Editors & Staff

2012-2013 Editorial Board

Dustin Leftridge, Editor-in-Chief

Dustin grew up in Eureka, California and the Swan Valley, Montana, surfing in the Pacific and skiing in the Rockies.  Dustin graduated from The University of Montana with degrees in Geology and Political Science.  During the summers he spent his time guiding raft trips in Idaho on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.  His love of the river led him to The University of Montana School of Law to study Water and Public Lands Law in order to better effectuate the interaction of policy and science.

 

Talasi Brooks, Managing Editor

Talasi Brooks is in the Joint-Degree program between Environmental Studies and Law. Before law school she spent several years working on trail crews, often in wilderness, for the U.S. Forest Service and various environmental nonprofits.  Her interest in federally-designated wilderness largely motivated her choice to attend law school. In her spare time, Talasi enjoys reading fiction, running, backpacking and recently, skiing.

 

Matt Jennings, Publication Editor

Matt was born and raised in Bozeman, Montana.  He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Montana in 2004. After several years working on energy and natural resource policy in State and Federal Government, Matt returned to Montana to pursue a career in law.  Matt lives in Missoula with his wife Kate, and their two McNab cattle dogs. Matt enjoys floating Western rivers, skiing, hiking and woodworking.

 

Brad Jones, Conference Editor

Brad Jones is a North Carolina native with deep roots in the Tarheel State and first came to Montana on an undergraduate exchange program.  Prior to law school, Brad worked for the National Park Service in the Southwest and as a direct services social worker in Missoula.  Brad came to law school to practice energy and water law and is an avid traveler.  In the photo background is Volcan Osorno, in Central Chile.

 

Alexa Sample, Publication Editor

Alexa was born in Alaska, where her parents took her on a month long camping trip when she was only a week old. She grew up in Colorado and got a Bachelors in Anthropology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The mountains and forests of the American West have been a defining characteristic in her life. Alexa came to law school at the University of Montana because of the Native American Law Certificate program, and also for Montana’s wild spaces.

 

Ben Sudduth, Business Editor

Ben was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado.  After receiving a BS in Applied Ecology from Cornell University, Ben moved to Bozeman. There, he worked for a land trust and an environmental consulting firm.

 

2012-2013 Staff

Clare Hansen

Clare hails from rural northeastern Minnesota, on the edge of both the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Lake Superior. She developed a Lorax-like love of the land through her incredible community and her family’s canoe outfitting business. In 2006, she relocated to Missoula, MT to pursue a life in the mountains and a BA in Anthropology and Spanish. Clare is thrilled to continue that education at UMSL and is honored to serve on the PLRLR staff.

 

Ada Montague

Ada was born and raised in Gloucester, Virginia.  She received a BA in Urban Planning from Vassar College in 2003. She worked as a planner for Gallatin County during the housing boom of 2004-2008. Her work with farmers and ranchers in that capacity led her to conclude that if you love Montana’s land, you love its water. She entered law school in 2010 and continues to focus on issues of natural resource dispute resolution and water resources as a law student. She hopes to continue after law school with a career in water law.

 

Ali Guio

Ali Guio comes from a long line of cattle ranchers from Big Piney, Wyoming. She obtained a bachelors degree in Political Science from Stanford University and then, like many aspiring lawyers, moved to Washington, D.C. After a year there, she was ready to return to mother nature, so she packed her bags for Jackson, Wyoming. When she’s not studying, Ali is a hiking and camping enthusiast who loves national parks, s’mores, and all things West-y.

 

Bill Fanning

While ostensibly pursuing degrees–BA in English from University of New Hampshire,  MLA from St. John’s College in Santa Fe– Bill was really immersing himself in the local mountains, forests, and rivers.  He and his wife Kristin moved to Montana in 1999 where he has worked as a journalist, carpenter, firefighter, and teacher.  They have three boys who dig public lands and resources that include powder, trout, and single tracks.

 

John Newman

John grew up in New Jersey and has been in Montana since 2006.  He received a B.A. in Chemistry from Middlebury College in 2002 and an M.S. in Geography from the University of Montana in 2009.  He has worked as a geographic information systems analyst for a New York City utility, a risk management consultant for a property insurer, and, most recently, as a land use planner for the city of Missoula, MT.  He began law school in 2011.  John and his wife Jaymi enjoy skiing, rafting, and camping with their two little ones, Augie and Maeve.

 

Jack Connors

Jack grew up in Boise, Idaho and moved to Montana in 2000.  He received a B.S. in Mathematics from Montana State University.  After College, he worked as a carpenter building custom homes in Big Sky and enjoyed the outdoors. When he is not at the law school, Jack and his wife Rebecca enjoy skiing, biking, and riding their horses.

 

Justin Harkins

Justin grew up in Woodstock, Georgia.  He received a BA in religion from Emory and an master’s degree in theology and ethics from Vanderbilt.  Back home, he spent his summers guiding on Tennessee’s Ocoee River and used all the free time he could find to explore the South’s excellent rock climbing.  He moved to Bozeman in the fall of 2009 to spend the winter ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon and has barely left Montana since.  He’s jointly enrolled in the law school and the environmental studies program.  He lives in Missoula with his wife, Michelle, and Otter, their red heeler.