New Jersey Chapter Staff Biographies
Barbara Brummer, Ph.D.¸ New Jersey State Director. The key leader of the Conservancy’s program in
New Jersey is State Director Barbara Brummer. A longstanding member of the Conservancy, Dr. Brummer
was hired as state director in January 2004. She has a B.A. in Biology from Montclair State University and a
Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from New York University. Prior to joining the Conservancy, she had retired
from a successful career in the private sector, spending the last twelve years as an executive with Johnson &
Johnson. Among her positions at J&J, she served as President of J&J Canada Inc. and Worldwide Vice
President of the Women's Health and Wellness Franchise. Throughout her career Barbara has maintained a
passionate interest in conservation. For many years, she taught a course in field biology at Montclair State
University and has spent many hours seeking out natural areas and studying the flora of New Jersey. In
addition to her longstanding membership in The Nature Conservancy, Barbara has also been active in other
local conservation organizations, serving on the boards of the New Jersey Audubon Society, the Pocono
Environmental Education Center and the Palisades Nature Association. Soon after joining The Nature
Conservancy, she was appointed by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection to the Endangered and Non-game Species Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the
Advisory Board of the Montclair State University Math & Science Department.
Conservation Programs: Led by Bob Allen
Bob Allen, Director of Conservation Programs. Bob Allen brings extensive conservation science, field
work and managerial experience to his position with the New Jersey Chapter. He joined The Nature
Conservancy in January 2004 as Director of Conservation Science, in which role he directed a variety of
biological monitoring projects and restoration efforts on preserves, including the award-winning
restoration of the South Cape May Meadows Preserve. He also played a leading role in two Chapter
strategic conservation plans. Promoted to Director of Conservation Programs in 2009, Bob is responsible
for all Conservancy conservation activity statewide. Prior to joining the Conservancy, he was for seven
years a Terrestrial Resource Assessment Coordinator for the California Department of Fish & Game,
where he was program manager for a broad variety of non-game, game and biological monitoring projects
on state and private lands and served on the Executive Steering Committee of California Partners in
Flight. Bob has a degree in Biology from Rutgers University and an M.S. in Wildlife Management from
Humboldt State University (CA).
Damon Noe, Stewardship Coordinator. Damon has been with The Nature Conservancy since 2000,
managing approximately 20,000 acres for the New Jersey Chapter as well overseeing an annual contract
with PSEG for management of Estuary Enhancement properties. Land management experience includes
forest restoration, rare species management of New Jersey plants and animals both terrestrial and aquatic,
trail and public access design, working with landowners, mapping, hunting programs, teaching
conservation science and running education programs. Damon has extensive knowledge of New Jersey
flora and fauna. He holds a B.S. from Rowan University and an M.A. from Montclair State University.
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Conservation Investments Team: Led by Nina Chen
Nina Chen, Director of Conservation Investments. Yue (Nina) Chen joined the New Jersey
Chapter of The Nature Conservancy in February 2014 as the Director of Conservation
Investments. She oversees land protection, environmental economics and development of
market-based mechanisms to finance conservation. Her goal is to make conservation financially
and socially sustainable. Before joining the Conservancy, she had an eight-year career in finance,
spanning a wide range of areas from sovereign bonds, interest rates derivatives, mortgages, and
structured credit products. She has worked at Goldman Sachs and Royal Bank of Canada as a
strategist and as a trader. Nina’s long-term interest in conservation dates back to her childhood
living near the woods in a small town in southern China. She has a Ph.D. in Chemical
Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering
from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. Her doctoral thesis used decision theory and
uncertainty analysis to tackle the time and cost barriers in incorporating environmental impact
assessments, especially life cycle assessments, into corporate decision-making. Nina is also
working towards an Executive Education Certificate in Conservation and Environmental
Sustainability from Columbia University.
John Keenan, Director of Protection. John joined the Conservancy in April 2004 as Director of
Protection for the Pine Barrens Program Landscape Office and assumed responsibility for land
protection statewide in 2005. He leads the protection team in all phases of land acquisition,
including strategic planning, landowner outreach and contract negotiations, prepares real estate
contracts and manages contracting for appraisals, surveys, and other professional services. John
prepares project budgets to ensure funding availability, manages public and private grants,
performs due diligence and obtains required internal project approvals. He previously spent
twenty-four years in a variety of private and government environmental planning positions and
three years as adjunct instructor of Earth Science at Atlantic Cape Community College. He has a
bachelor’s degree in Physical Geography from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Leander Lacy, Social Scientist. Leander Lacy started with The Nature Conservancy as a LEAF
(Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future) Mentor in the summer of 2012. In October of
the same year he joined the ranks of TNC-NJ as the Urban Programs Manager, where he was
responsible for building foundational relationships to strengthen our urban work. In February of
2014, Leander transitioned into a new position as the New Jersey Chapter’s first Social Scientist.
