(ARLINGTON, VA) March 28 – The Student Conservation Association (SCA), the national leader in youth service and stewardship, has promoted Rafael Rosa to the position of senior vice president of programs.
Most recently, Rosa served as SCA’s vice president for program management. He joined the organization in 2014 as central region vice president and, with this appointment, will continue to be based in SCA’s Chicago office.
“Rafael has demonstrated a powerful commitment to SCA’s mission, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to cultivate a culture of communication and collaboration,” states SCA President and CEO Jaime Matyas. “Rafael will be instrumental is helping SCA advance its vision for conserving lands and transforming lives.”
As SVP for programs, Rosa will oversee a range of service-learning experiences that annually engage thousands of teens and young adults in the protection of America’s national, state, and municipal public lands. SCA programs have been cited by U.S. Presidents, the Department of the Interior, and numerous environmental organizations for their conservation impact, and studies show these hands-on field experiences also enhance participants’ character development and foster life-long growth.
Prior to SCA, Rosa held leadership positions with the Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, including vice president for education. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University’s Sibley School of Engineering.
About the Student Conservation Association
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America’s oldest and largest youth conservation organization. SCA conserves lives and transforms lands 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.