Nature Forward Appoints Alison Bidwell Pearce, PhD as New Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 25, 2024
CHEVY CHASE, MD – Nature Forward, the Washington, DC region’s longest-serving environmental non-profit, is pleased to announce the appointment of Alison Bidwell Pearce, PhD as its new Executive Director, effective January 2025. Pearce, a trained naturalist who has served as the organization’s Deputy Director for Programs, brings a wealth of experience in environmental education, conservation, and organizational leadership to her new role.
“Our Search Committee and Board of Directors are in complete agreement in choosing Alison Bidwell Pearce to lead this organization,” says Nature Forward Board President Nancy Voit. “We were impressed and excited by her strategic thinking, combined with her passion for environmental education and conservation. We have no doubt that Alison will help us create a larger and more diverse community of people who treasure the natural world and work to preserve it.”
Pearce’s appointment comes after an extensive, five-month, national search process. That search, led by Koya Partners Diversified Search Group, involved input from Nature Forward staff, Board members, and stakeholders. Sixty-five applicants across the environmental sector applied and after a rigorous selection process, including multiple rounds of interviews, the Search Committee and Board of Directors voted unanimously in favor of Pearce’s appointment.
With a career spanning more than two decades in conservation research, education, and practice, Pearce brings a unique blend of academic expertise and hands-on experience to her new role. She holds a PhD in Ecological Anthropology from Stanford University, where her research focused on ranch land conservation in Montana and indigenous forest management in Panama. Her early career included service as an agroforestry volunteer with the Peace Corps in El Salvador, which solidified her commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement.
In her current role as Deputy Director for Programs at Nature Forward, Pearce has been instrumental in shaping the organization’s educational initiatives and restoration strategies. She supervises program managers across various educational efforts, has overseen the restoration and management of Woodend Nature Sanctuary, and secured the organization’s largest-ever grant to work collaboratively with urban communities around the DC region to plant 1,000 native trees.
Pearce’s vision for Nature Forward emphasizes inclusivity and broad community engagement. Her approach aligns with the organization’s commitment to environmental justice and its belief that “nature needs all of us” to create sustainable, equitable, and joyful outdoor experiences for people to belong within ecosystems.
“Alison’s leadership will be crucial as we strive to make Nature Forward a household name in the DC area,” added Voit.
Pearce will assume Nature Forward’s Executive Director role in January 2025 upon the retirement of Lisa Alexander, who has served in that role since 2013. Under Alexander’s guidance, the former Audubon Naturalist Society became the first, original Audubon organization to change its name. In her 20 years with the organization, Alexander also served as Deputy Director and Director of Environmental Education. In 2005, she launched GreenKids, an environmental education program that delivers free environmental education to more than 15,000 public school students across the region each year. Restoring Woodend Nature Sanctuary’s habitats, championing greater accessibility at Woodend, and growing the signature Taking Nature Black and Naturally Latinos conferences are among Lisa’s many accomplishments.
“I am honored and excited to lead Nature Forward as we work to expand our reach and deepen our impact in the D.C. region,” said Pearce. “Our 127-year-old organization has a rich history of conservation achievements and an impressive breadth of environmental programs. I look forward to building on this foundation and working with our dedicated staff, Board, community partners, and supporters to address the pressing environmental challenges of our time.”
Learn more about Alison Bidwell Pearce, PhD at natureforward.org/alison_pearce/
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About Nature Forward: Throughout its history, Nature Forward, first established in 1897 as the Audubon Society of the District of Columbia, has championed nature for all by playing a pivotal role in conserving our region’s iconic natural places from development including the C&O Canal, Dyke Marsh and, most recently, Ten Mile Creek. Past member and board president, Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, is credited with launching the now global environmental movement. Nature Forward’s nature experts provide hundreds of opportunities each year for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy, learn about, and protect the environment.