(ARLINGTON, VA) April 21, 2020 – The Student Conservation Association (SCA), a national leader in youth service and stewardship, today named Stephanie Meeks as its president and chief executive officer.
Meeks brings extensive leadership experience in the conservation and nonprofit sectors. She was president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for eight years, and prior to that served in several senior roles with The Nature Conservancy, including interim president, chief operating officer, chief administrative officer, and chief marketing and philanthropy officer over an 18-year period.
“Stephanie is an ideal leader for our organization and our time,” stated SCA Board of Directors Chairman Bob Unsworth. “As SCA expands service opportunities for youth on public lands and in urban communities, Stephanie’s experience and commitment in these important areas will no doubt yield swift and significant advancements for SCA and all we serve.”
Acknowledging the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Meeks said scaling SCA’s impact on conservation and youth development will require the organization to adapt to the still-evolving new normal.
“SCA has long been a leader in engaging young people through transformative, hands-on conservation,” Meeks said. “Even now, our members continue to serve in creative ways, and we will use this interim period to innovate and strategize new ways of safeguarding our remarkable natural heritage.”
Meeks will begin her new duties on May 15. Interim SCA president Kathy Bonavist, who shifted from the organization’s board of directors last summer, will return to her role on the board.
SCA’s CEO search committee was supported by Isaacson, Miller, a leading national executive search firm that recruits leaders for mission-driven organizations.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact SCA Vice President for Communications Kevin Hamilton at 603.372.7068 or khamilton@thesca.org.
About the Student Conservation Association
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America’s oldest and largest youth conservation organization. SCA conserves lands and transforms lives by empowering young people of all backgrounds to plan, act, and lead while they protect and restore our natural and cultural resources. Founded in 1957, SCA’s mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders, and seven in 10 of alumni worldwide are employed or studying in conservation-related fields. For more, visit www.thesca.org.
