Staff
Steven Arnquist - Executive Director
Steve has been Executive Director at the League since the summer of 2009 and has worked for the League since 2005.
Initially working to reinstate our canvass and membership programs, Steve has done just about everything at the League
from door knocking and voter outreach to administrative work, legislative monitoring and fundraising. Steve comes from
a background in political campaigns and has worked on various campaigns from ballot initiatives to presidential campaigns
and is thrilled to work at the intersection of conservation and politics. Steve previously was the Southern Arizona
Director for the Moving America Forward Foundation.
Melissa Ramsey - Membership Coordinator
and Administrator
Melissa came to the League in 2008 as a canvasser. She is now working with membership and doing more around the office. She is a Northern Arizona University Graduate with a BS in Forestry and an emphasis in Conservation Biology. Hiking and backpacking are a couple of her favorite activities. She is interested in policy and also tracks legislation. Melissa has a deep belief that real environmental change starts with grassroots efforts. She enjoys speaking with members, so feel free to contact her anytime.
AZLCVEF Board of Directors
Kevin Gaither-Banchoff - President
Kevin has served on the board of directors for the Arizona League of Conservation Voters Education Fund since
January 2006, as board President since November 2008. Since moving to Arizona in 1994, Kevin has spent his time working to make
Arizona a better and more wild place. From 1995 to early 2002 he served as development staff for Native Seeds/SEARCH and then
The Wildlands Project, both Tucson-based nonprofits. From 2002 until summer 2006 he worked as an consultant assisting nonprofit
conservation organizations with budgeting, strategic planning, and organizational development; comprehensive fundraising
planning; board training and development; event planning and media relations; and much more. For the past four years he has
served as Executive Director of the Arizona Wilderness Coalition. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kalamazoo College in
Political Science and completed thirty hours coursework towards a Masters degree in Public Policy. Kevin brings a passion for
wild nature and is an avid hiker and racquetball player, loves to camp and garden, and lives in Tucson with his wife and two girls.
Amanda Crawford - Secretary
David Evans-Higuera - Treasurer
William Roe - Board Member
