Face of This Place
Dorian Anderson
In the beginning of 2014, Dorian Anderson embarked on his cross-country, petroleum-free "Biking for Birds" eco-adventure. By December 31st, he had cycled 17,830 miles through 28 states, observed 617 species of birds, and raised about $50,000 for bird conservation for The Conservation Fund and the American Birding Association. Dorian has been interested in birds since a very young age. He grew up in Philadelphia, and spent much of his youth birding John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Brigantine NWR, Cape May Point, Barnegat, Bombay Hook NWR, and other areas in the Delaware Valley region. After attending college at Stanford University and earning his Ph.D at New York University in Developmental Genetics, Dorian accepted a post-doctoral position at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly, the Fund’s California program director, is known for his innovative approaches to conservation, including the Fund’s sustainable forest management efforts along the state’s north coast—now home to the largest nonprofit-owned working forest in the West. A new approach for both the Fund and the community, our working forest model balances conservation with economic needs and community interests. Read our interview with Chris to find out how he ended up one of the Fund’s most innovative and accomplished conservationists.
Claire Robinson
The Fund is working with the nonprofit Amigos de los Rios to combine and update the green infrastructure plan for the Los Angeles area. Watch Executive Director Claire Robinson’s interview about her work with the Fund to increase green space and improve communities in the city.
David Graham Wolf
David Graham Wolf is Deputy Director of the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, a regional Massachusetts land trust that serves 23 towns in Worcester and Franklin counties and has helped protect more than 27,000 acres since 1986. In 2014, our Land Conservation Loan Program worked with Mount Grace on the building purchase for the Quabbin Harvest market and food co-op. Check out this page for more information on the partnership, including a video featuring David talking about his experience working with LCLP.
Erik Meyers
Erik Meyers has been a Vice President at The Conservation Fund for nearly a decade. Growing up in places across the midwest, far west, and east, Erik’s love of the outdoors and our nation’s natural wonders run deep. College introduced him to Washington, DC, where time on the Potomac River got him interested in environmental law. Today, he’s heavily involved with the Fund’s work in the Chesapeake Region, particularly Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. He shares thoughts on climate change and reflects on what The Conservation Fund is doing to address the multiple challenges facing coastal ecosystems.
Frances Kennedy
I became director of the Civil War Battlefield Campaign and began building partnerships with local citizens, corporations, foundations, and public agencies. Our work was to protect these hallowed grounds where, as General Chamberlain said at Gettysburg in 1889, future generations, “shall come to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them… to ponder and dream.”
Mike Leonard
We sat down with Mike Leonard, who has served on the Fund’s Board since 2004 and is currently serving as the Fund's Board Chair. He is Partner for the Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice law firm and resides in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Read more about Mike’s passion for land conservation and his multi-decade work to enhance Alabama’s Pinhoti Trail.
Gates Watson
Gates Watson has been with The Conservation Fund since 2001 and currently serves as the Montana and Northwest Director for Conservation Acquisition. Throughout his tenure, Gates has helped protect over 100,000 acres of land across Montana. Before joining the Fund, Gates started an outdoor adventure program for inner city children in Pittsburgh. In this interview, Gates describes his connection to the Rocky Mountain Front and the successes and challenges he’s experienced along the way.
Mark Epstein
I’ve been the refuge manager of Santee since 2006 but I started with Fish and Wildlife Service in 1993, before that I worked for the State of Florida. I had always wanted to work on a National Wildlife Refuge and tackle the challenges that that presents. When I first started back in the 1980s, the method of getting onto the Fish and Wildlife Service was called “the registry”.
Norman McCowan
As the world’s population continues to grow, so does our appetite for seafood as a healthy food source. At the rate we’re going, the rapidly depleting stocks of wild fish will not be able to sustain our ever-increasing demand for much longer. As a result, aquaculture, or fish farming, is bridging the supply gap.
