Women Hunt Committee Members

RENÉE THORNTON

Founder and Chair – Women Hunt
Secretary – Rubye Mayflower Blake Legacy Fund

Montana

Renée Thornton is the Founder and Chair of the Wild Sheep Foundation’s (WSF) Women Hunt® program and committee, and the Women in Hunting® initiative.

Born and raised in rural Alberta, Canada to a large family of French and Ukrainian descent, Renée left her hometown and pursued a career in federal government and politics. There she enjoyed a 30-year career in service to her country in leadership and executive roles before retiring after marrying her husband and relocating to Montana. 
While from a traditional family, she wasn’t raised with a hunting background. After being driven by a decade-long pursuit of sourcing her meat more ethically and organically from small local producers and farmer’s markets, Renée embarked on a personal journey to become a hunter in 2016.

As a result of her experiences as a solo, female, adult-onset hunter, Renée is passionate about engaging with and helping more women on their journeys into hunting and conservation. She is particularly dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and the wild places they inhabit, and ensuring others understand the critical role hunters and hunting play in conservation.

Renée believes in giving back of her time, talent, and treasure, and being of service is a core value. She is an active volunteer and public speaker and leverages her professional experience for Women Hunt in engaging with state, provincial, and national legislators in the advocacy of the rights and heritage of hunters. 

Renée is a Summit Life Member of the Wild Sheep Foundation, a Skyline Life Member of the Alberta Chapter of WSF, and a Pinnacle Life Member of the Eastern Chapter of WSF. She holds life memberships with many WSF Chapters and Affiliates, as well as being a Life Member of SCI and a Patriot Life Member of the NRA. Most recently she joined the prestigious Marco Polo Society of the Wild Sheep Foundation, through which her endowment will help to ensure the future of wild sheep, her favorite wildlife species.

As a world traveller, she is one of the rare few that has set foot on all seven continents. Renée enjoys hunting, fly fishing, hiking, backpacking and camping. As a hunter, she has taken big game and upland and migratory birds in Canada, USA, Mexico, and Namibia. In 2025, she captained the first all-female championship team in the storied history of the Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt. She’s an avid reader and an accomplished writer, business leader and mentor. Renée is bilingual in English and French.

BRANDI LOVE

Secretary

Alberta

Brandi Love grew up near Manitoba’s Delta Marsh, one of Canada’s premier waterfowl areas, on her family’s mixed cattle and grain farm. Raised in a hunting family, she developed an early interest in conservation but ultimately pursued a career in agriculture. She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Agribusiness Management and a Diploma in Ag Business Marketing and Sales from Olds College, leading to a permanent move to Alberta.

Brandi is currently Manager of Agriculture Credit for TD Bank in Central Alberta, where she assists producers and agri-businesses with financing needs. Active in rodeo and barrel racing, she has served on numerous association boards and continues to train and compete with her horses.

Her passion for hunting deepened in 2021 following personal family events. Selected for the inaugural Women Hunt® New Hunter program, she reconnected with hunting alongside her father. Since then, Brandi has been actively involved with the Wild Sheep Foundation and WSF Alberta. She is committed to mentoring new hunters and advancing Women Hunt’s mission to grow conservation and participation in the outdoors.

SUE SKOLD

Treasurer

Iowa

Sue Skold was raised in Minnesota, where her early outdoor experiences centered on fishing. After marrying her husband, Steve, an avid hunter and conservationist, she was introduced to shooting sports and hunting. While she enjoys sporting clays and pheasant hunting, her true passion lies in pursuing big game.

Together, Sue and Steve founded a construction company in 1992, growing it from five employees in two states to 65 employees operating in nine states. After three decades, they sold the company and retired, allowing Sue to devote more time to conservation, volunteering, and hunting.

Sue has served in leadership roles with the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and as treasurer of Ballet Des Moines. A dedicated conservationist, she is a Chadwick Ram Society Member, Summit Life Member, and Legacy Society Member of WSF, as well as a Life Member of Safari Club International and Sables. She has also served as SCI-Iowa treasurer since 2003. Now retired, Sue enjoys reading, hiking in Arizona, and traveling for hunts, with elk remaining her most challenging pursuit.

RACHEL AHTILA

British Columbia

Rachel Ahtila has built a career rooted in her passion for wild places, hunting, and conservation. Born in southern British Columbia, she gravitated north at a young age, drawn by the lifestyle and opportunities of hunting camps. By age 19, she earned her guide license and quickly gained experience guiding in British Columbia, the Yukon, and Northwest Territories, as well as abroad in New Zealand.

