Board of Director Elections

Jacobo Artee Freaner was born on September 14, 1977, in Hermosillo, Sonora, México. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from ITESM Campus Sonora Norte and a Master of Business Administration from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain. Over more than three decades of professional career, he has successfully combined highlevel business leadership with a deep and genuine commitment to wildlife conservation in the Sonoran Desert.

The third of four sons of Javier Artee — pioneer of hunting organization in northwest Mexico and founder of Alcampo Hunting Adventures in 1976 — Jacobo grew up in a family culture where respect for nature and the sustainable use of wildlife are fundamental principles. That upbringing shaped his lifelong conviction that conservation and the responsible use of natural resources are not only compatible, but mutually dependent. Today, as Administrative Director of Alcampo, he carries that legacy forward alongside his father and three brothers.

In 2016, Jacobo established Sierra El Álamo, a wildlife management unit of approximately 100,000 acres in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, from which he has built one of the most significant desert bighorn sheep repopulation programs in North America. Beginning with an initial release of 23 animals in March 2017, the program has reached a cumulative population of over 400 bighorn sheep translocated and released in the area by 2026. The program is complemented by an ambitious habitat improvement plan that includes the construction of wells, solar-powered pumping systems, dams, and water catchments strategically distributed across one of the most arid and demanding ecosystems on the continent.

In 2017, Jacobo founded the Sonora Wildlife Foundation (Fundación de Vida Silvestre en el Estado de Sonora A.C.), which in 2018 became the only Mexican organization formally affiliated with the Wild Sheep Foundation of the United States. That same year, he was appointed Vice President of the Mexico Council for the Conservation and Sustainability of Desert Bighorn Sheep, a collegiate body comprised of Mexican WSF members across the states where the species is present.

Jacobo co-leads the Binational Desert Bighorn Sheep Research Program (2022–2026) in partnership with Texas A&M University and Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, applying GPS satellite collar technology and video monitoring to evaluate movement patterns, behavior, and adaptation of reintroduced animals. In October 2025, he was invited as a speaker at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, reaffirming his standing as an international reference in conservation, rural communities, and the sustainable use of wildlife.

Jacobo Artee

Sonora, Mexico

Born and raised in Parowan, Utah, I attended both Utah State University and Southern Utah University before serving four years of active duty in the United States Navy.

For the past 54 years, I have lived and worked in Southern Nevada. I am happily married to my wife, Cindy Alexander.

Professionally, I was the President and Owner of ICI Contractor, a commercial general contracting company that operated throughout Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California. Over a 30-year career, I built and managed projects across the Southwest while developing strong leadership, business, and organizational skills.

Throughout my life, I have remained committed to conservation, public service, and supporting the mission of putting and keeping wild sheep on the mountain. My experience in business, leadership, and wildlife conservation has prepared me to continue serving various Conservation Groups and members with dedication and integrity towards Wild Sheep.

Clint Bentley

Nevada

I was born and raised in the Texas Panhandle where being in the outdoors is just a part of life. It started with my grandfather who instilled in me the respect and admiration for wildlife that I carry today. Hunting has always been a part of me, as it has been to be an ethical hunter and good steward of wildlife and wildlands. Since my early childhood, I have been an avid hunter. I cannot think of any place I would rather be than hunting and outdoors. I have completed a FNAWS of wild sheep. I have hunted in the US, Mexico, Canada, Africa, and Mongolia. No matter where I hunt, my most cherished hunting is in North America, specifically sheep hunting.

I received a BS in Microbiology from Texas Tech University, attended the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and received a PhD in Molecular Biology. I then completed medical school and residency training in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at UTMB. I live in Amarillo, Texas with my wife Tracy where I am in private practice in Otolaryngology.

I have been involved in many conservation organizations, but none are as important to me as the conservation of wild sheep. As a Life Member/Sustaining Member, past president and current Vice President of the Texas Bighorn Society I have coordinated and acquired funding for and participated in translocations, water projects and research projects.   I have collaborated with private landowners, Texas Parks and Wildlife, universities, and other NGOs for the betterment of DBS and their habitat in Texas.  As a Life Member and Marco Polo Society member I have a deep commitment to WSF. Three years ago, the WSF membership bestowed me great privilege and responsibility by electing me as a director. This is a responsibility I have not taken lightly. I serve as current Vice Chair of the Board and on several committees, including Chair of the Chapter and Affiliates Committee. If reelected, I will continue to work tirelessly to “Put and Keep Wild Sheep on the Mountain.”

Sam Cunningham

Texas

Emilio Espino is a Mexican businessman, conservationist, and hunting advocate with a strong commitment to wild sheep restoration through sustainable use conservation. He is co-owner and director of La Palmosa, a Desert Bighorn Sheep conservation and hunting program in Coahuila, Mexico, recognized for its work in wildlife recovery, habitat management, and the successful reintroduction of Desert Bighorn Sheep. Today, that population serves as a source for future restoration efforts in other mountain ranges.

Through La Palmosa, Emilio has worked closely with private landowners, state and federal agencies, and conservation organizations to promote science-based wildlife management and long-term conservation partnerships. Under his leadership, La Palmosa has fully donated ten premier Desert Bighorn Sheep hunts, along with numerous additional conservation fundraising packages, helping organizations such as WSF, B&C ADBHSS, SCI, DSC, NBU, and various state chapters generate significant support for conservation across North America.

As a Mexican conservationist and outfitter, Emilio brings a unique international perspective to wild sheep conservation and a strong understanding of the regulatory, cultural, and operational challenges of conservation work in Mexico. He believes collaboration between conservation organizations, governments, and private landowners is essential for the future of wild sheep restoration throughout North America.

