Experts in conservation, finance, and community building join the leadership team
(Washington D.C.)— The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is pleased to announce the appointment of four new directors to its leadership team. George Cooper, Nick Seidenberg, Ashley Smith, and Bob Ziehmer join the 27-member board that oversees TRCP.
“TRCP is fortunate to welcome these four individuals as new members of our Board of Directors,” said Alston Watt, TRCP board chair. “Their wide range of expertise will help us build upon our organizational strengths and help conserve hunting, fishing, and the wild places we cherish for future generations.”
Bios for the incoming board members can be found below. To read more about TRCP’s full Board of Directors and leadership team, click HERE.
“We are thrilled to welcome these industry leaders and dedicated conservation advocates to the TRCP family,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the TRCP. “Our Board of Directors plays a pivotal role in guiding our organization and empowers us to continue uniting and amplifying our partners’ voices to advance America’s legacy of conservation, habitat, and access. With the addition of George, Nick, Ashley, and Bob to the Board, TRCP is well positioned to achieve our mission of guaranteeing all Americans quality places to hunt and fish.”
George Cooper
George Cooper is a Partner at Forbes Tate Partners leading the firm’s natural resources and outdoor recreation government affairs practice, representing nonprofits, corporations, and trade associations on policy related to natural resource conservation, public lands, marine fisheries, agricultural land, tax, trade, and appropriations issues. George leverages his extensive network in DC to connect clients with the right people on Capitol Hill and in pertinent federal agencies and guide them in delivering messages and creating conversations that produce meaningful results.
Prior to joining FTP, George served as President and CEO of TRCP. Throughout his nearly eight years at TRCP, both as CEO and as vice president for policy and communications, he helped create a new strategic advocacy niche in Washington for the nation’s 40 million hunters and anglers. George’s political experience is rooted in Washington, DC political media. Before joining TRCP, he worked for CNN serving as Senior Producer for prominent public affairs shows like “Evans and Novak,” “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” and “Reliable Sources.” George also served as a Senior Producer on the White House and Capitol Hill beats. An alumnus of Denison University, Mr. Cooper earned a bachelor’s in history. He and his wife and their two children live in Chevy Chase, Maryland
Nick Seidenberg
Nicholas Seidenberg is a Managing Director at Eastdil Secured, a privately held real estate investment banking firm headquartered in New York. Nick co-leads Eastdil Secured’s Debt Capital Markets division and serves as a member of the nine-person Executive Committee.
Growing up in Minnesota, Nick developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors. From autumn weekends in duck blinds with his father and brother to summers spent fishing on Minnesota’s lakes, these early experiences instilled in him a lifelong love for nature and quality time in nature with loved ones.
Nick and his wife, Casey, have been married for 29 years and reside in Washington, D.C. They have three children whom Nick enjoys taking on hunting and fishing trips to Minnesota, Montana and Rhode Island, continuing a family tradition of bonding through the outdoors.
In addition to his professional achievements, Nick has been actively involved in nonprofit work in Washington, D.C. Most recently, he served on the board of Children’s National Medical Center. Nick earned a B.S. in Applied Economics from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Ashley Smith
Attorney Ashley Smith is a bi-lingual thought leader, group cohesion expert, writer, and national public speaker. Ashley co-founded The Minority Outdoor Alliance with the mission of uniting communities for the enjoyment and conservation of our natural resources. Ashley is also the founder of NOS Global, LLC, which helps organizations uncover how to benefit from an ever-changing world through data-driven strategic planning and organizational cohesion programs.
Ashley has had the honor of giving speeches, facilitating workshops, and hosting large outdoor recreational and educational events for a number of state agencies, conservation organizations, and corporations across the nation.
Ashley completed her undergraduate education at the University of Georgia with degrees in journalism and Spanish. After college, Ashley completed her law degree at Georgia State University College of Law.
Ashley seeks the outdoors as a place to renew and rejuvenate. Ashley likes to meditate, pray, and exercise outdoors. She also enjoys archery, biking, hiking, and fishing. Ashley believes that there is so much more that unites us as human beings than divides us and believes that being outdoors is the perfect setting for memory making, tradition keeping, and connecting with others. Ashley and her husband have a young daughter and son.
Bob Ziehmer
Bob Ziehmer currently serves as the Senior Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s where he is responsible for providing direction to advance priorities of protecting wildlife and habitat, connecting new audiences to the outdoors, and advocating for sportsmen’s rights and the outdoors. Bob serves as a liaison with state and federal agencies and over sixty national non-governmental groups to encourage advancement of projects, policy, and regulations advancing conservation and protecting our outdoor heritage.
Prior to joining Bass Pro Shops, Bob served over 25 years (6 ½ years as Director) with the Missouri Department of Conservation, where his work included: ensuring Missouri remained a national leader in forest, fish and wildlife research, management, and education; and served as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet, among others.
Bob has an unwavering passion for hunting, angling, and other outdoor adventures. His father’s commitment to spending time afield with him instilled the importance of conservation and our individual responsibilities to manage fish and wildlife for future generations, which he has passed along to his children.
Bob is a professional member of the Boone & Crockett Club. He currently serves as a national board member of: Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation; Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports; and National Deer Association.
Four members also concluded their time with the TRCP Board of Directors in December: James A. Baker IV, who served as TRCP board chair from 2021 – 2023; Bill Demmer, who helped establish the Bill and Linda Demmer Chief Conservation Officer position; Tod Sedgewick; and Aileen Lee. Their dedication to the TRCP mission and efforts to help advance America’s legacy of conservation, habitat, and access are to be applauded.
Founded in 2002, the TRCP is the largest coalition of conservation organizations in the country, uniting and amplifying the voices of sportsmen and women by convening hunting and fishing groups, conservation organizations, and outdoor businesses to a common purpose.
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