Diversity Program Director Melanie Allen has accepted a position with the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation where she will serve nonprofit organizations as a network officer. In this role, Melanie will work in eleven southern states to alleviate poverty and increase social and economic justice.

CTNC thanks Melanie for six years of leadership and service to the NC land trust community.

During her tenure, Melanie developed curricula to help land trusts identify and dismantle systemic inequality in the conservation sector. She developed programs to bring conservation resources and tools to rural areas to help families create wills, access legal services, retain land assets, and make them profitable. Under her leadership, the Diversity in Conservation Internship Program has connected nearly 100 students from diverse backgrounds to the conservation sector through paid summer internships, creating an employment pathway to develop future leaders.

“Melanie’s contributions to CTNC and the land trust community will have a lasting impact ensuring the conservation community fully represents and engages all North Carolinians,” said Margaret Newbold, CTNC interim executive director. “Because of her vision and dedication, CTNC is more attuned to the history of land ownership, land theft, and land loss, and will continue to be innovative and intentional in finding ways to lead the conversation on what it means to be equitable and diverse in conservation.”

“I’m proud of the work we’ve done together to increase understanding of and commitment to diversity and equity at CTNC and in the broader land trust community,” said Melanie Allen. “Land trusts have invited me to their board rooms, staff trainings and some of our state’s most beautiful places. It has been a privilege to work with each of them, and I plan to continue supporting this important work as a donor and volunteer in the future.”

We extend our deepest gratitude to Melanie for her commitment to land conservation and all she accomplished for CTNC, and we wish her well as she transitions to this new role at the Babcock Foundation.

Melanie will continue to serve on the board of directors of the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. CTNC will continue to serve as a national leader championing equity and diversity in conservation and identifying pathways to engage every community in our mission to protect North Carolina’s natural areas and connect all people to the outdoors.

For questions, contact Communications and Marketing Director Mary Alice Holley at 919-828-4199 x 17.

After a competitive nationwide selection process, Melanie Allen, CTNC’s Conservation and Diversity Coordinator, has received a fellowship award to initiate a project that works to bridge the gap between limited resource landowners and conservation professionals. This work will build upon the work CTNC is doing with the North Carolina Farm Turnaround Team, which meets with family farmers at the kitchen table to help identify and correct deficiencies and inefficiencies in their land management operation, and provide short term and long term strategies for turning things around.

TogetherGreen, a conservation initiative of the National Audubon Society and Toyota, selects 40 high-potential local leaders annually to receive a $10,000 grant. With the funds, Fellows conduct community projects to engage diverse audiences in habitat, water, or energy conservation. In addition to receiving support launching their conservation initiatives, the Fellows also benefit from specialized training and the opportunity to become part of an exciting alumni network of conservation professionals.

Learn more HERE about CTNC’s support to limited resource and minority landowners.