About CALWOF

The California Wildlife Officers Foundation (CalWOF pronounced cal-WOOF) exists to give support, security, and peace of mind to the brave men and women who protect our natural resources on a daily basis.

History

CalWOF was officially incorporated in February 2007 by a visionary group of Californians. They realized Game Wardens (state commissioned peace officers) are the first and often only line of enforcement for the myriad laws protecting California’s diverse wildlife and natural resources. Their goal was to create an organization that could unite varied interest groups, from outdoorsmen and women to environmental organizations and the public at large, in order to work towards helping support Wildlife Officers in every way possible.

We are an organization for all who appreciate the beauty of California’s wildlife and who wish to support those protecting it. In early 2008, CalWOF reached its first fundraising goal of $1 million dollars, enabling it to award its first $13,000 in scholarships to 12 children and one spouse of an officer. Since then, CalWOF has issued grants of over $400,000, helping officers and their families serve our great state. With your support, we can continue to positively impact our Wildlife Officers and keep the natural resources of California safe for years to come.

Our Board

Meet the men and women who created our organization.

Current

Nancy Foley, Chairwoman

After receiving a BS in Recreation and Parks from Pennsylvania State University, Nancy began making her way west working in National Parks as both a naturalist and later in enforcement. Nancy transitioned from working for the federal government to working for the State of California after taking a summer off to ride a bicycle across the country. Nancy worked as an Interpretive Specialist for State Parks at Anza-Borrego before finally making her way to her true love of being a game warden with the California Department of Fish and Game. She moved throughout the state with different jobs and ranks before eventually becoming the Chief of Law Enforcement in March of 2005. She has received numerous awards for outstanding achievements including the Legacy Award from the National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs. After her retirement in 2012, Nancy has continued her advocacy for wildlife law enforcement on both the state and federal levels and sits on boards in support of her passion of natural resource conservation. In her leisure time, Nancy enjoys fishing, archery, biking, shooting, and anything involving the out of doors.

Ken Moonie, Treasurer

A California native who has worked in the agricultural industry for more than 30 years. Ken has helped numerous entrepreneurial agricultural companies around the world develop their technologies via collaborations with major multinational agricultural enterprises. Ken sincerely appreciates the personal sacrifices wildlife officers make as well as their dedication to protect our natural resources. He is an avid bird hunter and looks forward to the opportunity to help wildlife officers and their families through the Foundation’s activities. Ken earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and lives in Santa Cruz with his wife Anne. He has two grown children.

L. Ryan Broddrick

Ryan Broddrick is a native Californian from the Central Valley. He spent 30 years of his career in public service, 25 of which were with the Department of Fish and Game, where he started as a Game Warden in 1981 and worked his way up to eventually become Director of the department. He has served on dozens of boards, commissions, task forces and committees at the regional, state and national level, spanning the full range of conservation challenges, from water supply and habitat conservation to marine conservation, pollution, land use and law enforcement. As DFG director, he elevated wildlife law enforcement to division status within the department, recognizing that conservation law enforcement was critical to development and implementation of California’s conservation strategies, unique in preserving the public trust resources of the state and supporting the legacy of the conservation sportsman.

Meghan Spieker

A California native and former litigator who represented public companies and business leaders for over fifteen years in private practice, Meghan now chairs the board of Free to Thrive, an organization that provides direct legal services to survivors of human trafficking.  She also serves on the boards of other organizations related to youth and education, including the Francis Parker School and Teen Volunteers in Action. Meghan lives in San Diego and spends time near Marysville enjoying wildlife and bird hunting. She is committed to supporting conservation efforts to benefit future generations – including her four sons – and to fostering broad-based support for wildlife officers and the critical work they do.  Meghan earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and a J.D. from Georgetown Law School.

Joss Hanna

Joss Hanna is a Partner of Harvest Properties, a leading commercial real estate development and investment firm in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Joss holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Colorado and a Master’s degree from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.  Joss is a 4th generation native Californian who enjoys hunting and fishing throughout California, however, he especially enjoys his time in the Cascades of Northern California.  Joss lives in Marin County and is married with two sons that have attended many California Wildlife Officer events. Joss is honored to be part of such a worthwhile foundation that is chartered “To Protect Those Who Protect Our Resources.” 

