It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Kathy Fletcher, former President of the Mountain Lion Foundation.

Kathy began her work on behalf of mountain lions while she was working for Assembly Member Richard Katz who became one of the chairs of the Prop 117 campaign.  Savvy, funny, wise and absolutely reliable, Kathy guided Richard and us through the political morass that was predator protection at the time.  She later joined the MLF Board of Directors and was elected President to help guide MLF through leadership changes, the No on 197 campaign and the transition from a Foundation that was formed to stop the killing of mountain lions to become a national leader in puma protection with extensive influence in habitat and corridor protection.  Former MLF President Bill Yeates also recalled today that Kathy played the key staff role in establishing the authorities of the Coastal Commission under the auspices of Senator Henry Mello’s office.  Former MLF Executive Director Lynn Sadler recalled Kathy’s sense of fun but also her sense of duty, noting that Kathy played a major role in raising her grandchildren after the death of her daughter.