Board of Directors
Barry Nidiffer
Board President
Real Estate Development Management / Registered Architect. A California native, raised with an outdoor enthusiast passion for everything outdoors, especially deep-sea big game fishing and nature. A Phoenician since 2003, enjoying the mystique and beauty of our Sonoran Desert environment with a dedication toward its preservation and conservation. My career opportunities while managing large real estate developments have allowed me to experience several diverse environments and respect the environments in which we live. My most meaningful experience with wildlife has been fishing and searching for sea life with my brothers along the shores of San Diego, California, and the Baja Peninsula. I continue to enjoy hiking and experiencing the presence of nature in our desert environment and the occasional deep sea fishing trip whereever and whenever I can.
Kara Montalvo
Board Vice President
Kara currently works at Salt River Project leading a team of environmental professionals that develop environmental policies, programs, strategies, and systems to address compliance requirements for SRP power and water facilities. She has worked in environmentally-focused positions for over 30 years after graduating from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Colorado State University with an M.S. in Technical Communications. Kara spent many summers at Girl Scout camps in the woods of Ohio and Kentucky, which stirred an early love for the outdoors and all of its inhabitants. She still seeks the opportunities to recharge through time with nature, often arranging vacations to our wonderful national parks, monuments and wilderness areas. One of her most meaningful wildlife experiences was working to establish the Apache Station Wildlife Viewing Area in Cochise County, where the public can come and view the thousands of sandhill cranes that migrate to southeast Arizona every year.
Emil Burr
Board Treasurer
(Retired) Managing Director American Airlines. With over three decades of executive leadership experience in both the Commercial Aviation and Financial Services sectors, Emil has transitioned from a full-time corporate role to dedicate himself to his lifelong passion for nature. Emil’s extensive managerial background has encompassed areas such as Revenue Management, Strategic Planning, Organizational Development, and Financial Planning. He holds academic degrees in Finance from Virginia Tech and an MBA from Arizona State University. Emil’s profound connection with nature traces back to his early days, when he explored the rich ecosystems of Virginia’s forests, creeks, and mountains. This love for exploration persists, now leading him to the deserts and mountains of Arizona and other destinations during his travels. Nature, in all its magnificence and tranquility, serves as an endless source of inspiration and life lessons. Emil derives great joy from observing the coexistence of diverse creatures in often challenging environments. In the embrace of nature, there is always a wealth of wonder waiting to be discovered.
Peggy Cole
Board Secretary
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Tom Henze
Board Member
50 Year Trial Lawyer, Henze Cook Murphy PLLC. Twenty-plus years ago I went to a Liberty Wildlife fundraiser at a small restaurant attended by 30 people. But the most meaningful part of being involved with the wonderful growth to what Liberty Wildlife is today. And equally the association with the great people who are dedicated to Liberty’s mission.
Megan Mosby
CEO, Liberty Wildlife
A native Texan, and graduate of University of Texas, I taught school for 30 years. After volunteering at Liberty Wildlife for several years, I eventually was hired as Executive Director, a position that I’ve held since 1996. I’ve been playing in nature as long as I can remember, catching frogs and other critters down by the creek in the Texas hill country. I’ve been a pet mama to birds, dogs, and even snakes, iguanas, and llamas over the years.
Lori Singleton
Board Member
In March 2017, Salt River Project (SRP) executive, Lori Singleton, was named the president and CEO for Arizona Forward, a non-profit sustainability organization driving major initiatives in the state as it relates to quality of life and economic vitality. With over 50 years of experience, Arizona Forward’s 150+ plus member organizations share a common goal of preserving a balance between growth, environmental quality, and the long-term sustainability of the state.
Singleton enjoyed an almost 40-year career with SRP where she held numerous positions, but primarily focused her efforts on sustainability and environmental initiatives. Singleton was also an Arizona Forward board member for many years, which gave her an in-depth perspective of statewide sustainability needs and opportunities. As the new leader of Arizona Forward and a seasoned business executive, Singleton is implementing an aggressive plan to make large-scale, tangible progress in areas that matter most to Arizona such as water supplies, clean air, smart transportation, forest health, urban waterways and healthy communities. She has also served as the Board Chair for Audubon Arizona, and currently serves on the Board for Liberty Wildlife.
She is passionate about all animals including her doodles Stella and Bentley, her kitty named kitty, cooking, wine, all environmental issues, ballroom and country dancing, and being Aunt Lori to 30+ family members!
William C. Weese
Board Past President
Retired after three careers: (1) academic medicine, Harvard Medical School, (2) private practice (pulmonary diseases and internal medicine), (3) Medical Director, United HealthCare. “I have been a bird watcher since childhood. Liberty Wildlife has become a key part of my life during the past sixteen years. On her first visit to Arizona, my (then future) wife, who is 25% Native American, released a recently rehabilitated great horned owl. Her daughter released a second great horned owl the night before our wedding and my niece (a large animal veterinarian) had the privilege of releasing a third owl. We have watched Liberty Wildlife grow from a series of bird cages outside the home of our founding veterinarian (Dr. Kathy Orr) to a well-known state of the art education and rehabilitation facility on its own campus.”
Tracey Westerhausen
Board Member
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Desmond Wilson
Board Member
Principal Consultant, Alepai Consulting Services. I’m from Guam. I came to Arizona in 1994 to study at Arizona State University. I’ve been In the IT Industry since I arrived and performed in almost all positions/roles. I’ve been working as a free-lance consultant since 2016 to ensure that I can focus my work on meaningful projects/Initiatives. I spent my entire childhood in the ocean so I’m very familiar with sea life. It was on my first hike In Arizona that I got to appreciate the amazing wildlife that live in this state. I now have three sons and I want to ensure they get to enjoy the wildlife along with their future generations.
Honorary Advisory Board
Richard Adkerson
Missy and Lyle Anderson
Don Budinger
Richard Burnham
Victoria and Rod Granberry
Sharon and Ollie Harper
Bob and Karen Hobbs
Nan and C.A. Howlett
Craig Jackson
Terry Goddard
Rich Rector
Richard Silverman
Vern Swaback
Patti and Ken Vegors
Louis A. “Chip” Weil
Deborah Wilson, M.D.
Julie Wrigley
Director Emeritus
Darlene Fitchet
Kathryn Orr, DVM
Richard Hayslip