Finding a new King for the Yaak Valley Forest Council

In 1997, Robyn King and her husband helped found the Yaak Valley Forest Council. They and others who created the council were concerned about the health and management of the million-acre Yaak Valley, a uniquely diverse ecosystem of sensitive species.

In 2000, King became the council’s executive director. She’s held the job ever since.

But King recently turned 65. And she said Jan. 29 that she and board members of the Troy-based nonprofit have been talking for about five years about transitioning to a successor.

King said she will stay on, perhaps through all of 2020, to help mentor her replacement.

“I’m just ready to pass the torch,” she said. “I’m not going away. It’s important to have that continuity.”

The Yaak Valley Forest Council posted the job on Jan. 6 and will begin reviewing applications Feb. 9.

A four-page job description lists desired attributes and skills, noting, for example, that the executive director “must be able to identify environmental/conservation threats to the Yaak Valley and to develop tactics with staff and board members to overcome those threats to ensure success.”

The posted salary range is $45,000 to $50,000.

The job description does not specify that the executive director must be willing to live in the region of the Yaak Valley but King said that is an expectation.

She also said she anticipates remaining active in conservation efforts in the Yaak Valley.

“I have a lot of things I’m still very passionate about,” she said.