NWRA Staff
Badge Blackett, Project Manager, Landscape Conservation Programs
bblackett@refugeassociation.org,
Debbie Harwood, Office Manager
dharwood@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2450
Evan Hirsche, President
nwrapresident@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2429
David Houghton, Vice-President of Conservation Programs
dhoughton@refugeassociation.org, 603-831-0920
Joan Patterson, Director of Grassroots Outreach
jpatterson@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2422
Desiree Sorenson-Groves, Vice-President of Government Affairs
dgroves@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-3961
Anne Truslow, Vice-President of Strategic Programs and Development
atruslow@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2423
Patrick Woolford, Communications and Program Assistant
pwoolford@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2425
NWRA Staff Bios
Badge Blackett, Project Manager, Landscape Conservation Programs
bblackett@refugeassociation.org,
Badge comes to NWRA’s Beyond the Boundaries program with more than 25 years of real estate experience protecting natural and historic resources around the country. Most recently, as Vice President and Senior Investment Producer for MMA Sustainable Land Investments, he negotiated a national portfolio of investments, primarily in wetlands mitigation and species conservation banks. As an experienced and successful practitioner in ecosystem services markets, Badge joins NWRA with a strong commitment to develop and strengthen the connections between those markets and the Beyond the Boundaries program as a way of broadening the funding base for the program’s landscape-scale conservation success.
Prior to SLI, Badge worked for The Trust for Public Land. In 17 years at TPL as Director of Projects and Senior Project Manager for TPL’s New England Region, he completed close to 100 conservation transactions, drawing on his negotiating and marketing skills to build and manage strong project teams and diverse funding and advocacy coalitions. The results of Badge’s work can be seen across the spectrum of New England’s natural, historic and cultural landscapes: from large wilderness tracts along the Appalachian Trail in Maine, to farms and community forests in dozens of southern New England towns, to museums, neighborhood parks and trail conversions in several of the region’s cities.
Prior to TPL, Badge was a Partner and General Manager for the final phase of the redevelopment of Commercial Wharf on Boston’s Downtown waterfront. He holds a B.A. from Colorado College and an M.B.A. from Babson College, and lives in Norfolk, Massachusetts.
Debbie Harwood, Office Manager
dharwood@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2450
Debbie performs the administrative tasks necessary to keep the office functioning smoothly, such as routine bookkeeping and maintenance of membership databases. Prior to joining the NWRA staff, Debbie roamed the country, teaching mathematics at community colleges in Ohio, Texas, and California.
Evan Hirsche, President
nwrapresident@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2429
As president of the NWRA since 2001, Evan Hirsche is responsible for strategic planning, fundraising, financial management, and conduct of the Association’s conservation and advocacy programs.
Evan has more than 17 years of public policy advocacy, campaign and fundraising experience in Washington, DC. Previously, he served as Policy Director for National Audubon Society’s Public Policy Division where he managed Audubon’s national policy priorities and Washington, DC staff. From 1999 to 2000, Mr. Hirsche was Director of Development/Senior Refuge Policy Advisor for Audubon’s Public Policy Division where he led fundraising efforts to support Audubon’s ongoing issue work, while also providing guidance and leadership on the organization’s efforts in support of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
From 1996–1999, he was Director of Audubon's Wildlife Refuge Campaign. In 1999, US Fish and Wildlife Service Director, Jamie Clark, awarded him the “Refuge Hero” award for his efforts to build support for the Refuge System. Prior to his leading Audubon’s Wildlife Refuge Campaign, Mr. Hirsche directed Audubon’s Arctic Refuge Campaign (1995-96) as part of a successful collaboration with other organizations to defeat an oil drilling proposal for the refuge’s fragile coastal plain. Before Audubon, he worked briefly as Public Policy and Communications Specialist at the National Wildlife Refuge Association. In this capacity, he helped increase federal appropriations for refuges as a founding member of CARE. In the early ‘90’s, Mr. Hirsche worked at Defenders of Wildlife, first as an appropriations lobbyist and grassroots organizer, then as Defenders’ Wolf Program Coordinator, overseeing efforts to restore wolves to Yellowstone National Park and the Southwest United States.
Evan is also an accomplished wildlife and nature photographer whose images have been published in Audubon, Defenders, and AAA magazines, and in calendars, brochures, annual reports and websites. He was born and raised in Williamstown, MA, and received a B.A. in Politics and Government from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, OH.
David Houghton, Vice-President of Conservation Programs
dhoughton@refugeassociation.org, 603-831-0920
David has a long history with the NWRA, having served as a board member, consultant, and now finally full-time staff. As Vice President for Conservation Programs, David heads NWRA’s refuge landscape conservation programs and is responsible for the vision and development of the Beyond the Boundaries programs nationwide.
As a consultant with Innovative Natural Resource Solutions, David Houghton previously worked with a variety of conservation groups as well as NWRA, including the Wildlife Management Institute, the Nature Conservancy, and the World Wildlife Fund on issues related to protected areas and endangered species. David has conserved nearly 600,000 acres worth almost $400 million over the course of his career.
