A LIFE FOREVER SHAPED BY A LION ENCOUNTER

When Elizabeth Sullivan first saw a mountain lion, she was barely twenty. Hiking the ridgeline above Marin County with her now husband and their dog, she watched in awe as a tawny lion appeared ahead of them—graceful, silent, and powerful. “It was gliding down the hill,” she recalls, “those big, beautiful feet working so effortlessly.” That fleeting moment became a turning point in her life, sparking a passion that would guide her for decades.

FROM ADVOCATE TO BOARD LEADER

Elizabeth joined the Mountain Lion Foundation’s board in 1997 after helping gather signatures for the original Proposition 117 campaign that banned mountain lion hunting in California. A lifelong nature lover—she grew up rescuing pollywogs from creeks and still draws portraits of trees—Elizabeth brought both a lawyer’s precision and an advocate’s heart to MLF. Trained at UC Hastings, she spent years in environmental and toxic litigation before redirecting her skills toward estate planning and philanthropy, helping MLF establish its planned giving program and strengthen its long-term sustainability.

SHIFTING PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF MOUNTAIN LIONS

Over the years, Elizabeth has seen public attitudes toward lions evolve—from fear and misunderstanding to respect and coexistence. “In the early days, every sighting made the news,” she says. “We worked hard to change that narrative—to help people understand that mountain lions belong here. They are not our enemies; they are our neighbors.”

A LEGACY OF COEXISTENCE AND CONNECTEDNESS

From supporting predator-proof pen programs to championing coexistence education, Elizabeth’s influence runs deep in MLF’s legacy. Her vision is clear: to help people reconnect with the wildness that still runs through America’s wild landscapes.

MOUNTAIN LIONS STILL NEED US

“We need mountain lions,” she says. “They keep ecosystems in balance—and they remind us of who we are and what we stand to lose if we forget that connection.”