This position builds upon his background in engaging new audiences, showcasing our
conservation work to broader audiences, enhancing conservation objectives through stakeholder
engagement and bringing critical science to better understand the relationship between people and
nature. With his varied background in corporate management, wildlife management, human
dimensions of natural resources and facilitation/engagement, Leander will help bring the social
dimension into the foundation of sustainable conservation in New Jersey.
Elizabeth Schuster, Environmental Economist. Elizabeth joined the Conservancy in 2013 to
bring expertise in economic valuation and assessment to our conservation work. Since joining
the Conservancy, Elizabeth has supported our Marine program in a variety of projects including
quantifying the value of natural infrastructure in coastal areas for flood reduction and community
economic development through nature-based tourism. She supports the Freshwater program with
an emphasis on water quality research and market-based approaches to watershed protection. She
also works with natural scientists to develop decision support tools for incorporating ecosystem
services into ecological restoration projects and has completed an analysis of the economic value
of native pollinator habitat for New Jersey farmers. Prior to working with the Conservancy, she
gained a breadth of experience in conservation and business management in both the private and
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nonprofit sectors. Since 1998, she has been working in project design and implementation with a
focus on natural resource management and water resources in the United States and
internationally. Several multi-stakeholder projects aimed towards improving the environment
while maintaining agricultural profitability have brought her to Venezuela, Honduras and
Mexico. Her quantitative skills in statistical analysis and impact assessments have served for
community development programs and policies as well as for supply chain management in the
natural products industry. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Environmental Studies, from Oberlin
College and a Master of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of
Arizona.
Mike Shanahan, Conservation Coordinator. Mike has been with the New Jersey Chapter since
2008. As a member of the land protection team, he handles protection inquiries, helps the team
assess property-purchase opportunities, prepares required documentation to complete our land
deals and ensures that all of our land-holding records are properly tracked. Mike writes preserve
management plans and helps implement stewardship strategies. He also utilizes GIS analytical
tools to advance the Chapter’s marine and freshwater goals.
Freshwater Conservation Team: Led by Ellen Creveling
Ellen Creveling, Director of Freshwater Programs. Starting as Conservation Science
Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey in 2006, Ellen helped develop and
conduct a number of biological monitoring projects, including surveying rare plants and assessing
forest health. Also playing a key role in developing the Chapter’s first statewide strategic plans,
Ellen’s position focused increasingly on conservation planning and watershed assessment. As
Director of Freshwater Programs since 2012, Ellen now oversees all of the Chapter’s freshwater
work, including new urban conservation initiatives aimed at using nature to manage stormwater
and improve watershed health. Ellen holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a
master’s degree in Environmental Conservation from the University of Greenwich (UK).
Allen Barlow, Skylands Watershed Coordinator. Allen Barlow has extensive experience
working with freshwater systems. His areas of expertise include the biology of freshwater
mussels and dragonflies and damselflies; he is lead author on the Field Guide to Dragonflies and
Damselflies of New Jersey, published in 2009. Allen joined the Conservancy in 2010 as White
Lake Land Steward, a position in which he led the management of an ecologically significant
County Park, successfully planning and executing habitat management and restoration efforts as
well as fostering a very productive partnership with Warren County. During this time, Allen also
contributed to a variety of restoration projects and land management efforts across the
Conservancy’s northern New Jersey preserves. Allen was promoted to Skylands Watershed
Coordinator in 2013, a position with expanded responsibilities for strategic watershed planning
and restoration efforts. Before joining the Conservancy, he spent 12 years working with the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Endangered and Non-game Species Program on
a variety of freshwater projects and aquatic assessments, including surveys for freshwater mussels
and aquatic insect indicator species, which required completion of habitat rankings and collection
of dissolved oxygen, water temperature and stream flow data. Allen holds a B.S. from Fairleigh
Dickinson University.
