Dan Bailey | executive director

Dan was born and raised in Casper, WY where he was fortunate to be raised in an outdoor family that introduced him to hunting and fishing at a young age.  His love of fishing brought him to Montana State University where he graduated with a degree in Land Resources Analysis and Management.  Dan decided to call Montana home starting in 2001 but wound up spending parts of the next 13 years in Mongolia working first as an ecologist and then as a fishing guide and outfitter.  During Dan’s time in Mongolia he started a master’s degree from the University of Montana focused on community-based fisheries conservation in Mongolia’s far north regions.  After finalizing his degree Dan joined Pheasants Forever leading the organizations efforts in Montana.  During his time with Pheasants Forever he oversaw the development of Montana’s Farm Bill Biologist Partners Program and the purchasing of two conservation properties opened to public hunting. After a brief call back to Mongolia Dan joined the National Parks Conservation Association in 2019 as their Yellowstone Program Manager working directly with the park on a host of conservation, wildlife and cultural management issues.  Dan and his wife Kascie welcomed a return back to the Bitterroot Valley and their home outside of Victor with their three bird dogs when he was hired as Teller’s Executive Director in 2023.

heather tellock | director of communications, Lodging, and events

Heather is a Minnesota native, graduating from the University of Wisconsin – Stout with a degree in Graphic Communications Management in 2010. As a photographer and artist, she was drawn to the canvas of Western Montana. Since moving from the Midwest, she has worked with non-profits including The Daly Hospital Foundation and B.E.A.R. and is excited to be a part of a team passionate about conserving our beautiful backdrop.

She and her husband, Ryan, take pride in calling the Bitterroot Valley home and love that their two boys will have the opportunity to grow up enjoying all it has to offer.  In her free time, Heather enjoys fly fishing, hiking, skiing, and spending time with her family.

Nicole Ballard | Conservation Education Director

Nicole graduated from the University of Montana with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology, a minor in Nonprofit Administration, and a certificate in Global Leadership. She grew up in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota where her passion for conservation began. Before joining the Teller team in 2021 right after graduation from UM, she has worked for organizations including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Dakota Zoo. She is excited to be a part of a passionate and conservation-oriented team at Teller and spark interest in the next generations of conservationists!

Nicole enjoys backpacking, hunting, fly fishing, and camping in her free time. If she’s not in the office she will likely be outside!

Karen Zumwalt | Administrative Assistant

Karen graduated (many years ago) from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in English Literature. After raising her three children and seeing them successfully through college, she decided to leave the wine country of Northern California and move to the Bitterroot Valley. Having always been interested in conservation, Karen considers it a privilege to be a part of the team at Teller Wildlife Refuge and is looking forward to contributing to their mission.

Karen enjoys research and is interested in anything to do with hunting, training dogs, and butchering and cooking wild game. When she travels she likes to collect diner mugs from around the country.

.