The Friends of Gold Butte are pleased to introduce two new members to the board of directors:  James & Jennifer Conwell.

Jennifer Conwell, originally from Minnesota, grew up swimming and boating in the lakes region. After graduating from the US Military Academy in 1987, she met and married her husband, James, while both were stationed as Lieutenants in the US Army in Germany. Jennifer and James returned to the US, attended law school together and enjoyed careers practicing law in Great Falls and Billings, Montana, while raising two children. In 1999, Jennifer re-entered the military as a Judge Advocate in the Montana Air National Guard. She is now looking forward to retiring this summer after a 26-year military career.

Jennifer credits the mountains of Montana for sparking her obsession with hiking. Since relocating to Mesquite for the winters she is eager to turn her attention to exploring the deserts of the Southwest on foot and working for the preservation of Gold Butte National Monument.

James Conwell spends a huge amount of his time in retirement exploring the trails of southern Nevada in the winter and south-central Montana in the summer. His love of the outdoors stems from his childhood growing up in Red Lodge, Montana, a small town nestled in the Beartooth Mountains in the Absaroka Range northeast of Yellowstone National Park.

Before retiring, James spent about 22 years working as a lawyer for the federal courts in Montana and in private practice. After college and before law school, he served a tour in the U.S. Army’s Military Police Corps in Germany (West Germany, at the time) as a platoon leader, provost marshal, and battalion personnel/administration staff officer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a juris doctor (law) degree, both from the University of Montana.

James has served on or been active with several boards and community volunteer organizations, including the Children’s Museum of Montana, the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, and the Knights of Columbus Council 9976. He now looks forward to working with others (including his wife of 30 years, Jennifer, also a Friends of Gold Butte board member) to preserve and protect Gold Butte National Monument.

Welcome to the board James & Jennifer!