After the Fire Appoints Marko Bey, Forest Resilience and Ecology Leader for Oregon and Northern California to the Board of Directors
Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO and Judy Coffey RN, Board President of After the Fire USA, the leading nonprofit wildfire recovery organization in the western United States announced today the board appointment of wildfire resilience leader Marko Bey, a leader in wildfire mitigation, forest restoration, and workforce development.
Marko Bey is the Founder and Executive Director of Lomakatsi Restoration Project (lomakatsi.org) based in Ashland, Oregon and affected by the Almeda Fire in 2020. Lomakatsi’s ten regional ecosystem restoration programs and associated workforce development initiatives are a primary result of his work. Lomakatsi has a proven record of success serving rural forest-based communities throughout Oregon and Northern California through supporting local jobs, community business infrastructure development, and restoration implementation across thousands of acres of forests and miles of streams.
Bey has over 30 years of experience working in forestry and ecosystem restoration from the ground up, working across six western states. His leadership has been essential in orchestrating the formation of collaborative partnerships, including with federal and state agencies, Native American tribes, non-profit organizations, industry, private landowners, and community members.
Bey also serves as the President & CEO of Lomakatsi Ecological Services Inc., a full-service wildland firefighting and prescribed fire contracting outfit, and serves as the Board President of the Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative. He participates in a variety of strategic coalitions and committees—working regionally and nationally to advance the full spectrum of ecosystem restoration, job creation, and forest-based community revitalization.
"As we enter into 2022 with the knowledge more megafires are going to occur across the west, we are consciously ensuring we have experts on our board of directors in the field of resiliency before the fires occur. Marko Bey’s extensive experience and deep level of expertise will be invaluable to our mission. We are committed to amplifying and centralizing Native American voices and land practices in our work as implemented by Marko Bey and his team at Lomakatsi for 30 years." notes After the Fire’s Thompson.
“As we expand our work and mission across the west, it is imperative we have leaders on our board of directors who bring a regional and national perspective. Marko’s Oregon and Northern Californian roots provide representation for wildfire survivors, particularly those leveled in the unprecedented 2020 wildfires that decimated areas of Oregon. We are very pleased that Marko has joined the board and look forward to working with him.” emphasized Board President Coffey.
Bey is joining an impressive board of directors, led by President Judy Coffey RN, a Tubbs Fire Survivor, Pamela Williams, Director of Resilience & Mitigation, IEM; Chisato Fukuda Calvert, PhD, Interim Director of OpenAQ; Michael Mondavi, Founder & Coach, Folio Family Wines; Henry Hansel, President, Hansel Auto Group; Larry Florin, CEO of Burbank Housing; Jack Buckhorn, Executive Director, North Bay Labor Council; Reno Franklin, Tribal Chair, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians; Jake Kloberdanz, President & Founder, ONEHOPE Wines and Foundation; and Lisa Micheli, PhD, CEO of Pepperwood Preserve.