Blog
Uncover the stories, people, and processes that power our work.
Jun 17 2025
Beyond Emotional Intelligence: 5 Steps Toward Emotional Inclusion (Even If You’d Rather Numb Out)
Let’s be real. Some days, it feels easier to push emotions down, check off the boxes, and pretend everything’s fine. That emotional silence was the norm in my family—and, as it turns out, also the unspoken rule in much of my conservation career. But it’s costing us our health, our connection, and our purpose. What […]
May 3 2025
Emotional Support Is the Leadership Skill Conservation Forgot
🔥 Conservation Leadership Is Burning Out—Here’s Why It Matters When I was in college—more years ago than I care to count—I didn’t worry much about the future. The path felt hopeful. The conservation jobs were there. The work ahead felt bright. But now, the emotional tone of the conservation workforce has shifted dramatically. From undergraduates […]
Apr 22 2025
A Missing Link in Conservation: Humility & Perspective
One of my workshops, Cultural Competence & Humility, has been removed from certain places in response to political pressure to eliminate language associated with inclusion, identity, and systemic awareness. I know that the reason for its removal is more than discomfort; it’s fear. And, if we erase cultural humility, what is left isn’t neutral; it’s […]
Mar 27 2025
The Illusion of Meritocracy in Conservation
I was taught to believe that I would be recognized and rewarded if I worked hard. But there have been plenty of times when that wasn’t true. In my blog Worthiness and Meritocracy in Conservation, I explain that meritocracy suggests success is earned through ability and effort. But in conservation, worthiness is often assigned by […]