The Hailey-based Wood River Land Trust welcomed six new members to its board of directors and advisory committee this week. The new leaders will guide the organization's growing activities in the valley.
"Our new board members and advisory committee members have an amazing array of experience and offer new perspectives. We are really excited about the expertise they can offer to our operations," said Heather Kimmel, the land trust's program and membership coordinator.
The Wood River Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that helps landowners and communities protect and restore wildlife habitat, clean water, farmland and scenic vistas.
The new leaders that will shape the vision of the organization include Liz Warrick, Joan Swift, and Tom Swift as members of the board of directors. Ranney Draper, Rebekah Helzel and Dave Parrish have joined the group's advisory committee.
Warrick is an active community volunteer who is the Sun Valley Garden Club president and a volunteer with the Sun Valley Opera and the Sun Valley Summer Symphony.
Joan Swift worked in investment banking and commercial real estate development. She serves on the Environmental Working Group board in Washington, D.C.
Tom Swift, a retired real estate executive and partner, has served on the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art board and other boards in the San Francisco area. He is past council president of the Urban Land Institute.
Draper serves on the Pomona College board of trustees and several other Southern California boards. He is the co-founder of Keeping Kids on Track, a program to help children succeed in school.
Helzel, a former investment banker, is the founder and president of Ketchum-based Advocates for Real Community Housing. This year she was honored by the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber and Visitors Bureau as Citizen of the Year.
A 25-year employee of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Dave Parrish works as the state agency's regional supervisor for the Magic Valley region. He is a member of the Jerome School Board and is a member of the Jerome Rotary Club.
