the organization as a great way to be exposed to and learn about rangeland management and science. I am proud to be a member of the Wyoming Section of SRM and would like to see it continue to be a strong and viable organization. In my opinion, it is very important to maintain this organization for our young, up and coming range managers and professionals. I have always been proud of how well our younger Wyoming Section SRM members have represented themselves in Wyoming, and at the International SRM conferences.
I am honored to have been asked to run for this Committee Member position and will try to represent the Wyoming Section SRM to the best of my abilities.
Ray Guillion – NW Council Rep
I am currently the Rangeland Management Specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the Big Horn Basin of Northwestern Wyoming. I have been a member of the Society for Range Management since 1987. I became an SRM member when I joined the Range Club while attending the University of Wyoming.
I was the Outstanding Range Club Member in 1988. I was the Southeast Councilman for SRM from 1993 to 1998. I took over the position for another member in the middle of his term and was elected to two more terms. I have been actively involved in WyRED since 1991 coaching Range Teams in Cheyenne, Worland and TenSleep, Wyoming. I was also the Chairman of the High School Youth Forum competition for several years. I believe our youth is very important to our organization. I also believe our technology transfer and education should start at an early age.
Rachel McGee – SE Council Rep 
I began my range career in 2001 with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service doing vegetation monitoring for the Forest Service and the BLM. This experience with the Extension Service led me to seek out a master’s degree.
In 2006 I graduated with my Master of Science in Range Management from the University of Arizona. In 2007 I began to work for the State Land Department in Arizona where I managed over 1 million acres of rangeland in south and central Arizona. I participated in a large scale watershed restoration project, along with numerous Coordinated Resource Management Plans. I cooperated with the NRCS on numerous occasions for both project work and vegetation monitoring. In 2009 I began working for the Forest Service in Douglas Wyoming. I manage one of three grazing associations on the Thunder Basin National Grassland along with permit administration on mountain allotments. I have actively participated in the development of a Candidate Conservation Agreement for Sage Grouse along with the Grouse Management Strategy for the Douglas Ranger District. I am currently working on the development of over 90 allotment management plans. I have been an active participant in SRM throughout the years. I was a member of the Range Club at the University of Arizona, and a regular member in the Arizona Section upon graduation. I have been very active since moving to Wyoming, serving on the Information and Education Committee and I am the current President of the Young Professionals Conclave.
Mae Smith - SW Council Rep
I work for University of Wyoming Extension as an educator in range management. My favorite part about this position is being able to work with and assist those involved in resource management in Wyoming.
I have always been interested in range and became involved with SRM as a student at the University of Wyoming. I competed in all of the contests at all levels and attended the meetings. My involvement continued as the plant identification coach and active member while I received my master’s degree at Colorado State University. My bachelor’s and master’s degrees were both in rangeland management (or some name variation thereof).
I grew up in Pinedale where my family leased a ranch and ran cows. Both of my parents have careers in resource management. I caught the bug early in life and knew I wanted to continue as a steward of the land. I look forward to serving Southwest Wyoming.
Brian A. Mealor - President-Elect
Mark Lambert – NE Council Rep
Mae Smith - SW Council Rep
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