Bryan Martyn grew up in Tempe and attended McClintock High School where he was active in student government and was a varsity athlete in baseball and football. He later earned a baseball scholarship to attend Arizona State University where he majored in Wildlife Biology. Following ASU, Bryan entered the US Army Helicopter Flight Training program where he graduated at the top of his flight class and was selected to fly the AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter. While flying in the Army, Bryan served in Germany, Korea, Texas, and Alabama-completing combat tours in Iraq during Desert Storm and Bosnia. He was later hand-selected for an inter-service transfer from the Army to the United States Air Force to fly Special Operations helicopters. While flying in the USAF, Bryan served in New Mexico, England, and Arizona-completing multiple combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. Bryan retired after more than 20 years of military service. Shortly following his retirement, Bryan was elected as a County Supervisor in Pinal County. While serving as a County Supervisor, he was hired by the Arizona State Parks Board to serve as the Executive Director of Arizona State Parks. Bryan today owns a small consulting company with offices in Phoenix and Washington, DC. His firm focuses on veteran, military, environmental, and government policy issues.
Conservation
Welcome New Board Member – Cheyenne Walsh
Cheyenne Walsh received her bachelor’s degree and law degree from University of Arizona. She also 
holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Arizona State University. Prior to entering law school, Cheyenne worked as a legislative intern for the Arizona State Senate Government & Transportation Committee, and as a legislative associate at the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, where she worked closely with municipalities on issues relating to land use, utilities, development fees, taxes and budgets, and transportation. She also worked as a legal extern in Washington D.C. on the staff of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for Senator Jon Kyl. She was admitted to practice law in 2012 and joined the law firm of Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP, where she assisted clients with environmental and state and local government relations issues. Cheyenne became a partner at Isaacson & Walsh, PC in 2015 and specializes in representing clients before the Arizona State Legislature, and state and local agencies. Her clients include governmental entities, nonprofits, trade associations, and Fortune 500 companies. Cheyenne has been nominated by her peers as a Best Lobbyist under 40 each year since 2014, and was honored to be named Best Female Lobbyist under 40 by the readership of the Arizona Capitol Times in 2016 and 2017. She also has been recognized in Southwest Super Lawyers as a Rising Star annually since 2014.
Welcome New Board Member – Walter W. (Bill) Meek
Source: Arizona Heritage Alliance December 29, 2017 Newsletter
In early December 2017, the Arizona Heritage Alliance elected Walter W. (Bill) Meek to serve a three year term on the Alliance’s Board of Directors. Welcome Bill and thank you for your support of the Alliance’s mission and goals.
Walter W. (Bill) Meek, a 50-year resident of Arizona, is past president of the Arizona State Parks Foundation, a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving conditions at State Parks. Bill retired in 2007 after 14 years as the founding president and CEO of the 7,000-member Arizona Utility Investors Association, now known as the Arizona Investment Council. Before that, Bill spent 15 years running marketing communications companies in Phoenix, San Diego, and Tucson and another 15 years working as a newspaper reporter and editor, including ten years at The Arizona Republic.
Letter of Support on Behalf of The Nature Conservancy
Source: Arizona Heritage Alliance Board of Directors’ Letter of Support Sent to Arizona Game and Fish Department for the Verde River-West Clear Creek Conservation Area – November 23, 2017
Ty Gray, Director
Arizona Game and Fish Department
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000
Dear Director Gray:
On behalf of the Arizona Heritage Alliance Board of Directors, I am writing to voice our strong support for the Verde River – West Clear Creek Conservation Area as proposed by The Nature Conservancy in Arizona. As you know, the mission of the Alliance is to preserve and enhance Arizona’s historic, cultural, and natural heritage. The proposed partnership between your agency and the Nature Conservancy offers a unique opportunity for protecting and enhancing a significant swath of water resources, streamside forests, and wildlife habitat in the Lower Verde Valley.
We believe It is important to protect both Park Central Farm and Shield Ranch with conservation easements in order to preserve connectivity of habitat along the Verde River corridor for three miles and the confluence of the river with West Clear Creek. Protecting only one property will not achieve unified protection along both sides of the river and the West Clear Creek confluence.
Conservation easement acquisitions are an effective tool because they provide direct habitat protection and protect recreational opportunities while significantly reducing O&M costs. We also believe the use of Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Funds to facilitate this initiative is just the type of project the citizens of Arizona envisioned when voting to approve the Arizona Heritage Fund 27 years ago.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter and for your public service.
Sincerely yours,
Elizabeth T. Woodin
President
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