Will Allen: Nonprofit Executive

What I do:

I am Vice President for Conservation Services at The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit land conservation organization. I oversee an array of programs focused on our dual charter of environmental protection and economic development. We work in both urban and rural areas with business strategies that include community outreach, geospatial analysis, land use planning, aquaculture research, and professional development/training for the conservation field.

Why I do it:

I learned that I needed to work for a “mission driven” organization in order to make my work life work for me.

How I got here:

After Stanford, I went to UNC Chapel Hill’s City and Regional Planning grad school. I then was able to get a job at The Conservation Fund in their Chapel Hill office as a GIS coordinator and greenway planner.

What my background in Urban Studies has done for me:

The degree allowed me to be exempt from some of UNC’s requirements, which opened me up to take GIS and remote sensing classes, which helped me get my first job. The degree also did a great job preparing me for grad school.