Scott Sherwood, Northern New Jersey Land Steward. Scott joined the Conservancy in 2010 as
Skylands Stewardship Coordinator and now serves as the Northern New Jersey Land Steward. In
addition to his basic stewardship duties, he has advanced several important initiatives, including
deer management, which he expanded to additional preserves. He has developed increasing
expertise in forest and freshwater restoration and was instrumental in two restoration projects at
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Minisink Valley Preserve: one to restore a former gravel mining site and curb erosion into a
Category One stream and one a streambank restoration. More recently, he designed and
implemented a multi-year reforestation program at our Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve to convert
hay fields surrounded by hedgerows of invasive species back to forest. His expertise also
includes wildlife monitoring, invasive control, mapping, and LIP projects. Scott holds a
Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from SUNY Cobleskill.
Julie Ulrich, Watershed Restoration Coordinator. Julie joined the Conservancy in early 2013
and is responsible for helping to develop and implement freshwater and urban conservation
strategies across New Jersey. With over ten years of experience working at the intersection of
design, ecology and the public, she is leading freshwater-focused projects on several different
scales within our watersheds and is passionate about re-envisioning the relationship between
cities and nature. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Julie was a Sustainability Specialist for the
City of Portland, Oregon, working to clean and protect the Willamette River Basin, Oregon’s
largest watershed. Focusing on the urbanized portion of the watershed, she developed strategies
and projects to incorporate green infrastructure for sewage and stormwater issues as an alternative
to traditional methods. With an interest in cultivating community based restoration methods,
Julie assisted efforts to restore Louisiana’s coastal habitats by engaging volunteers and
stakeholders and by promoting environmental stewardship and smart design among New Orleans
and southern Louisiana industries, land owners and business leaders. While living in
Charlottesville, VA, she contributed to environmental comprehensive plans and design manuals,
using policy as a tool to improve community design and watershed health. Julie has extensive
experience developing and designing nature-based solutions in cities as a way to improve ecology
while educating and inspiring residents. She is a Senior Fellow with the Environmental
Leadership Program and was recently named as one of Next City’s Vanguard, a selected group of
40 best and brightest young urban leaders under 40 whose ideas for cities, experience in the field
and ambition for the future all show great promise to improve cities across sectors. She has a
Master’s of Urban Design and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia’s School
of Architecture and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from The Catholic University of
America.
Marine Conservation Team: Led by Patty Doerr
Patty Doerr, Director of Coastal and Marine Programs. Patty Doerr joined the New Jersey
Chapter of the Nature Conservancy in 2010 as the Director of Conservation Projects, where she
oversaw ecosystem restoration and planning projects around the state. She became Director of
the Coastal and Marine Program upon its establishment in 2012. The Coastal and Marine team is
concentrated on coastal habitat restoration across the state to improve the ability of habitats and
coastal human communities to respond to sea level rise and other climate-related threats, as well
as working with other Conservancy chapters in the mid-Atlantic to conserve key ocean habitats
and ensure sustainable fisheries. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Patty was Director of Ocean
Resource Policy for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) in Alexandria, VA. At ASA,
she represented the sportfishing industry to Congress, the Administration, and state government
regarding a variety of coastal and marine issues, including fisheries management and marine
protected areas. Prior to ASA, she worked for the National Governors Association (NGA),
working with the Natural Resources Committee as well as the United States Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works on a variety of environmental policy issues. Patty holds a
Masters of Arts in Environmental Resource Policy from The George Washington University and
Bachelors of Science in both Natural Resource Management and Environmental Policies,
Institutes, and Behaviors from Rutgers University.
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Moses Katkowski, Marine Conservation Coordinator. Moses started with The Nature
Conservancy in 2006 as a stewardship intern while working to complete his degree in
Environmental Studies from Stockton College in New Jersey. He spent four years as a land
steward with the New Jersey Chapter, managing the Conservancy’s Delaware Bayshores
preserves including the South Cape May Meadows, Lizard Tail Swamp and Gandy’s Beach
Preserves. In 2010, Moses began working as the chapter’s Marine Conservation Coordinator, and
is now a member of the New Jersey Chapter’s Marine Conservation Team, which is working to
implement habitat restoration and climate change adaptation projects across New Jersey’s coasts.
Moses is the strategy lead for the Delaware Bay and River Whole System Coastal Adaptation and
Oyster Restorations strategy. He coordinates Conservancy projects across New Jersey and
Delaware and works with multiple nonprofit, agency and local community partners on projects
ranging from climate change planning, habitat restoration, and wetland research and assessments.
