- Board of Directors -

JOHN H. DAVIDSON, born December 9, 1942 in Washington, Pennsylvania. Graduated Wake Forest University in 1964, University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1967, and awarded the Masters of Law degree in Natural Resources by George Washington University School of Law in 1972. Private law practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for 3 years, followed by one year on the law faculty of George Washington University. Appointed to the University of South Dakota School of Law faculty in 1972, a position he has held continuously, with several breaks for assignments in Chapel Hill, Little Rock and the Loire Valley.

An author of numerous articles, law casebooks and treatises in the fields of agricultural law, water and irrigation law, and environmental law. Appointed by President William J. Clinton to the Western Water Policy Review Commission in 1995. Long association with the conservation movement, including several terms on the Board of the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts. Involvement in pro bono environmental litigation has been continuous since the early 1970s. Each summer he teaches a course titled Agriculture and the Environment at the Vermont Law School. He and his family have resided on a South Dakota farm since 1973, and have enjoyed a close involvement in the agricultural community. (the presidents thoughts)

ROSEMARY S. DRAEGER graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in economics and history, and also earned an MBA degree from the University of Sioux Falls. Currently she is owner, with her husband, of Pangaea Properties, LLC. Prior work included Community Relations Manager of the Argus Leader newspaper in Sioux Falls (1980-84), President and CEO of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation (1984-1995), SD State Director of The Nature Conservancy (1995-1997), and Lauer Capital Management Client Services (1997-2000).

Married to William C. Draeger, parents of two married sons and four young grandchildren, her community service has included serving of the board of directors of several area charitable organizations. Currently, in addition to NPLT's board, she serves on the boards of Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting and South Dakota Ornithologists' Union (as immediate past president and now Treasurer.)  She is a member of Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary. She has authored three birding trail guidebooks for South Dakota. Her hobbies include birding, scuba diving, beachcombing, reading, hiking, and canoeing.

STEVEN W. SANFORD, a lawyer since 1974, is a partner in the Sioux Falls law firm of Cadwell Sanford Deibert & Garry LLP.  He is admitted to the South Dakota Bar, the United States District Courts of South Dakota and Nebraska, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.  He is a graduate of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee (B.A. English 1970) and the University of South Dakota (J.D. 1974).  He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of South Dakota School of Law and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the American Bar Foundation, all honorary organizations dedicated to improvement of the legal system.  He has authored numerous articles and has been a frequent speaker for the ABA Litigation, ABA Commercial Financial Services Committee, ABA National Institute on Agricultural & Agri-Business Finance, the American Bankers Association, Agricultural Banking Division, the State Bar of South Dakota and the South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association.  He has also spent his working life active in various charitable and nonprofit organizations.  He is a founding director and the treasurer of Northern Prairies Land Trust, president of the South Dakota High School Foundation, director and chair of Great Bear Recreational Park, Inc. (nonprofit operator of Great Bear Ski Area) and formerly the Chair of the South Dakota Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy, and formerly a director of the Sioux Falls Community Playhouse, Sioux Empire United Way and the South Dakota Children’s Home Society.  Steve is married and has two grown children.  His particular conservation interests grow out of decades of affection for the Missouri National Recreational River corridor and the Niobrara River and its tributaries in Nebraska. (thoughts from the Treasurer)

A. J. SWANSON, born February 12, 1947, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Graduated Canton High School (Canton, South Dakota) 1965; University of South Dakota (Vermillion, South Dakota) 1969 (B.A. History); University of South Dakota School of Law, 1972 (J.D.).  Admitted to practice Nebraska Supreme Court, 1972; South Dakota Supreme Court, 1980; United States Courts of Appeal, D.C. and Eighth Circuits; United States District Courts, Districts of Nebraska and South Dakota.  Married to Sally Ann Myers, 1969.  Engaged in the practice of law at Lincoln Nebraska, 1972-1979, with emphasis on transportation regulatory issues and administrative law (Acklie & Peterson; Peterson, Bowman, Coffman & Larsen; and Peterson, Bowman, Swanson & Johanns), and at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 1979 to 2004, a general corporate and business law practice (Quaintance & Swanson; Swanson Hughes & Perrenoud; and Arvid J. Swanson P.C.), with particular interest in land use and zoning law. Law office is now located on great-grandparent’s homestead (1870), bordered by the Big Sioux River a few miles southeast of Sioux Falls, amidst a 300-acre tallgrass prairie restoration project. Prescribed burning practices are followed for control of invasive species.  Since 1999, Director and Secretary, Northern Prairies Land Trust, a §501(c)(3) non-profit corporation engaged in conservation easement and preservation efforts in South Dakota and Nebraska.

