Andrea J. (AJ) Grant

Elected to the NOLS Board:  2006
NOLS Graduate: 1973 Wind River Wilderness, 1975 Absaroka Wilderness Biology

AJ first took a Wind River Wilderness course in 1973 and returned to NOLS two years later enrolled on an Absaroka Wilderness Biology course.

After twelve years as a marketing and advertising executive, AJ created Environmental Communications Associates, Inc. (ECA), a communications company that specializes in managing sensitive issues in the public arena. Her company combines an interdisciplinary team of specialists in the fields of marketing communications, business management, public policy, and environmental sciences. Serving government, non-profits, and Fortune 500 clients, AJ is well known for her expertise in marketing communications, strategic planning, public outreach, media relations, and crisis communications. She was a pioneer in environmental marketing, with clients such as Good Housekeeping, Ministry of Lands and Parks, British Columbia, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Lockheed Martin, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Honda North America, and Deja Shoes.

AJ believes her success in business partly stems from her NOLS experiences. “I remember on my Wind River course (three evacuations and 30 snow days) I was so exhausted and thought I couldn’t go a step further, but somehow, I arrived, set up my fly…four miles later. I learned that I can do a lot more than I think I can. That lesson stays with me today.” She remains an outdoor enthusiast and continues her adventures into Alaska’s Wrangels, Lake Clark, Glacier Bay, Mongolia, Patagonia, Yukon, and Colorado wilderness areas. You’ll also find AJ on the tennis court, kayaking, riding her horses, playing the banjo, mandolin, and piano, or relaxing on her ranch in Westcliffe, Colorado.

AJ keeps busy speaking at conferences such as The Globe International Conference on Business and the Environment (Vancouver),”The Environment and The Media, Corporate Conscience Strategies, Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI), and others.

AJ attended Hobart and William Smith, University of Colorado, and Rocky Mountain College of Art. She also serves on the board of directors for Western Resource Advocates (WRA) and Alliance for Sustainable Colorado.