Moses also coordinates the New Jersey Coastal Resilience Tool, an online interactive mapping
tool that allows stakeholders to better plan for and implement natural infrastructure projects that
reduce risk from coastal hazards such as sea level rise and storms. During his time with The
Nature Conservancy Moses has earned a Masters’ of Environmental Studies with a concentration
in Resource Management from the University of Pennsylvania. Moses’ thesis work looked at
identifying and prioritizing stream restoration projects for spawning river herring in a New Jersey
watershed.
Metthea Yepsen, Coastal Restoration Manager. Metthea joined The Nature Conservancy in
2013, bringing five years of experience in environmental restoration and restoration assessment to
the New Jersey Chapter’s Marine Team. As Coastal Restoration Manager, Metthea leads the
Chapter’s efforts to mainstream the use of natural infrastructure for people and nature on the
Atlantic Coast of New Jersey through restoration projects and planning efforts designed to return
the ecological function and ecosystem services of coastal habitats. Her prior work experience
includes assessing the ecosystem services provided by the USDA’s wetland restoration programs,
developing standardized monitoring plans for environmental restoration projects in the Gulf of
Mexico, and designing a high altitude wetland restoration in Colorado. She has a Bachelor’s
degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree from the University of
Maryland, College Park.
Adrianna Zito-Livingston, Cape May Preserves Coordinator. Adrianna began her career with
the Nature Conservancy in 2010 as a seasonal environmental educator at the South Cape May
Meadows Preserve. She joined the Chapter’s land management team at the beginning of 2011 to
manage the South Cape May Meadows and assist with habitat management, volunteer
coordination and facilitating public access on preserves in Cumberland and Cape May
Counties. Adrianna continues to manage the Cape May Meadows and Garrett Family Preserve at
Cape Island Creek and is working as a member of the Preserve Marketing Team to enhance the
visitor experiences at these preserves and others. She also joined the Chapter’s Marine
Conservation Team in 2013 and is working with the team on the planning, implementation and
monitoring of coastal restoration projects in New Jersey. Prior to the Conservancy, Adrianna
worked as a Biological Scientist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife’s Conservation Commission,
conducting underwater monitoring and surveys for commercially important shellfish in the near
shore waters and coral reef habitats of the Florida Keys. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology
from Wittenberg University and a Master of Science in Biological Science from Clemson
University.
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Delaware River and Bay Whole System: Led by Eric Olsen
Eric Olsen, Delaware River and Bay Whole System Project Director. Eric Olsen has been with
The Nature Conservancy since 2006 and currently serves as the Delaware River and Bay Whole
System Project Director, coordinating the organization’s work across the four-state Delaware
River region. Prior to this position, he served as the Skylands Program Manager, responsible for
guiding the Chapter’s conservation efforts in Northwest New Jersey. During his tenure, Eric has
been involved with forest and freshwater projects including land protection, stewardship, and
restoration projects, as well as coordination of the Common Waters partnership that strives to
protect the freshwater and forest resources in the upper Delaware River. Prior to the
Conservancy, Eric worked for the Fairview Lake YMCA as a Program Specialist in
Environmental Education, introducing children and adults to the wonders of the natural world.
Eric received a B.A. in English with a minor in Environmental Studies from Drew University and
an A.A. in Liberal Arts from Sussex County Community College. He is active in his community,
founding and serving as Chair of the Andover Township Green Team, which is working to
achieve certification through the Sustainable Jersey program.
Government Relations: Led by Tom Wells
Tom Wells, Director of Government Relations. Having joined the staff of the Conservancy in 2004, Tom
brings over thirty years of experience in the field of conservation in New Jersey to his position as Director
of Government Relations, in which capacity he manages all public policy engagements for the
organization at the state and federal levels. Prior to assuming this position, Tom was the Chapter’s
Skylands Program Director, where he supervised conservation planning activities, land acquisition and
stewardship of Conservancy preserves in northwestern New Jersey. He was previously with the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection where he served for ten years as the Administrator of the
Green Acres Program, which has provided billions of dollars in funding for projects that preserve or
improve parks and conservation areas throughout the state. Earlier, he was the Assistant Director of the
New Jersey Conservation Foundation, where he led a successful campaign to enact landmark legislation
to protect freshwater wetlands in New Jersey. Tom has a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers
University and a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Michigan.