PATRICK ANDERSON became Northern Prairies’ Executive Director in May, 2005, and is initiating a number of new projects, as well as managing continuing programs. Prior to joining Northern Prairies, he was an attorney in private practice in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with an emphasis on environmental issues, and experience as a mediator for the SD Farm Mediation Program. He has also worked for a variety of governmental agencies at the state and local levels. He grew up in Minnesota where he attended Braham High School and graduated in 1973. He attended and graduated from the Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN) in 1977. After a brief stint in the insurance industry, he entered William Mitchell College of Law (St. Paul, MN) in 1979 and graduated in 1983. He married Kirsten Erickson in 1980 and they have two daughters, Erika and Nicole. They moved to Sioux Falls in 1983 where Pat worked with the Minnehaha County State's Attorney's Office. In 1985, they moved their family to Albuquerque, New Mexico where Pat worked for the Bernalillo County District Attorney (Albuquerque, NM) for one year and the State of New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division (Santa Fe, NM) as an Assistant Attorney General for two years. In 1988, they moved back to Sioux Falls, where Pat worked for the state's attorney's office and the Sioux Falls City Attorney's Office. While at the City Attorney's Office, he was responsible for code enforcement and environmental regulations, as well as city compliance with federal and state mandates. In 1991, Pat entered private practice with a specialty in environmental law, and later expanded to include mediation services.

"Growing up in the Midwest makes it easy to love the outdoors" explains Anderson, who is originally from Minnesota and has lived the last eighteen years in Sioux Falls. He enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities, especially tramping through prairies and swamps in pursuit of wily roosters and is passionate about protecting our natural resources. "I strongly believe that the greatest gift we can give our children is protection of the natural state of the wonderful world in which we live."

JAMES E. ROGERS, born June 24, 1977 in Omaha, Nebraska. Spent his childhood fishing, camping, and earning his Eagle Scout badge in Nebraska, Missouri, Idaho and Pennsylvania. Graduated the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1999 with a degree in Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife. Graduated the Vermont Law School, cum laude, with a Masters in Environmental Law in 2002. Graduated the University of South Dakota School of Law in 2002. Was the Editor-in-Chief of the Great Plains Natural Resources Journal, in which he also had two articles published. Spent a year in Des Moines, IA, clerking for the Fifth Judicial District. Then spent 4 years in Sioux Falls, SD, as the General Counsel for the Title Resource Network, First Dakota Title, focusing primarily on title insurance underwriting decisions.

Recently, he has moved back to Omaha, NE, and, after a brief stint working as a Claims Attorney for LandAmerica, where he oversaw title insurance policy coverage determinations and case handling, he has returned to his position of General Counsel with the Title Resource Network. Since his graduation from USD, he has also been an adjunct professor in the School of Legal Studies with Kaplan University, teaching in subjects such as contracts, torts, family law, medical records, and legal research and writing. He has also been involved with the development of an Bachelor’s of Arts Program in Environmental Policy to be offered by Kaplan.

James is also a graduate of the School of Flyfishing and The Leader's Institute. He is a member of Trout Unlimited and is an avid handyman. James, along with his fiancée Becky and son, Graydon enjoy spending a great deal of time with their extended family in Omaha.

