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🔥 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 […]

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 […]

Conservation work often places individuals face-to-face with both nature’s beauty and its fury. In the aftermath of disasters like Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, raging forest fires, or the ongoing bleaching of coral reefs, the pain and loss can feel overwhelming. Conservationists are left to pick up the pieces—both physically and emotionally. For leaders in this […]

True leadership goes beyond strategy and position—it’s about fostering spaces where people feel emotionally and mentally safe enough to do the hard, transformative work. True leadership embraces both courage and vulnerability. I have been involved in several leadership programs throughout the years, with only one embracing the importance of emotional inclusion; Trauma-informed Leadership through the […]