Previously, David served as President of New Hampshire Audubon where he worked to recover NH's loons, terns, ospreys and eagles. For over ten years, David was the Trust for Public Land’s Northern New England Field Office Director, where he played a leadership role in conserving the 171,000-acre Connecticut River Headwaters, doubling the size of Rachel Carson NWR, creating Umbagog NWR, and adding significant land to the Green and White Mountain National Forests. Prior to TPL, David was a Deputy Refuge Manager for the US Fish and Wildlife Service working on endangered species such as roseate terns and piping plovers. David holds a B.S. in wildlife biology from the University of Vermont, and lives in Harrisville, NH.
Joan Patterson, Director of Grassroots Outreach
jpatterson@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2422
Joan is responsible for the daily interaction and communication between “Friends” groups and NWRA. She is charged with identifying, educating and mobilizing on the ground conservationists to support national wildlife refuges throughout the country, and the critical lands and water surrounding them, with the goal of increasing community awareness, volunteer involvement and advocacy on behalf of the National Wildlife Refuge System. This work is done in partnership with Desiree Sorensen-Groves, Vice President of Government Affairs.
Joan has been an active member of Friends organizations since 1995. First, with the Friends of the Tualatin River NWR in Oregon working to build capacity and advocate successfully for federal funds for land acquisition, public use facilities and a visitor center. Since moving to Northern Virginia, she is volunteering with the Friends of the Potomac River Refuges. She is a member of the Service’s Mentoring Team, which is a group of veterans of the Friends movement who assist new and older Friends groups strengthen their organizations.
Joan’s roots are in New England; yet she and her family have lived in the Midwest, Northwest and now Northern Virginia. Currently, she is working toward her certification in Environmental Education from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and sharing with her husband the joy of taxiing their two daughters to after school activities.
Desiree Sorenson-Groves, Vice-President of Government Affairs
dgroves@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-3961
Desiree directs the Association’s government affairs activities including: development and execution of legislative and regulatory strategy; advocating policies and programs in Congress and the Executive Branch; analyzing legislation; development of Congressional testimony and communication tools, including position papers, testimony, speeches and articles for publications. Assist NWRA President in implementation of strategic plan and goals of organization.
Prior to her current position, Desiree served as NWRA’s Director of Grassroots Outreach and was responsible for identifying, educating and mobilizing local conservation constituencies to support national wildlife refuges across the country with the goal of increasing community awareness, volunteer involvement and advocacy on behalf of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Before joining NWRA, Ms. Sorenson-Groves was the Assistant Director of Grassroots for the National Audubon Society, where she also served as the Audubon representative on the Teaming With Wildlife Steering Committee, promoting the goals and objectives of the Congressionally mandated State Wildlife Action Plans.
An Iowa native, Desiree was born into politics, participating in four Presidential Caucuses, with more active roles in the presidential races of Gov’s. Dukakis in '88, and Clinton in '92. Desiree earned her B.A. in Geography and Political Science from George Washington University.
Anne Truslow, Vice-President of Strategic Programs and Development
atruslow@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2423
Anne is charged with the development and implementation of NWRA's strategic conservation programs, which includes our Beyond the Boundaries initiatives to conserve biologically significant landscapes surrounding and linking national wildlife refuges and other vital habitats. In addition, Anne directs NWRA's philanthropic development efforts with focus on foundation relations and individual giving.
Anne joined the staff at NWRA after four years as Director of Development at The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, one of the nation's oldest land conservation organizations. At the Forest Society, Anne led capital campaigns for land and easement acquisitions and worked to advance landscape-scale conservation initiatives such as the Quabbin to Cardigan Partnership in New Hampshire and Massachusetts as part of the Forest Society’s 25-year vision to conserve one million acres by 2026.
Anne worked at The Trust for Public Land from 1997 to 2004, where she worked on such landmark projects as the 171,000-acre Connecticut Lakes Headwaters in northern New Hampshire, the expansion of the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, and additions to the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. She brings to NWRA a range of experience, from operational fundraising and project financing to building local coalitions in support of land conservation efforts. Anne graduated with a B.A. in History from Middlebury College, and now lives in Washington, DC and Antrim, NH (along with her dog Henry, above).
Patrick Woolford, Communications and Program Assistant
pwoolford@refugeassociation.org, 202-292-2425
Patrick provides support for government affairs and beyond the boundaries efforts, produces the Flyer e-newsletter, manages the website, and assists with the creation of policy documents and development-related materials.
Prior to his current position, Patrick wrote for an online financial news publication in Seattle, Washington. He grew up in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and enjoys birding, hiking, and fly-fishing. He is a 2007 graduate of Middlebury College with a degree in Environmental Studies and Environmental Policy.
National Wildlife Refuge Association
1250 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-292-2402, Fax: 202-292-2435