Operations Team: Led by Susan Jakoplic
Susan Jakoplic, Director of Operations, New Jersey Chapter. Susan Jakoplic started her relationship
with The Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey Chapter as a member and volunteer. This positive and lifealtering experience led her to secure a position with the Chapter in 1996. Susan currently provides overall
leadership for activities related to finance, administration, personnel, facilities, information systems and
office management. She is responsible for the development and implementation of annual budgets,
submission of periodic and annual financial and technical reports and monitoring progress of goals.
Additionally, Susan provides assistance to all levels of personnel on various Human Resources-related
issues. Prior to joining TNC, Susan was a Systems Analyst in the private sector focusing on HR and
Finance systems. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cook College, Rutgers University.
Heather Austin, Conservation Operations Manager. Heather joined The Nature Conservancy in May
2001 as the Delaware Bayshore Office Administrative Assistant. Her primary responsibilities included
vender payment requests, petty cash and daily office functions. In 2006, she took on the role of
Conservation Operations Manager with additional responsibilities that include assisting the land
protection and land management teams, tax exemption, transfers of land, and management of
Conservancy-owned housing.
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Barbara Roberts-Smith, Administrative Coordinator. Barbara joined the Conservancy as the
Administrative Coordinator for the New Jersey Field Office in 2005. She is responsible for day-to-day
office administration as well back-up for our information and technology manager and receptionist. She
is also responsible for general maintenance and repairs, office supplies, general purchasing requests,
negotiating with vendors and various office duties. In addition, Barbara assists with submission of annual
budgets and provides support for the Chapter’s finance functions. Her past experience includes more than
six years serving as an office manager for a moving company, as well as numerous years of banking
experience.
Philanthropy Team: Led by Carrie VanDusen
Carrie VanDusen, State Director of Philanthropy. Carrie joined The Nature Conservancy in December
2011 to lead the New Jersey Chapter’s development team. She is responsible for more than $4 million in
annual contributed revenue for New Jersey and works with chapter trustees to raise funds, create donor
events, and engage new potential trustee candidates. She is also a member of the chapter’s executive
management team. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Carrie worked for the Conservation Trust of Puerto
Rico, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Project Renewal (serving the homeless in New York City)
and The National Audubon Society, among others. Carrie has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from CarnegieMellon University and a Master of Arts from New York University.
Jane Pelson Miller, Deputy Director of Philanthropy. Jane joined the New Jersey Chapter staff in 2003
as an Associate Director of Philanthropy. She was appointed Deputy Director of the department in 2009,
assuming responsibility for additional department administration. She serves on the Chapter’s Leadership
Team and oversees engagement with many of the Chapter’s largest institutional supporters. She brings to
the Conservancy a broad background in development, membership, and public relations. Prior to 2003,
she headed development departments for organizations including a partnership between Hancock Shaker
Village and New England Heritage Breeds Conservancy, New York Parks and Conservation Association
(now Parks and Trails NY), Southern Vermont College, and National Audubon Society; and oversaw
annual giving and public relations at South Street Seaport Museum. Jane has also worked as a
fundraising consultant. She has a B.A. in English from Vassar College.
Sue Courtney, Executive Assistant. Sue joined The Nature Conservancy in 2010 as a Philanthropy
Assistant and became an Executive Assistant in June 2013. She provides administrative support for the
New Jersey State Director and Director of Philanthropy, as well as supporting front-line fundraisers as
part of the Major Gifts Management team. She also serves as a liaison to the New Jersey Board of
Trustees and assists with trustee communications. Sue previously spent eight years with the Girl Scouts
Heart of New Jersey.
Erin Daly, Donor Relations Manager. Erin joined The Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey Chapter in
2013. She works with the Philanthropy team to identify, research, develop strategies for and engage
donors and prospects. With extensive writing and editing experience, she also produces proposals,
reports and other written materials for a range of donors. Prior to the Conservancy, Erin spent ten years
with The Trust for Public Land in New Jersey, primarily focused on institutional fundraising. She
previously worked in publishing. Erin has a B.A. from Bryn Mawr College.
Helen Esmond, Philanthropy Assistant/Receptionist. Helen was hired in 2007 as the Executive
Assistant/Trustee Liaison/Receptionist and became the Philanthropy Assistant in 2013. Before joining
The Nature Conservancy, she was an administrative assistant at a nonprofit serving autistic men and was
employed in the construction industry. Helen has a B.A. in Art Education from Jersey City State College.
