Join Our Board of Directors
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone, MT 

The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center (GWDC) is seeking dedicated individuals to join its Board of Directors, with terms beginning January 1, 2027. This is an exciting time to get involved: with several members completing their terms and our Executive Director retiring in 2027, new board members will help shape the Center’s next chapter.

GWDC is an AZA-accredited, not-for-profit wildlife park and educational facility that offers visitors to the Yellowstone area an opportunity to observe, understand and appreciate grizzly bears, gray wolves and related wildlife. Each year we welcome over 200,000 visitors, and more than three-quarters of our budget goes directly to animal care and educational programming.

The Board supports the work of GWDC by providing mission-based leadership and strategic governance. While day-to-day operations are led by the Executive Director (ED), the Board—ED relationship is a partnership, and the Board’s appropriate involvement is both critical and expected.

Board members are expected to:

•      Provide leadership, governance and oversight

•      Serve as a trusted advisor to the ED in developing and implementing the GWDC strategic plan

•      Review GWDC’s performance and effectiveness through financial and director’s reports

•      Review materials before board and committee meetings, and approve the annual budget, audit reports and major business decisions

•      Understand and meet all legal and fiduciary responsibilities

•      Contribute to the ED’s annual performance evaluation

•      Help the Board President identify and recruit new board members

•      Partner with the ED and fellow board members to carry out board resolutions

•      Serve on committees, task forces or special assignments as needed

•      Act as an ambassador for GWDC with stakeholders and the community

•      Support GWDC’s commitment to a diverse board and staff that reflects the communities we serve

Our Executive Director will retire in March 2027, and a search for the Center’s next leader is already well underway. New board members will play an important role in supporting this transition and shaping what comes next.

•      Term: Three years, beginning January 1, 2027, with eligibility for one additional term.

•      Meetings: Held in May, August and December at the Center in West Yellowstone or via Zoom. Interim virtual meetings may be called as issues arise.

•      Giving: We ask every board member to consider GWDC a philanthropic priority and make an annual gift within their means, monetary or in-kind. 100 percent board participation helps us credibly ask foundations, organizations and individuals for support.

•      Compensation: Board service is unpaid. Administrative support, travel and accommodation costs related to board duties are covered.

Our bylaws allow for 5 to 9 board members. We currently have 6, and with several members completing their terms in December 2026, we anticipate 3–4 openings for 2027. Ideal candidates will have:

•      A passion for GWDC’s mission and for improving the lives of the animals residing at the Center

•      A commitment to GWDC’s dedication to visitor experience and conservation education

•      Leadership experience and expertise in business, government, philanthropy or the nonprofit sector

•      Diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for building relationships and consensus among diverse individuals

•      Personal integrity and credibility

We especially welcome backgrounds in nonprofit governance and finance, conservation, marketing and fundraising, but anyone who cares about wildlife and conservation is encouraged to apply.

Send your application and resume to [email protected] by October 30, 2026. New board members will be selected and voted on in December 2026.

Questions? Contact Board President Tim Manley at [email protected] or Vice President Christine Paige at [email protected], with “GWDC board recruitment” in the subject line.

An AZA Accredited, Not-for-Profit Wildlife Park & Educational Facility