Our Staff
executive director
Laura Nowlin
info@winnettaces.org
Laura is a wife and mother of two, working, living, and playing on a little piece of paradise in central Montana, north of the town of Winnett. Laura attended Montana State University earning a bachelor’s degree in History before attending graduate school at the University of Oregon where she received a master’s degree in Historic Preservation. Laura and her husband, Levi, now run a cow-calf operation on her family’s ranch. She is a founding member of Winnett ACES and currently works as the Operations Coordinator - keeping all of the funding sources and office operations organized.
Conservation Programs Manager
Desi Seal
desi@winnettaces.org
Desi is originally from a ranching family in Nevada but has made Montana her home since 2019. She attended the University of Montana - Western in Dillon earning a bachelor's degree with an emphasis on sustainable natural resource management. After graduation, she returned to Nevada and served as the Executive Director of Nevada Cattlemen's Association, working with other natural resource industries to find common ground and improve greater sage grouse habitat. Interested in the law, Desi left Nevada Cattlemen's Association to pursue her law degree. Following law school, she practiced law in Billings before returning to collaborating with partners and local landowners to implement conservation and restoration efforts. She is passionate about working with partners that share the vision of stewardship and sustainability built through local communities. Desi and her fiancé, J., live on his family's ranch in Winnett and are excited to welcome their first child this summer.
Land Health Specialist
Kendall Morgan
kendall@winnettaces.org
I grew up in a small town in western Colorado where my family ranches and operates a backcountry hunting business. A love for agriculture and the natural world was instilled in me at a young age while spending most of my time outside and working alongside my family. I found myself in Montana for my undergraduate degree in Agroecology and knew that Montana would be my home. These days I love working on issues related to soil science, rural community resilience, and spreading awareness of positive agricultural practices through storytelling. I received my M.S. in Land Resources and Environmental Science from Montana State University in December 2021 and am thrilled to be a part of the ACES team. I count myself lucky to be a part of the community in Winnett and love providing educational opportunities and technical support to ranchers and spreading the word about the incredible work of ACES.
Education & Outreach Coordinator
Jennifer Solf
jennifer@winnettaces.org
Jennifer is originally from Grass Range, Montana and moved to the Winnett area in 2019 with her husband, Jace. She attended Montana State University Bozeman earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education with a minor in animal science. Following graduation, she pursued a career with Montana State University Extension as the Agent in Musselshell and Golden Valley Counties. She provided education in the areas of agriculture, 4-H/Youth development, family and consumer science, and community vitality. During her time with MSU Extension, she completed her master’s degree in agricultural education in fall of 2022. She and her husband have a son, RM (Ronald Michael) Solf. She has collaborated with several different groups and looks forward to becoming more established with partners of Winnett ACES to provide further education and outreach opportunities.
Fiscal manager
Katie Lund
fiscal@winnettaces.org
Katie Lund and her husband, JR, along with their five (yes, 5!!) children run a registered, Black Angus operation east of Winnett. Being first generation ranchers, they have a deep appreciation of the land and the incredible value of raising their children in the dirt and showing them the value of hard work and constant perseverance. Katie grew up in eastern Montana and went onto the University of Montana, then transferring to the University of Montana-Western earning a Bachelor's Degree in Business with an emphasis in Accounting. In her "free" time, she is an avid walleye fisherman, enjoys snaring coyotes and loves the mountains, but, there is no greater love than her family, faith and growing herds of various farm animals.
ACES BOARD MEMBERS
Craig Iverson - Craig grew up on the family ranch in northern Petroleum County and attended MSU, where he met Leslie, originally from Absarokee. They returned to the ranch 30 years ago and raised four children on the ranch. Craig served 22 years on the Conservation District board and is currently a county commissioner. Leslie taught at Winnett Schools, Story Hour at the public library for 17 years, and is currently a track coach.
Chris King - Chris was raised on the family ranch southwest of Winnett and returned home after graduating from MSU, where he met his wife Gari, who’s father is a veterinarian in the Gallatin Valley. They have been on the King Ranch for nearly 40 years and raised a son, who has returned home, and daughter, who is a teacher and lives in nearby Grass Range.
Paul McKenna - Originally from the Jordan area, Paul married Sue (from Miles City area) 37 years ago, and they moved to Petroleum County, where Paul worked for numerous ranches as a ranch hand until they purchased their own ranch on Petrolia Bench. Sue worked for the Winnett Schools as clerk and later as secretary. Paul is a current county commissioner and both have been very active in community organizations. They have two daughters living in Colstrip and Minnesota.
Sig Pugrud – I am a native to Petroleum County, raised on a ranch out at Flatwillow that was originally homesteaded by my great grandfather in 1910. Cattle were my primary focus in my early years, followed by a couple of decades of farming with a focus on no till farming and alternative crops. I always stayed involved with the ranch and the cattle and returned in mid-2000’s to take over full time as my folks were retiring. In the past five years, I put much of my farmland back into grass with the goal of having a tenant that will be open to using new practices such as intensive grazing practices to maximize their return while being conscious of the effects to the land. My goal is to continue to have land that is healthy for all of us “creatures” that are dependent on it.
Brenda Brady - Brenda grew up on her family's ranch north of Winnett. She returned to the ranch after college and working in sport medicine for several years. Now Brenda is leasing and operating part of the ranch where she runs red angus cattle. She is also on the Board of Supervisors for the Petroleum County Conservation District and the Petroleum County Community Center.
