Leadership Team

Lidia Soto-Harmon, President & Chief Executive Officer

Lidia Soto-Harmon serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Student Conservation Association (SCA), the nation’s largest provider of hands-on environmental conservation programs for youth and adults. Last year alone, the SCA engaged more than 2,000 participants who collectively provided nearly 1 million hours of service at federal, state, and local parks and natural areas. SCA members bolster the nation’s environmental adaptability, reduce wildfire risks, strengthen urban communities, restore historic and cultural sites, and improve access to public lands.

Prior to joining the SCA, Lidia led the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital, the largest council in the country, serving as CEO for 13 years and COO for six years. During her nearly two decades with the Girl Scouts, she developed strategies that expanded access for girls across the region, transformed outdoor programming, and built lasting community partnerships to advance youth development.

Earlier in her career, Lidia was Senior Vice President of Community Development at First Book, a national children’s literacy nonprofit. She held senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of State’s President’s Interagency Council on Women and the Fannie Mae Foundation. Her extensive board and advisory service includes roles with the Migration Policy Institute, Booz Allen Foundation, Meyer Foundation, First Book, and George Mason University’s School of Public Policy, where she is also an adjunct faculty member.

Each summer, Lidia takes on a summer challenge to live the SCA’s mission and learn directly from its emerging conservation leaders. In 2023, she traveled across Alaska from Denali to Seward, learning to cold start a chainsaw with the SCA’s Women’s Wildland Fire Crew. In 2024, she joined the New York City Urban Green crew at Acadia National Park for the bold Soil to Summit expedition, where together they hauled 209 pounds of soil to the top of Sargent Mountain to fight erosion. And in 2025, she accompanied Bay Area Urban Green crew members while carrying a 22-pound pack for 12.5 miles to resupply the Yosemite National Park Wilderness Restoration Crew responsible for removing more than 40 illegal fire rings and restoring the land to its natural state. [Click here to view Lidia’s 2025 summer vlog.]

Lidia earned a master’s in public administration from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree from Drew University. She has also completed executive leadership programs at Harvard, Stanford, and the Center for Creative Leadership. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, the Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business, and Leadership Greater Washington. She and her husband are proud parents of two bilingual adult children.

To contact Lidia, please email Emmaline Schild at eschild@thesca.org.

Dr. Usha Chaudhary, Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Usha Chaudhary is responsible for driving the SCA’s strategy development, financial management, and operational excellence, accelerating the expansion of the SCA’s urban programming and ensuring the organization’s long-term sustainability. Before joining the SCA, she was COO at Internews, Chief Transformation Officer of The MITRE Corporation, President and Chief Operating Officer of Kettler, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of The Pew Charitable Trusts, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at The Washington Post, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at United Way of America. She has also held several executive positions at Freddie Mac, focusing on strategy, operations, and risk management. Dr. Chaudhary holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Drexel University, a Masters in Business Administration from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from St. Stephen’s College in New Delhi, India. Dr. Chaudhary is also a Certified Public Accountant and was a 2016 Honoree of the Washington Business Journal 2016 Women Who Mean Business.

Matt Gray, SVP of Programs
Matt Gray is a five-time SCA program participant who has dedicated his career to sustainability, climate and conservation initiatives at the federal, municipal and community levels. Before joining the SCA, Gray was chief of sustainability for the City of Cleveland. During his seven years with the City of Cleveland, he convened 90 organizations to co-create the Cleveland Climate Action Plan, which won the 2019 American Planning Association award for “Best Community Sustainability or Resiliency Plan.” Gray is a former Fulbright Fellow with the U.S. Department of State in Mauritius, a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Department of Energy, and an energy management consultant with Accenture, the global management consultancy. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Industrial Engineering and Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University.

Dr. LaShanda Miller, VP of People and Culture
Dr. LaShanda Miller is responsible for shaping the culture of the SCA and implementing strategies to ensure that inclusion and diversity are embedded in the organization’s initiatives, programs and practices. A SHRM-Senior Certified professional with over 17 years of experience in human resources, Dr. Miller leads the Human Resources Department, Member Services and Recruitment teams, marrying the strategies of attracting and retaining top talent to drive business outcomes consistent with the SCA’s core values. Before joining the SCA, she held senior leadership positions where her work included leading employees in multiple HR disciplines in secondary education, government contracting and facilities maintenance. In addition, Dr. Miller is an active volunteer for organizations committed to the growth, development, and mentorship of at-risk youth. Dr. Miller holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Capella University and both a Bachelor’s in Office Systems and Technologies and a Master’s in Instructional Technology from Mississippi State University.

