John Stennis Joins the Jackson Hole Land Trust Board

This month, we are highlighting Principal Architect John Stennis. John recently joined the Jackson Hole Land Trust board, and we started talking about his lfe in the Tetons. “I have been living in or visiting the Tetons all my life. My maternal grandparents moved here in the 1970s and bought Broken Arrow Ranch in Hoback and ran a hunting outfit for decades.” John spent many summers in Hoback with his grandparents as a child and started his own career with GYDE Architects (then Tobler Dunker Architects) as an intern in the early 2000s. “I have watched this valley change, and I have always felt called to help shape that change to try and make sure that future generations can experience that same wonder.”

John’s community involvement started when he joined the Town of Jackson Planning and Zoning Commission in 2010. “As a design professional, I wanted to make sure that we were being intentional about how our community grows. My time on the town’s Planning and Zoning board allowed me to work across the entire community to help shape the future look and feel of Jackson.” John served on the Planning and Zoning Commission for 6 years, including 2 years as Chair. He helped shape the 2012 Comprehensive Plan. 

John has stayed close to design and planning, volunteering on the Jackson Hole Land Trust’s Open Space Council and as a Board member of Jackson Hole Working. “I care deeply about the landscapes that surround our community and the role wild space plays in shaping who we are at an individual and community level. I’m excited about my next chapter of service with the Jackson Hole Land Trust as a Board Member. I am honored to work alongside such a talented and passionate board and staff as we continue advocating for conservation solutions that are both visionary and pragmatic. Especially in a time of growth and change, these efforts matter more than ever and not just for the wildlife that pass through these valleys, but for the people who call them home.”