MACD and its sister organization, Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Montana, work hand-in-hand in their missions to represent and serve Montana’s conservation districts. As such, staff duties are shared across the two organizations with MACD employing the Executive Director position, and SWCDM employing the staff that work more closely on programs. MACD and SWCDM hold a reciprocal management agreement to support one another’s staffing and office needs.
MACD Staff
Rebecca Boslough
MACD Executive Director rebecca@macdnet.org
Rebecca joined MACD as the new Executive Director in August 2020. She is a fourth-generation Montanan and has a strong sense of place and reverence for our state and its communities. Rebecca received her bachelor’s degree in natural resource conservation from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in conservation leadership from the University of Cambridge in England. She has worked in conservation both in Montana and farther afield, and she is excited to be working in her home state supporting locally-led natural resource conservation. Outside of the office, Rebecca likes to hike and camp, ski, make pottery and generally spend time with loved ones (including her pup, Lucy!).
Melissa Downing
Operations Manager & Partnership Coordinator melissa@macdnet.org
As the Operations Manager for SWCDM and MACD, Melissa manages the organizations’ day-to-day operations. As the Partnerships Coordinator for SWCDM, Melissa manages the Montana Conservation Partnership Initiative federal grant program. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from Humboldt State University. She spent several years working as a paralegal at a large law firm in Morgantown, West Virginia, before taking time off to raise her two sons. Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs in the outdoors hiking, camping, and rafting.
Stephanie Adams
Programs Manager stephanie@macdnet.org
Stephanie joined SWCDM/MACD in 2019 to help coordinate programs and partnerships that support the mission of the MACD Stephanie received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology and has since spent her time working with watershed organizations and Soil and Water Conservation Districts to coordinate programs focused on watershed restoration and upland management. When not working, she is typically hiking with friends or fishing with her dog.
Eric Rannestad
Communications Specialist eric@macdnet.org
Eric joins us from Washington State where he worked to provide design and communications services to conservation groups across the west — including many conservation districts! Since graduating from Whitman College, Eric has worked with the Walla Walla County Conservation District, Wallowa Resources, and The Nature Conservancy. He received bachelor’s degrees in Art and Economics and maintains a fine art practice outside of his regular communications work.
Shay Farmer
AmeriCorps Grant Planning Coordinator shay@macdnet.org
Shay joins MACD as the AmeriCorps Grant Planning Coordinator. She has worked the past ten years helping to build regional self-sufficiency and social capital by working to strengthen local food and agriculture infrastructure and resources in Montana. Shay has a BA in Political Science from Arcadia University and is an alumna of every branch of AmeriCorps, except Senior Corps. In her free time she enjoys hiking, snowboarding, knitting, and cooking.