Zachary Bolick, VP of Partnerships
Zachary Bolick oversees an experienced and effective national team that develops and implements coordinated business development strategies for national, state, and local initiatives, including managing partner and government relations. For the past decade, Bolick has worked in various roles at the SCA, helping to advance its partnerships with federal, tribal, state and local government agencies and others. His previous positions at the SCA included Senior Director of Partnership Operations, Director of Partnerships for Alaska and the Pacific Islands, and Partnership Manager for the Western United States. Before joining the SCA, Bolick worked for the National Parks Conservation Association and as a seasonal park ranger for numerous federal land management agencies nationwide. Bolick has a master’s in public policy from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Arts in honors political science and global studies from the University of Tennessee. He also earned several certifications, including Wilderness First Responder and S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaws certifications.

Kelly Runzel, VP of Philanthropy
Kelly Runzel is responsible for leading and driving the strategy and implementation of integrated fundraising programs to ensure a diverse and sustainable revenue stream that aligns with the SCA’s strategic goals and supports long-term financial sustainability while creating equitable access to the outdoors and providing green jobs to youth in conservation. Runzel has been a thought leader for over 25 years, successfully designing and implementing programs ranging from international integrated education programs in India, China, Australia and Central Europe to employee engagement and sustainability programs for some of the world’s largest brands. Throughout her career, she has leveraged her skills and experience to develop innovative partnerships at national and international organizations, including Feed the Children and Good360. In addition, she has over 20 years of managerial experience specializing in leadership development and change management. During her seven years at the SCA, Runzel directed the development of mutually beneficial partnerships between corporations and foundations, with the goal of increasing the number of youth opportunities in conservation. She has also expanded the SCA’s impact by increasing philanthropic revenue at the organization and expanding Urban Green programs to additional cities, including Atlanta and Northwest Indiana. Runzel has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications and Political Science from Eastern Michigan University. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and son where she loves to run and fish for walleye with her family.

Sarah Hoye, Sr. Dir. of Marketing and Communications
Sarah Hoye is an award-winning journalist and strategic communications expert who oversees the SCA’s communications, media relations and marketing efforts. Prior to joining the SCA in November 2022, she served as Communications Director for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Interim Deputy Chief of Staff for Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. Before entering state service, Hoye spent her journalism career reporting from nearly every corner of the United States for an array of media outlets, including CNN, Al Jazeera America, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and more. Her awards include the Peabody, Knight Digital Media Fellowship at the Ohio State University, Women’s Media Center’s Emerging Journalist Award, and a host of others. Hoye holds a Master’s of Journalism from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin.

Kate Hagner, Sr. Dir. of Enterprise Operations
Kate Hagner is responsible for ensuring operational excellence, process optimization, and efficiency across the organization. She oversees program and business operations, field safety, risk management, facilities and vendor relations. Prior to leading operations, Hagner spearheaded nationwide initiatives to enhance SCA programs through evaluation, research, and data-driven decision-making. Hagner serves on the Steering Committee of the Wilderness Risk Management Conference and chairs the Program Committee for the Upper Valley Haven Board of Directors.

Jenifer Huckabone, Sr. Dir. of Talent Acquisition
Jenifer Huckabone is responsible for leading the SCA’s national recruitment efforts to connect young adults with meaningful, career-building conservation opportunities. She brings a strategic and mission-driven approach to workforce solutions, ensuring that organizations are equipped with top-tier talent that supports the achievement of organizational goals. Huckabone holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Communication Studies from Christopher Newport University.

Joe Gersen, Sr. Dir. of Government Affairs
Joe Gersen maintains relationships with partner government agencies and related congressional members, committees and staff. Specializing in public-private partnerships and the development and bringing to market new program initiatives, Gersen joined SCA in 2016 after several years of managing government affairs with The Corps Network. He started his career as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer and is an avid bicycle commuter and Philadelphia Eagles fan.