GREGG GREENFIELD is Northern Prairies’ newest director.  Gregg is a partner in the Sioux Falls law firm of Boyce, Greenfield, Pashby and Welk, LLP. He is a member of the State Bar of South Dakota and the American Bar Association, and has extensive experience in the areas of real estate, environmental law and closely held businesses, as well as experience in legislative and legal issues relating to water development and brownfield properties.  He is a former board member and chairman of the South Dakota Board of Natural Resources (1996 – 2004).  Current memberships include South Dakota Auto Dealers Association, South Dakota Trucking Association, and National Association of Dealer Council. He is presently on the First Lutheran Church Council, and has served on the Volunteers of America Board of Directors.
Gregg attended George Washington University, graduating with distinction in 1985, and the University of South Dakota School of Law, earning his J.D. in 1989. He is an avid outdoorsman and especially loves archery hunting for turkey, deer and elk. Gregg and his wife Julie make their home in Sioux Falls and are the parents of two boys.

- Northern Prairies Staff -

JIM MADSEN Born and raised on the family farm near White, South Dakota . A 1974 graduate of SDSU with a BS degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology. Began a federal career with the Farmers Home Administration, later to become Rural Development, in 1975. Was stationed in Sturgis, Martin, Webster and Watertown where he retired as Manager of the Watertown office June 1, 2004 . Jim is a 25 year member of the Izaak Walton League and currently the Chair of the National Executive Board. Married to Barb with 3 grown children, Chad , Jason and Jeremy.

KENT PFEIFFER was born on the High Plains at Wray, Colorado and grew up in the Sandhills of Nebraska. He graduated from the University of Nebraska - Kearney with a B.S. in wildlife biology in 1990. He received an M.S. in biology degree from Kansas State University in 1993 while studying the interactive effects of bison grazing and fire on tallgrass prairie vegetation.
Kent worked for The Nature Conservancy's Platte/Rainwater Basin Project from 1994-1996. He then served as plant ecologist/land manager at the Platte River Whooping Crane Trust until being hired by Northern Prairies Land Trust as a private lands biologist in early 2006. He will be working with Jarren Kuipers to implement projects to restore and enhance tallgrass prairie remnants in southeastern Nebraska. Kent and his wife, Rebecca, have one child, Olivia.

SANDY BENSON was born in Minnesota. She graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, with a B.S. in Forest Land Management. She worked for the US Forest Service as a professional forester in Arizona, Utah, and Nebraska and as an outdoor recreation planner for the Niobrara National Scenic River in Nebraska before managing her family's publishing business for several years.

Sandy worked seasonally for the US Fish and Wildlife Service at Fort Niobrara, the Niobrara Council, and Nebraska Game and Parks during this time to keep in touch with the natural resources arena in the Niobrara River Valley and the Nebraska Sandhills. She began working for the Northern Prairies Land Trust in September, 2007, and has an office in the Nebraska Game and Parks building in Bassett, Nebraska, where she works with private landowners to improve habitat for at-risk species and biological communities. Sandy, her husband, Barry, and their children live along the Niobrara River.

NATE WALKER was born and grew up in southern Wisconsin.  He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a B.S. in both Wildlife Management and Biology in 2000.  He has worked in both the private sector and public sector for the last several years, most recently at the 30,000 acre Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in northwestern Wisconsin as a Wildlife Technician. 

Nate is now a Project Wildlife Biologist working in Southeast Nebraska. He is working directly with private landowners to complete habitat improvement projects and conservation easements on native tallgrass prairies and oak woodlands.

Nate enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, fishing, camping, reading, and bird watching.  Nate and his wife, Bethany, have a daughter Lillian and are expecting their second child in September of 2009. 

REBEKAH JESSEN grew up on the family farm near Bloomfield, NE. She graduated from Wayne State College in 2006, earning a B.S in Biology. She then went on to further her education at the University of South Dakota working towards a M.S. in Biology. As a research assistant at USD, she studied vegetation patterns in cottonwood forests along the Missouri River. Rebekah worked part time for the Natural Resource Conservation Service before being hired as the Coordinating Wildlife Biologist for the Verdigre/Bazile Creek Watershed in June of 2009. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and being in the outdoors.

Best Wishes to Jarren Kuipers!  After five years of very active conservation work for Northern Prairies, Jarren and his family had moved on to Cody, Wyoming.  Jarren was the foundation of our successful Nebraska program, and he will be missed.