We have new (and some not-so-new) team members at The Conservation Foundation who we are thrilled to introduce!
Please join us in welcoming Amy Phillips as The Conservation Foundation’s new DuPage County Program Director. Amy replaces Jan Roehll, who left the organization in late September, and began phasing into this role starting Tuesday, November 1st. Amy joined The Conservation Foundation in 2017 as an educator and later moved into the Youth Education Program Manager position. She has been instrumental in activating youth programming at our McDonald Farm location and helping all of our youth programs come out of COVID even stronger. Amy is a polished program manager, leader, and strategic thinker, and we’re very grateful to have her grow with us in this new role.
Prior to joining The Conservation Foundation, Amy founded and led Biomimicry Chicago, worked as a Senior Technical Sustainability Consultant with Terrapin Bright Green in New York, and worked as an architect with various firms. She’s a builder of networks, facilitator of teams, program developer, and has a strong track record of connecting people to nature in ways that are meaningful to them. She has advanced degrees in Biomimicry, Business Administration, and Architecture and is currently in an interim role with the DuPage County Board until the end of November 2022. Amy will transition into this role over the coming months as we figure out a replacement plan for her current youth education role. She will focus on key tasks associated with River Sweep, Adopt A Stream, and our Nature Rx programs.
Kyla Muhammad is a Community Engagement Coordinator at The Conservation Foundation. Kyla’s curiosity about living systems and passion to learn more about the ecosystem led her to become a Master Naturalist, through which she participates in community science, community education, rain monitoring, seed collecting, and native plant projects. She is also passionate about promoting sustainable and regenerative landscapes that nourish people, wildlife, and the soil. As part of these efforts, she studied wild edible plants, urban agriculture, lawn-free design, and converted her own turf-based yard into a Conservation@Home certified edible and medicinal landscape that’s become a wildlife and pollinator magnet. Kyla earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Roosevelt University. Kyla’s work is focused on ensuring that The Conservation Foundation’s events and programs engage local communities equitably.
Tara Neff rejoined The Conservation Foundation in 2022 as Will County Program Director after a four-year term with the City of Aurora’s Community Development Division. A Northern Illinois University graduate, she earned a BS in Organizational/Corporate Communications and is an enthusiastic collaborator with insatiable curiosity. Tara’s love for our land and water resources stems from a childhood filled with camping, canoeing, and campfires and annual trips to a family dairy farm in Wisconsin filled with cows, cousins, and cats. Today, Tara hates nature because she is allergic to pretty much everything, but still enjoys hiking and drinking clean water!
Thanks to everyone for their continued connection and support of The Conservation Foundation and we’re excited for our community all to connect with all our new team members.
