What is your role at TLC? As Executive Director, I know a little about what everyone on staff is doing and all the work of the organization. However, I don’t know everything in quite the detail I’d like since there is so much good work being done. I have especially enjoyed learning more about TLC’s conservation and stewardship work since becoming ED. I also get to work with our partner organizations, which is a lot of fun.
Favorite TLC Preserve: Brumley Forest Nature Preserve because of it’s beautiful forests, open spaces, and ponds. I find the history of the people connected to the property so interesting – the Brumley’s were such strong conservationists and philanthropists, it’s a powerful tribute to all three generations. I also think it’s representative of how TLC is able to protect land and watersheds by working with a lot of partners. In the case of Brumley, the Brumley family’s foundation, the Zeist Foundation, sold it at about half of its full value. Funds to purchase the property came from a variety of sources, including the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the City of Raleigh, the Warner Foundation, and individual donors to TLC’s Our Water Our Land Campaign.
Sandy joined TLC in July of 2013 as Director of Development and became the Executive Director in April 2015. She brings over 30 years of nonprofit experience, 28 in North Carolina. In addition to starting and then running two nonprofit startups, Sandy worked in conservation as associate director of philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy, NC Chapter and helped start the Durham Library Foundation. Sandy is a collaborative leader who has led TLC in opening two new public nature preserves, and doubling the pace of conservation, the number of trails open to the public, its membership, and budget while also increasing diversity of TLC’s board and staff. Sandy lives in Durham with her pandemic puppy Grace, and for several months throughout the pandemic, with her adult kids Maddy and Jon William.