Her professional journey includes guiding for premier species across Canada’s northwest and working with well-known operations such as Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures and The Professionals. Rachel’s experience extends beyond the field—she has been a columnist, industry product tester, and ambassador for leading outdoor brands. A founding member of the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance, she also served as one of the youngest women on the board of the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia.

Rachel is committed to supporting the next generation of hunters and conservationists through mentorship. When not guiding or traveling, she can be found on horseback, ranching, or exploring Canada’s northern landscapes.

JULIE CHAPMAN

Indiana

Julie Chapman is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and accomplished business leader from Indiana. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri, where she was a record-setting, four-year starter for the women’s basketball program. She and her husband, Brandon, have passed their passion for the outdoors and hunting to their children, John and Madison.

Professionally, Julie is a licensed Healthcare Administrator and operates a skilled nursing facility in southern Indiana, in addition to managing several successful businesses with her husband. She also co-founded Graveyard Outdoors, an organization dedicated to introducing youth to the outdoors through hunting, fishing, archery, and shooting sports.

Julie’s volunteer leadership includes serving as Ducks Unlimited Chair in Indiana, where she set fundraising records for three consecutive years. She has also been active with NWTF, RMEF, NRA, and other conservation organizations. Her love of wild sheep began with the harvest of her first desert bighorn, deepening her commitment to supporting WSF and its mission.

LINDA DEMMER

South Carolina

Linda Demmer has long combined her passions for art, history, and conservation. Raised in northern Michigan, she competed in field archery and later pursued hunting across North America and Africa. She is also a university-trained fine artist with decades of experience restoring historic properties, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s first Usonian home. She currently leads the restoration of an early South Carolina rice farm, where she manages habitat for deer, ducks, turkey, quail, and doves.

Linda’s hunting pursuits include Alaskan brown bear, Rocky Mountain goat, mountain caribou, Tule elk, Roosevelt elk, and numerous deer species. She was the first woman to win Oregon’s Governor’s Elk Tag Raffle. Internationally, she has hunted in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Mexico, and continues to pursue new species including wild turkeys and red stag.

She serves on the boards of the South Carolina Waterfowl Association, Nemours Wildlife Foundation, Bear Trust International, and NWTF, and was a founding committee member of Women Hunt®. Dedicated to mentoring nontraditional hunters, Linda combines her love of art, history, and fair chase hunting with an enduring commitment to conservation.

KIM NIETERS

Staff Liaison

Montana

Kim Neiters brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her role as a Women Hunt® committee member. With a strong background in business leadership and community engagement, she has applied her professional skills to strengthen organizations and foster growth in the hunting and conservation arena. Kim is particularly passionate about ensuring that women have access to the resources, mentorship, and support needed to pursue their own journeys in hunting and outdoor adventure.

Her personal path into hunting has reinforced her belief in the importance of ethical harvest, sustainable wildlife management, and the preservation of wild places. Kim has enjoyed pursuing game across a variety of landscapes, experiences that have deepened her appreciation for the connection between hunters and conservation. She also contributes to outreach efforts designed to inspire future generations to embrace outdoor traditions and conservation values.

As part of the Women Hunt® committee, Kim is committed to advancing opportunities for women, promoting ethical hunting practices, and supporting the conservation of wildlife and their habitats.

JULIE TRIPP

Staff Liaison

Montana

Julie Tripp is a committed conservationist, communicator, and advocate for the hunting and outdoor community. With a background in writing, editing, and content development, she has used her skills to advance the mission of conservation organizations and share the stories of hunters and wildlife enthusiasts. Her work emphasizes the importance of ethical hunting, habitat preservation, and the responsibility of sportsmen and women to give back to the resources they enjoy.

Julie’s journey into conservation has been shaped by a lifelong appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors. She has combined professional expertise in publishing and communications with her personal passion for hunting and outdoor adventure, helping bridge the gap between tradition and modern storytelling. Her contributions have elevated the voices of women in hunting and highlighted the role they play in shaping the future of conservation.

As a Women Hunt® committee member, Julie is dedicated to supporting new hunters, promoting education, and advancing opportunities for women. Her work continues to inspire engagement, mentorship, and stewardship across the outdoor community.