Les Welsh is the  Regional Representative for the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Les grew up among the hardwood forests of the Great Lakes and began his career in conservation advocacy by co-founding the regional office of Greenpeace USA in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His leadership at Greenpeace resulted in establishing long-lasting working relationships with Mohawk, Lakota and other First Nations tribal leaders struggling to protect intact ecosystems on ancestral sacred lands. Prior to joining NWF in 2010, Les served as Conservation Director and then Executive Director at LightHawk in Seattle, WA, and as Executive Director at Pacific Whale Foundation in Kehei, Maui. As Regional Representative, Les works with each of our regional affiliate organizations: the Association of Northwest Steelheaders in Oregon, the Planning and Conservation League in California, the Renewable Resources Coalition in Alaska, and the Conservation Council for Hawai’i to build capacity, effectiveness and collaborative state power.