VICE PRESIDENT: RJ Peiper

RJ Peiper is a native of Rock Springs, Wyoming. His parents recall that he’s always had a camera in his hand from a young age. Over the years, he took classes at White Mountain Jr. High and Western Wyoming Community College, but he really began to grow as a photographer when he joined WPPA in 2014 and PPA in 2015. Since 2006 he started a side business while working in the energy industry. In 2019 he took the step to work as a full time photographer, taking over the 100 year old New Studio in Downtown Rock Springs. He is a Certified Professional Photographer, and holds his WPPA service award. He lives in Rock Springs with his wife, Angela, and their herd of dogs and cats.

TREASURER: Russell Jensen

Russell Lloyd Jensen has spent the last 30+ years refining his craft and becoming a better photographer and business owner. From his days as a darkroom photography lab monitor at Moorhead State University in Minnesota to his current work as a photography studio owner in Rapid City, SD, Russell's artistic photography is in the homes of thousands of families across the region and on the walls of hundreds of corporations. His work has earned him extensive recognition in both the commercial and portrait world of photography as well as through the PPA where he has been a finalist in the Grand Imaging Awards for his senior portrait photography in 2017 and 2022.  In 2016 he was awarded the South Dakota Photographer of the Year award as well as the CPP award for the highest scoring print case from the SDPPA. He is currently serving on the board for the Wyoming Professional Photographers Association as the elected treasurer. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education, has earned his Master Photographer degree through the PPA, is recognized as a Certified Professional Photographer through the PPA and is currently working on both his Craftsman Degree and his Artists Degree. He loves his WPPA family and looks forward to helping each member in growing their own business and mastering their craft of photography.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR: Kory Bumgardner

Kory Bumgardner is a professional photographer living in the mountains west of Golden, Colorado.  She is a mother of three, wife to an amazing husband and Gigi to two great kids.  She travels the world in search of photos and fun!  She started in photography with the K1000 and a darkroom, and never stopped taking pictures along the way. She has a sublimation business to complement her photography. She joined PPA in 2018 and has really watched her skills grow.  She can’t wait to see where she goes in the coming years.

Kory has earned the 2020 and 2021 WPPA Photographer of the Year.

SECRETARY: Becky Pickrel

In 2013, Becky's husband bought her first DSLR and she was hooked. The problem was that every picture felt bland and lacked a certain “something.” She knew she needed photography education, and after doing some research, she came across the Professional Photographers of America, which got her connected with Wyoming affiliate.
In 2016, she became a Certified Professional Photographer through the PPA and in 2020, she earned her Master Photographer Degree, also through the PPA. she is now working on artist images with the hopes of earning her Master Artist Degree, over the next few years. She is also working on her Craftsman Degree and hopes to do more one-on-one mentoring. Her biggest photographic accomplishment to date was bringing home a 2nd place Grand Imaging Award from International Print Competition in 2019.
She is a wife, a mom, a grandma, a daughter and a friend. She loves Jesus, is a coffee addict and adore her Great Danes. She sings, has way too many houseplants, hates doing laundry and is almost a Wyoming native, having spent the majority of her life living in NE Wyoming.

Student Director: Cari Faye Antonovich

FELLOWSHIP DIRECTOR: Kim Pezeshki

Kimberly Pezeshki, M. Photog., CPP, (Master Photographer and Certified) was born in Evanston, WY. She attended Cal State University of Bakersfield and started Pez Photography in March, 2009. She opened Pez Photography, her home Portrait Studio in April, 2012, which is located in Laramie, WY.

She became a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) in 2010 and receiver her PPA Master of Photography in 2016. She received her Photographic Craftsman in Jan. 2019, and was also elected as PPA Councilor for Wyoming in 2019. Recently, she was re-elected to serve three more years as a PPA Councilor for Wyoming. She is a Past President (2017-2019) for Wyoming Professional Photographers Association and also served 2014-2015 as WPPA president. Kimberly is a CPP liaison for Wyoming and helped reinstate the Fellowship Program in 2016 and is the current Fellowship Director and is a WPPA Fellow. 

WPPA National Award recipient April of 2021.

PRINT DIRECTOR: Jennie Knezovich

Jenni Knezovich shot her first wedding in 1995 for $50, and even though it was an epic failure...she knew she was hooked.  She attended WWCC on a photography grant, but had to change her major after the photography department was dropped from the curriculum.  She lasted one semester as a Criminal Justice major.  She graduated with an Associate of Arts in 1997.  After freelancing for several years, working out of her home she opened her storefront studio in 2004 in downtown Rock Springs.  Still in full time operation today, Jenni has since earned recognition as a PPA Certified Professional Photographer (CPP),  has earned her Master of Photography degree (M. Photog.) and her Master Craftsman degree (Cr.) through PPA.  She also serves as a CPP liaison, and as the WPPA Print Director.  She is a Wyoming Fellow and has earned her WPPA Service Degree along with several bars for continued service.    She has earned several awards through print competition, and has had images in the Loan and Showcase books.  More importantly, Jenni's passion for photography is apparent through her love of teaching, mentoring, and serving others in this industry through volunteering on boards such as WPPA and ASP.  A hopeless romantic, she is working on her Master of Wedding Photography degree and her Master Artist degree though PPA.  You can often hear her say "Nobody becomes a worse photographer through print competition".

Assisting Member: Crystal Trevino

Crystal served in the United States Air Force as a Health Services Manager for over 24 years and dabbled in photography here and there, but it wasn’t until she retired in 2019 that she pursued it as a profession. Her husband bought her a new camera as a retirement gift, she hired Erica to mentor her, joined the WPPA, and business has been booming since.  She enjoys capturing people, from newborns to families to high school seniors and prefers to do so outdoors in the beautiful Black Hills.