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Nanette LeVan, Associate Director of Philanthropy. Nanette started with The Nature Conservancy in
Florida in 2009 and joined the New Jersey Chapter in 2011. She currently raises major gifts by advancing
donors through discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship phases. Her prior experience includes
individual, corporate and foundation fundraising for Habitat for Humanity, Women Employed and The
Family Institute. Her fundraising approach is strongly influenced by her marketing background; prior to
fundraising, Nanette had a 12-year marketing and brand management career at Kraft Foods. She has an
M.B.A. with a marketing concentration from The Kellogg School at Northwestern University and a B.A.
in History and American Studies from Princeton University.
Robyn McGuinness, Senior Associate Director of Philanthropy. Robyn works with some of our leading
individual and corporate donors who support projects both in New Jersey and globally, and collaborates
with our board members and donors to engage people in the Conservancy’s work. Robyn is also
responsible for facilitating fundraising across the four-state Delaware River and Bay Whole System
conservation project. Robyn joined the New Jersey Chapter in 2006. Her prior experience includes
leading successful statewide and international environmental policy campaigns in Albany, New York
with Environmental Advocates on issues ranging from tropical forest protection, childhood lead
poisoning, and hydroelectric energy; global business development in the scientific and medical fields;
board service; and community fundraising. Robyn earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies
from the University of Vermont, where she founded and led the UVM Rainforest Action Group, the first
organization to bring awareness of the need for tropical forest conservation to the UVM community. She
also earned a certificate from World Learning’s School for International Training in Ecuador, where she
conducted original field research documenting the indigenous Amazonian Shuar people’s relationship
with their environment and their struggle to obtain legal rights over their lands in the face of development
pressure from cattle grazing and extractive industry.
Jennifer Rinaldi, Donor Stewardship & Events Coordinator. Jennifer joined The Nature Conservancy in
New Jersey in 2013. As a member of the philanthropy team, she is responsible for developing the
formalized stewardship plan for top New Jersey donors and assisting the fundraisers with these efforts.
Jennifer also plans the Chapter’s events by coordinating the logistics, creating invitations, assisting with
invitee lists and other event-related tasks. She works with the fundraisers to use strategic events and
cultivation to strengthen relationships with donors and prospects. Previously, Jennifer was a Public
Relations Intern for Children’s Miracle Network at Geisinger, while earning her Bachelor of Arts degree
in Communication Studies, Leadership & Public Advocacy from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Betsy Wullert, Major Gifts Manager. Betsy joined The Nature Conservancy in June 2013 and is
responsible for the Major Gifts Management Team, which provides support to the frontline fundraisers.
Betsy’s responsibilities include: budget preparation; budget and gift tracking; and ensuring that donor
revenue, actual progress against budget and fundraising reports are prepared for each financial
closing. She supports frontline staff in a variety of ways including: managing semi-annual solicitations;
defining and monitoring donor activity metrics; participating in the discovery process; managing periodic
requests from the Worldwide Office; and identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for process
improvement. Betsy spent the first 25-plus years of her career in the corporate world in Information
Technology. Before deciding to embark on a new career in nonprofit, she managed global project teams
to develop and deliver regulated systems in the Pharmaceutical industry. She earned a Bachelor’s degree
in Mathematics from Lafayette College.
Marketing Resource Center Team:
Mary Conti, Public Relations Manager, New Jersey Chapter. Mary’s role at The Nature Conservancy is
to elevate the work of the New Jersey chapter and promote the Conservancy and its messages with the
public and media. Prior to joining The Conservancy in 2012, Mary directed successful public relations,
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communications and marketing efforts for leading organizations like Berlitz International, Panasonic,
Playmobil and the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Federation. She has garnered placements in The Wall Street
Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Today Show and many other prominent
media outlets, and her writing has appeared in Time Out New York and The Encyclopedia of World
Sport. A proud New Jersey native, Mary graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts,
cum laude with honors, in English.
Khara McKeen, Digital Marketing Specialist. Khara is a digital marketing specialist with the North
America field marketing team. She leads and executes digital strategy for four state chapters: Ohio, West
Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Khara’s duties include overseeing social media, email and
website efforts from planning to analysis. As Email Captain for the Eastern Region, she manages the
Conservancy’s email channel for the east with the primary goal of using email to build engagement and
increase online revenue. Prior to joining the Conservancy in 2008, Khara served as a campaign
coordinator for The Civil Society Institute, a Boston-based nonprofit think-tank focused on climate
change and global security. Her duties ranged from website management and digital marketing to
developing outreach campaigns and hosting workshops.
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