The Honorable John Tanner, M.C. (Ret.)
Chairman, Board of Directors
Congressman Tanner represented Tennessee's 8th congressional district for 22 years, serving from 1989 until 2011. While in Congress, Mr. Tanner served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Ways and Means Committee, where he chaired both the Social Security Subcommittee and the Trade Subcommittee. He also served on the House Armed Services and House Science Committees and served as Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic Congress in the 109th, 110th and 111th Congresses. He also chaired the U.S. House delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the alliance’s legislative branch, for several years. In November 2008, legislators from all NATO member nations elected him to serve as President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly for two years.

John B. Gantt, Jr.
President
John Gantt was a central figure in the establishment and development of the ICCF. Mr. Gantt runs the day-to-day operations of the ICCF, managing the foundation’s programs and Congressional, donor, and partner relations. Mr. Gantt has extensive experience on Capitol Hill and working with foreign governments and has supported development programs in both Africa and Latin America. Mr. Gantt has a B.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, a MSc from the London School of Economics, and an MBA from the University of Cambridge where he concentrated in Finance.

Kaush Arha
Kaush Arha served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks from 2008-2009. A conservation management consultant, Dr. Arha has served as Associate Solicitor for Indian Affairs at the Department of Interior and as a White House Fellow. He has also worked as an attorney with the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP. Dr. Arha was Special Policy Advisor for Species Conservation for the Wyoming Game and Forest Commission. Dr. Arha holds a Ph.D. in wildland resource science and Masters of Science in agricultural and resource economics from UC-Berkeley, an MA in Energy & Resource Management from Boston University, a B.A. from St. Stephens College in Delhi, India, and a degree from Stanford University School of Law. He was a visiting scholar at Oregon State University in 2002. Dr. Arha was a Boone & Crockett Club Fellow at University of California-Berkeley.

Mrs. Sharon Archer
Sharon Archer is a nationally recognized interior designer and the wife of Congressman Bill Archer. She has served on the boards of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, National First Ladies Library, Meridian International Center, Congressional Club, Congressional Spouses’ Fellowship, Republican Women’s Federal Forum, International Club #1 of Washington, March of Dimes, Ford’s Theatre, Former Members of Congress Auxiliary, and many others. She has chaired the First Lady’s Luncheon, 1995 Ambassadors Ball, 1998 Meridian International Center Ball, Holding Little Hands for the Americas Luncheon, Cancer Research & Prevention Foundation Gala, March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, and A.T. Childrens Project Fundraiser. She is also co-editor of the Congressional Club Cookbook.

Vance Martin
Vance Martin joined WILD as president in 1984 after 15 years in international small-business and non-profit management. An innovative leader known for bridging the interests of people and nature, he has lived extensively overseas, worked in over 40 countries, and helped to establish many non-profits. He has served on the boards of numerous organizations such as the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Friends of Peace Parks, Conservation & Preservation Charities of America, Fulcrum Publishing, Wilderness Foundation (South Africa), Wilderness Foundation (UK), and others. He is also the founder and current co-chairman of the IUCN Wilderness Task Force, and has edited and authored many publications, including most recently Wilderness, Wildlands and People: A Partnership for the Planet, the plenary proceedings from the 8th World Wilderness Congress (Anchorage, Alaska, 2005). A native of the U.S. Piedmont region, he graduated magna cum laude from West Virginia University.

The Honorable Lindsay Thomas, M.C. (Ret.)
Congressman Thomas served for six years as president and chief executive officer of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Congressman Thomas represented the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as the director of state governmental affairs. His career also includes service as U.S. Congressman from Georgia’s First District from 1982 to 1993. From 1998 to 2002, Congressman Thomas served as the Federal Commissioner of the Georgia, Florida, and Alabama Tri-State Water Compacts. He was recently elected chair of the Georgia Corporation for Economic Development, a public/private sector marketing initiative.