Steven J McCormick

Steven J. McCormick is the president and a trustee of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. In 1976 he joined The Nature Conservancy as its Western Regional Legal Counsel, and later spent 16 years as executive director of the California state program. From 2001- 2007, he was TNC’s president and CEO, where he was responsible for a budget of $500 million, and a staff of over 3,000. From 2000-2001 he was a partner at Resources Law Group. Steve has a B.S. from the University of California at Berkeley, and a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law.

Shane Stent, Director of Marketing and Business Development

CALWOF provides Shane with a great way to give back. As a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and supporter of law enforcement, Shane views CALWOF as the “best of both worlds.” After working as part of a documentary film crew in Idaho and as a marketing professional at Nike, Shane now brings a wealth of knowledge to CALWOF as the Foundation enters a new phase of growth and outreach.

Professionally, Shane is entrepreneurial sales and marketing professional offering 18+ years of experience leading key growth initiatives for start-ups as well as established entities with a passion for brand management. Known as an expert in delivering innovative, reliable, cost-saving solutions and strategies that streamline processes and drive business growth in highly competitive environments. Creative, articulate, with stellar time management skills with a proven progressive career reflecting strong leadership experience that builds and leads motivated teams. Highly praised for work ethic, problem-solving and communication skills, and customer relationship building.

 

Contact Shane@calwof.org for more information.

Past

R. Judd Hanna, Chair

A former Navy Pilot, real estate developer and former state Fish and Game Commissioner. Judd Hanna is a lifelong California resident and outdoorsman. He currently serves as chair of the Lassen Association, is a member of a number of conservation groups, a co-founder of the Mill Creek Conservancy and a rice farmer. He has been hunting and fishing since 1950, first with his grandfather and then his father and mother, who took him on his first duck and deer hunts. He believes California must have an adequate team of Game Wardens to enforce our resource laws, to ensure his own grandchildren and all future generations can continue to have quality outdoor experiences.

Warren E. "Ned" Spieker Jr., President

A fifth generation Californian and business owner who took his company public on the New York Stock Exchange and sold it seven years later, enabling him to enjoy his outdoor interests, including bird hunting and fly fishing. Ned has been actively involved in California business and the outdoors for more than 40 years. As the owner of a ranch north of Marysville since the 1970’s, he has become well acquainted with Game Wardens and the very difficult and challenging job they have.

Howard Ellman, Vice President

Howard Ellman grew up in the Chicago area where he fished in Lake Michigan and became an avid bird hunter and clay target shooter. He moved to California in 1956 where he began practicing law, focusing on real estate and environmental issues, and taught at UC Berkeley and Stanford University. In his spare time he also managed to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials in international skeet, publish a novel, become a regular contributor to www.MadDuck.org and become a rice farmer. With his lifelong passion for fishing, backpacking, game bird hunting and clay target shooting, he believes strong and sensitive enforcement of game laws is vital for the future of our wildlife and habitat resources, particularly in times of increasing population and escalating demands on out water supplies and other natural resources.

Ellen Baker, Secretary

Ellen Baker is a former Midwesterner who enjoyed the outdoors hunting and fishing with her father and brothers. She has a B.S. in Business administration from Notre Dame de Namur University and has lived and worked in California for the last 27 years. She was the California Game Wardens Foundation charter manager long before the group publicly launched in 2007. Her management experience guided the organization through its initial start-up, incorporation and Bylaws development, and continue to be an asset to the organization. She also created the organization’s very successful scholarship awards program and has been instrumental in the collaborative fundraising effort. No stranger to the nonprofit world, Ellen has been involved with Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic and the Breast Cancer Connections.

Our whole family, have been blown away from the generosity of the Wildlife Officer’s Foundation and what this means to her education at UC Santa Cruz. I know about the amazing aid that the Foundation has provided for officer’s in times of need, specifically what you’ve done for officers dealing with the devastating fires this past Fall, and we are grateful for the love you put into your work.

C CorboLos Alamitos, CA

Our Supporters

We never would be where we are without the incredible help from our friends and supporters.