About Us
OUR VISION AND GOALS
Powder River Basin Resource Council was founded by ranchers and townspeople concerned about the impacts of strip mining on landscapes, communities, and freshwater aquifers. For 50 years, we have advocated for the responsible development of Wyoming’s energy resources.
Using community organizing, connections with scientific, policy, and legal experts, and coalitions with other organizations, we wage effective campaigns to protect Wyoming’s air, land, and water quality and to promote sustainable agricultural practices and policies in the state.
OUR MISSION AND COMMITMENT
The preservation and enrichment of our agricultural heritage and rural lifestyle.
The conservation of our unique land, mineral, water, and clean air resources, consistent with responsible use of those resources to sustain the livelihood of present and future generations.
The education and empowerment of our citizens to raise a coherent voice in the decisions that will impact their environment and lifestyle.
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE PRBRC STAFF
Donna - Executive Director
Donna is the product of a Montana ranch family - the two Montana ranches are raising the sixth and fifth generation on those properties, and her Wyoming cousins are raising second, third, and sixth generations on their ranches.
Donna graduated from Marquette University and the University of Kansas, returning to the West with a Master's in Cultural Anthropology and a husband, Paul, who was born and raised in Sheridan. They brought up their two children in Sheridan while operating their family business. Donna is an avid downhill skier and enjoys time in the mountains and traveling around our beautiful state.
Before joining us at Powder River Basin Resource Council, Donna worked in collegiate student affairs, with UW Cooperative Extension, with the Daniels Fund, at the family business, and as a volunteer leader with 4-H. She is the current board chair for the Wyoming chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), in addition to being an AFSP Advocacy Ambassador.
Community, stewardship, and caring for the land for the benefit of subsequent generations is in Donna’s DNA, and she is excited to continue Powder River Basin Resource Council's proven, member-driven efforts to ensure that Wyoming's land, air, and water are healthy and responsibly managed.
Claire - Community Organizer and Communications Specialist
Claire is an organizer based in Sheridan. She focuses on a variety of issues to empower individuals and protect Wyoming’s air, water, land, and communities.
Claire joined the Powder River team in 2022 as a renewable energy organizer and attorney where she focused largely on protecting rooftop solar policies. She later worked as a campaign coordinator for the Western Organization of Resource Councils with a focus on oil and gas and carbon capture issues. She returned to Powder River in 2025 to continue fighting for Wyoming.
Claire grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota. She studied Political Science and Global Studies at South Dakota State University and received a Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Lewis & Clark Law School.
In her free time she likes to explore the outdoors and volunteer at a local cat rescue. She lives in Sheridan with her partner, dog, and three cats.
Stephen - Community Organizer
Originally from the Southeast, Stephen developed a passion for the outdoors at a young age while exploring the Ozark Mountains. After moving West and traveling for a while, he eventually fell in love with the landscape of the Mountain West. In his free time, Stephen can be found hiking, camping, rafting, and otherwise enjoying the natural world.
Katherine - Assistant Director
A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in Parks and Recreation Administration, Katherine served in an administrative capacity for both municipal and private recreational entities. In partnership with her husband they owned and managed their own recreational business for 28 years prior to moving west.
Working within the Powder River Basin Resource Council allows Katherine to meet and work with the people of Wyoming who are passionate about this land, protecting it now and for generations to come.
