
Scott Jones, CEO
Scott’s early career included managing a 60,000-acre tract of timberland owned by Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation and serving as a procurement forester responsible for purchasing wood for a pulp mill. He then left the woods to begin his career in the forestry association realm, working for the Georgia Forestry Association and the Southern Lumber Manufacturers Association where he gained experience on policy issues from the local, state and federal level impacting the ownership of private forests, sawmills and the entire supply chain.
Awards and Certifications: Scott is a Georgia Registered Forester, SAF Certified Forester, the 2002 Warnell School of Forest Resources Distinguished Young Alumnus and the first recipient of the UGA Alumni Association 40 Under 40 recognition from the Warnell school. Scott lives on a small farm in Bowdon Georgia with his wife Deborah and 2 children.

Melinda Gable, Vice President
Melinda has worked with the Archery Trade Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, National Sporting Library & Museum, Outdoor Channel, The Land Report, Southern Group of State Foresters, and Assoc. of Consulting Foresters.

Lauren Ward, Ph.D., J.D., General Counsel & Director of Regulatory Affairs

Pete Williams, Magazine Editor
Forest Landowner magazine, was honored by Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) with a “Tabbie” award for editorial excellence in the category of “Best Single Issue.” Judges recognized the March/April 2017 issue of Forest Landowner, which was dedicated to the “Next Generation of Forestry.”

Amy Palmer, Dir. of Administration
Amy is a graduate of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia and has worked for the Georgia Department of Audits as a program auditor and Delta Airlines in a human resources capacity. Amy has been married for 24 years and has 2 children in college.

Heidi Van Voorhis, Director of Communications

Katie Moss, Policy and Legislative Assistant
Katie Moss joined the FLA team as the Policy and Legislative Assistant in November 2020. She graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, concentrating in law and administration. While in college she interned for the Federal Forest Resource Coalition in Washington, D.C., and upon graduation, interned for the National Wild Turkey Federation in their government affairs department. She has also worked with The Nature Conservancy and AmeriCorps in an education and outreach capacity. She is still relatively new to the industry but anticipates using her unique background and skills to be an advocate for private forest landowners across the US.
Katie currently lives in Pontotoc, MS with her husband and their two dogs.