The board of the Washington Resource and Conservation Development Council (WRC&D) are pleased to welcome our new executive director, Melissa Mark Ph.D., who brings over 14 years’ combined experience in organizational leadership, financial management, ecological research, and partnership development to WRC&D. Melissa will be responsible for guiding our organization in its vision to empower Washington communities with the capacity to adapt to  ever-changing environmental and economic conditions, as well as make measurable progress in our mission to provide communities with the tools, resources, and connections necessary to steward their natural resources with resilience and strength. Melissa brings a collaborative leadership style, commitment to accountability and transparency, and dedication to community-centered natural resource management. She looks forward to contributing to the innovative solutions advanced by WRC&D and cultivating strong relationships with WRC&D partners.

Melissa’s prior work experiences include leading participatory action research on land management and biodiversity conservation with Latin American farm communities, supporting private-public partnerships for bird conservation in working landscapes, and directing conservation fellowship programs at Northern Arizona University and the University of Washington.

We would like to thank Hilary Lundgren, our prior executive director, for her dedication and service to the organization, as well as to the staff and board members who managed the role responsibilities in the interim.

We look forward to continuing to empower communities to steward their natural resources and build resilience through collaborative networks.

Sincerely,

Tony Craven
Board President