Celebrating 20 Years of Service and Leadership at the Guild!

Zander and I first met at the 2005 Guild Gathering in Santa Fe on the field trip at Santa Clara Pueblo. We were visiting what was at the time, the largest high severity burn scar in New Mexico, and learning from the Tribe how they were leading and innovating in post-fire recovery. I didn’t know that Zander would be my friend and colleague for the next 20 years focused on dry fire-prone forests and the communities dependent upon and enmeshed with them. I had heard from Guild founder Henry Carey that he was interested in hiring Zander with his forestry and GIS “chops”, but no one expected us both to be here two decades on.  

 As Zander does, he impressed Henry, staff, and the Board, and the Research Director position was created. Zander started soon afterwards in 2006 and our first project was in partnership with Dr. Tom Sisk’s lab at Northern Arizona University where we did collaborative community-based geospatial planning across 3 million acres of north-central New Mexico. As we worked together in those early years, I got to know Zander both personally and professionally. Our families would hang out and go climbing together, or play Nintendo Wii Let’s Dance. We would work together on proposals, reports, and navigate partnership and collaborative complexities for the Guild. His positive attitude was indefatigable and always appreciated as we navigated grant cycles, the Great Recession, and worked in concert to keep the Guild’s programs healthy, growing, and making forward progress.  

A lot of what the Guild is today can be directly attributed to his skill, work style, and dedication to forest stewardship. When he moved into the Executive Director role in 2017, he was immediately effective since he brought a balanced perspective between programs, internal operations, partner organizations, and members. Zander also brought a growth mindset that expanded and further established programs and staff within and beyond the Northeast, Lake States and Southwest.  

One example was the launch of the Colorado office in 2018 with a focus on prescribed fire. That eventually spun-off as a separate organization in 2021, and it was also an immensely important learning opportunity for the Guild – with perhaps the biggest takeaway being how we needed to strengthen our internal systems and administration. That experience led Zander to build up what we now call our Foundational Team, pursue our business plan, and eventually stand-up our Engagement and Development Team.

Another example is how we successfully navigated the Covid pandemic. We still fielded workforce development crews around the country, kept staff safe, shifted to virtual and hybrid office work, and expanded programs and their stewardship impact.  

Whether you read this on your phone, your computer, or as you wrap up travel to the 30th Anniversary Guild Gathering in Maine, take a moment to recognize Zander and his 20 years of service to the Guild!  

More celebrations of Zander's contributions:

"Of the many traits that make Zander an excellent and effective leader of the Guild, for me, one clearly rises above all of the others - his ability and choice to lead by example.  Though he is so at home and keen in the world of academic research and discourse, he also shows deep respect for and commitment to the realities and challenges of hands-on forest stewardship.  At the same time that his training and experience draw him toward critical and analytical thinking, this never comes at the expense of not also being a creative thinker, seeking and shaping practical solutions. Daily, Zander shows us the meaning and value of being a welcoming, bridge-building force, looking for and bringing out what is good and best in situations and those around him.   In these times and this world where there is much to cause anxiety or worse, Zander brings his knack for authentically shining positive light, while never minimizing the challenges that we, together, face.  It strikes me that the Guild brings out the best in Zander while he brings out what is best in and for the Guild." - Peter Hayes 

"The impact of creating the science director position, and how it underpins the Guild and it's work: Zander’s work as research director grounded and complemented members’ forest management knowledge and experience. Testing and comparing treatments, and publishing in peer reviewed papers enhanced transparency and credibility of the guilds work. Describing the work in the language of science means more people can see and understand and learn from work the guild and guild members are doing.  

Inclusivity: he consistently looks for ways to connect with people who care about forests and to support the guilds ongoing commitment to growing community. Examples are near-national coverage from regional staff through organizational partnerships and new funders, Forests for the Queers, Forestry for The Birds, the wildland fire network - Zander sees people and issues and has vision to guide the Guild towards field-based ways of leading and partnering that is accessible to members - showcasing their work and helping them connect with national issues where they are.  

Management: people want to work at the Guild, and they stay a while. Each staff member I’ve spoken with expresses feeling happy, supported and challenged to bring their good ideas and partners to the guild table. The organization flexes and changes to address opportunities that arise - and proposes approaches that attract funding. And he bought our building and manages it to produce income!  

In sum - Zander's vision and approach brings people together to make the guild the place to be for people who take action to make sound forest management happen  across the country. " 

- Mary Sniekus