Billy was raised by the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, which fostered a deep understanding of nature’s “way of life.” After listening to the land, Billy has dedicated his life to building symbiotic relationships that advance community, culture, and environmental stewardship. After decades of working with a diversity of cultures, communities, and environmental settings around the world, Billy has returned home to the Southwest to lend his knowledge and experience to meet the needs of New Mexico. Encouraged by the compassion and dedication of RMYC to build community capacity and champion environmental conservation, Billy feels privileged to make a difference by facilitating sustainable conservation programs in the Upper Rio Grande region. He has a bachelor’s degree in geography with certificates in urban environmental planning. He also has a master’s degree in climate change planning with a focus on the Southwest region and methodically incorporates lessons learned from his professional experiences and sustainability education Ph.D. research into his work. His other favorite activities involve making smiles on backcountry ski trips and taking time to talk with trees.