Leadership

Board of Directors

SCA is led by a diverse group of Board Members ranging from leaders in both the public and private sectors who care deeply about the stewardship of our land and the empowerment of young people as conservation leaders. See List of Board members.

Leadership Team

SCA’s Leadership Team is also comprised of leading experts in the field of conservation, partnership development, philanthropy, marketing and corporate relations. Together, they mentor and guide a staff of over 150 national employees. See Leadership Team bios.

SCA Founder, Liz Putnam

Visionary is an accurate word to describe Liz Putnam. Launching an American conservation service powered exclusively by young people would be ambitious today, but considering that she conceived of the idea in 1953—at age 20—makes her all the more remarkable. While still attending Vassar College, Liz  modeled SCA on the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps. and enlisted student volunteers to assist with the upkeep of U.S. national parks and public spaces.  Be motivated by Liz’s story.

President’s Council

The President’s Council is comprised of distinguished philanthropic, corporate, conservation and youth development leaders from across the country who have agreed to promote SCA’s mission, advise on strategic matters, and assist in raising public and private funds.

Leadership Team

Stephanie Meeks, President and Chief Executive Officer

Appointed in April, 2020, Stephanie has extensive leadership experience in both the conservation and nonprofit sectors. She 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. She also was president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for eight years. It was there that she launched the HOPE Crew program to engage a new generation of preservationists. Additionally, Stephanie led the creation of a multi-year strategic plan, successfully completed a capital campaign, and established the Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to convey a fuller accounting of American history.

Barbara Gonzalez-McIntosh, General Counsel & SVP-Executive Initiatives and Organizational Planning

Barbara has over twenty years experience as a tax-exempt organization attorney leading 501(c)(3) public and private charities as well as 501(c)(4) and 527/political committee organizations.  Before joining SCA, she held senior leadership positions with the Pew Charitable Trusts, National Wildlife Federation, and the League of Conservation Voters where her work included corporate law, organizational and board governance, enterprise risk assessment and management, contracts and litigation management, and campaign finance law, lobbying and ethics compliance. She is also an active champion for forging a more diverse conservation community, currently serving on the management board of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Diversity Joint Venture and Rachel’s Network’s Diversity Committee. Barbara serves on the boards of the Alliance for Justice and Rachel’s Network and participates in certain grantmaking decisions of the McIntosh Foundation. Barbara has chosen her work and civic activities to compliment her conservation values and is proud to work at SCA for the next generation of conservation leaders.

Noordin Moloo, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Noordin brings 30 years of finance and administrative experience to SCA, having served as director of finance, controller, vice president of finance, and chief financial officer for for-profit companies and non-profit organizations. A proven leader and mentor, also he has managed information technology, real estate, investments, and US grant audits and compliance over his career. Noordin completed his Master of Business Administration at Southern Methodist University and his B.A. in Commerce and Accounting from Karachi University (Pakistan). He is an active Certified Public Accountant. 

Matt Gray, Senior Vice President of Programs

A five-time SCA alumnus, Matt has dedicated his career to sustainability, climate, and conservation initiatives at the federal, municipal, and community levels. He held the office of chief of sustainability for the City of Cleveland. During his seven years with the City, he convened 90 organizations to co-create the Cleveland Climate Action Plan, which won the 2019 American Planning Association award for “best community sustainability or resiliency plan.” Matt is a former Fulbright Fellow with the U.S. Department of State in Mauritius, a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Department of Energy, and an energy management consultant with Accenture, the global management consultancy. He holds a dual BS/BA (Industrial Engineering and Anthropology) from the University of Pittsburgh and earned his Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University. 

LaShanda Miller, VP, People and Culture

LaShanda has over seventeen years of experience as an HR Professional. Before joining SCA, she held senior leadership positions where her work included leading employees in multiple HR disciplines in secondary education, government contracting, and facilities maintenance. In addition, LaShanda is an active volunteer for organizations committed to the growth, development, and mentorship of at-risk youth. LaShanda holds a Doctor of Business Administration and is an SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SCP). She also has a Bachelor of Science in Office Systems and Technologies and a Master of Science in Instructional Technology from Mississippi State University.

Tobias Bokum-Fauth, VP, Partnership

Over the past 10 years, Toby has advanced through a variety of influential roles with SCA in Recruiting, Program, and most recently as partnership officer for SCA’s Eastern Region. In this latter capacity, he earned a National Park Service Superintendent’s Outstanding Service Award and recognition from the U.S. Forest Service for Collaborative Partnerships and Engagement. Prior to SCA, he launched a web-based tool that helped users fill or find conservation corps jobs, and also founded a Washington, DC-based apparel company that showcased local parks and neighborhoods. He resides in Richmond, VA.

Sarah Hoye, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications

Sarah Hoye is an award-winning journalist who has covered numerous high-profile stories for CNN, Al Jazeera America and other major news outlets. Sarah oversees the SCA’s strategic communications, media relations and marketing. Prior to joining the SCA in 2022, Sarah served as the Communications Director for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Interim Deputy Chief of Staff for Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. Sarah holds a Master of Journalism from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin. She resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Eboni Boadi, VP, Philanthropy