Emilio holds an MBA from Columbia University, as well as degrees in Finance and Law, and brings financial and business experience from roles at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Fitch Ratings. He currently serves as CEO of Ecumene Desarrollos, a real estate investment company based in Monterrey, Mexico.

Emilio has hunted on four continents, including hunting a Marco Polo ram in Tajikistan, and is scheduled for a Stone Sheep hunt in British Columbia in 2026. Over the years, he has personally guided or assisted close to 100 hunters in successfully harvesting Desert Bighorn rams, giving him extensive firsthand experience in sheep hunting, wildlife management, and working directly with hunters in the field.

Emilio and his wife are raising their three children with a strong appreciation for hunting traditions, conservation, and the outdoors. He is passionate about helping develop the next generation of conservationists through youth engagement and the long-term preservation of wildlife habitat and sustainable hunting.

Emilio Espino

Nuevo Leon, MX

Travis Jenson was born and raised in Salt Lake City and now calls Woodland, Utah home; a small mountain town in the northeast corner of the state that suits his active, outdoors-driven lifestyle. A graduate of Westminster College with honors, earning a B.S. in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Economics (1995), Travis spent two decades building and operating a successful merger and acquisition consulting firm, rising to President. That business acumen, strategic growth, fiscal accountability, and partnership building, has translated directly into his conservation leadership. He credits his father as his greatest mentor in life, business, and the field.

The outdoors has been constant for Travis. Introduced to hunting and adventure at an early age by his parents, he developed a deep love for archery mule deer hunting, waterfowl, and above all, wild sheep. His first sheep hunt came in 1991, accompanying his mother when she drew a coveted tag in Utah’s North San Rafael unit. He harvested his first ram, a Rocky, in 1998, and after 27 years of applying, Travis completed his Full Curl in 2015. He has since harvested nine sheep, including a Dall taken with archery equipment, embodying the hunting heritage WSF works to protect and expand.

As President of the Utah WSF since 2018, Travis has put its mission into action at scale: growing annual fundraising from $600K to over $2.3M, doubling conservation permit revenue to $1.29M, and tripling the chapter’s endowment fund. He has personally participated in more than 20 wild sheep transplants, helping restore over 400 animals to suitable habitat across Utah, directly advancing WSF’s core goal of putting and keeping sheep on the mountain. A Summit Life Member of WSF and life member of nearly every wild sheep chapter and affiliate, his commitment spans both the hunting and conservation sides of the mission.

For Travis, “passing it forward” is a responsibility. As a proud father of two, his greatest motivation is ensuring the next generation inherits the same wild places, healthy populations, and hunting opportunities he has been fortunate to know.

Emilio Espino

Nuevo Leon, MX

The year 2026 has been one of the most challenging of my life. After facing several health issues early in the year, I made the difficult decision to resign as Chair of the WSF Board after nearly six years of service as a Director. Since then, I have focused on my health, working to regain my strength and stamina with the goal of returning to an active lifestyle and continuing to contribute to wildlife conservation.

Recently, after applying for nearly 30 years, my son Danny was fortunate enough to draw a 2026 Arizona desert bighorn sheep tag. That milestone prompted me to reflect on the many sheep hunts I have been blessed to experience, as well as the opportunities our family has shared through tags drawn by my daughter Amanda, my wife Linda, and myself here in our home state of Arizona.

Like so many fellow sheep hunters, I understand that the opportunity to pursue such a magnificent animal exists only because of the dedication and hard work of organizations like the Wild Sheep Foundation, along with its Chapters and Affiliates, that work tirelessly to conserve and protect this iconic species. The decades I have devoted to wildlife and bighorn sheep conservation have been among the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Now that I am feeling much more like my old self, I have decided to seek one final three-year term on the WSF Board of Directors. With the 50th Anniversary Wild Sheep Show Convention only a few months away, I recognize that there is still much work to be done—not only to protect and enhance wild sheep populations, but also to strengthen and position our organization for the next 50 years.

I believe I have made meaningful contributions to the Foundation over the past six years, and I would be honored to have the opportunity to continue serving on the WSF Board of Directors for one final term. Thank you for your consideration and support!

Charlie Kelly

Arizona

I have worked in natural resource management for over 45 years. In 2020, I became the President of the Oregon Chapter Wild Sheep Foundation (OR WSF).  I served as the President for five years.  I participated in the development of the Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada (ION) Partnership and continue to facilitate the development of the annual projects, including the Wild Sheep Foundation Grant-In-Aid proposals.  I am a Founding Member of the Oregon Chapter, established in 1998, then as the Oregon Chapter Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (OR FNAWS).

I was asked by the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) to work with and assist Corey Mason, WSF Executive Vice-President for Conservation, and other WSF wild sheep conservation assets (e.g., WSF Staff, WSF Professional Resource Advisory Board, WSF Chapters & Affiliates, WSF [Watershed Results] lobbyists, and others).  My task is to investigate proposed USFS Forest Plan Revisions and/or BLM Land Use & Resource Management Plan Revisions, and associated analyses that may have possible impacts or implications on wild sheep conservation and management.

I am currently President and have been a Board member for the local Blue Mountain Chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association and have been an Oregon Hunters Association member for many years.

I worked for the US Forest Service for 37 years, most recently as the Director of Fire, Fuels and Aviation for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska Regions and prior to that I was the Forest Supervisor of the Umatilla National Forest for 10 years.  I was a wildlife biologist for over 15 years on multiple Ranger Districts, lastly on the three northern districts of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest where I was involved in the development of the Hells Canyon Bighorn Sheep Initiative following an all-age die-off of bighorn sheep in 1996. 

I grew up on our family farm and enjoy spending as much time as possible on our amazing public lands. 

I have a BS in Entomology and BS in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University and a BS in Wildlife Management from Oregon State University.

Kevin Martin

Oregon