After studying comparative ecology and conservation in Ecuador, Amanda Parrish graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of San Francisco in 2008 and went on to work as seasonal forestry technician with the Coeur d'Alene tribe. She joined The Lands Council (TLC) in 2009 as an AmeriCorps member. Driving across northeastern Washington in search of beaver dams, she later went on to host TLC's first beaver relocation facility in her backyard. "Back in those early days, I had no idea of how many different hats I would wear at TLC," Amanda says.
After being promoted from Volunteer Coordinator to Beaver Program Director, she held the title of Watershed Program Director for seven years. During this time, she helped expand TLC's riparian restoration program and introduced a new scale of stream restoration with the LeClerc Creek and now Mill Creek restoration projects. With an eye on the big picture, she enjoys considering the many nuances of our regional conservation needs and synthesizing this to come up with the on-the-ground projects.
When long-time Administrative Director, Debbie Boswell, retired in 2019, Amanda merged these duties with her own work and became the Operations Director. Through her oversight of TLC's financial matters, she gained valuable insight into non-profit organizational structure. Through her service as a board member of both Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and Northern Idaho and Main Market Co-Op, she also learned of other non-profit management practices.
With the departure of Mike Petersen, she joins TLC now as the Interim Executive Director. "My goal during this time is to ensure that staff members have the resources they need to carry out our important program work. I also want to use this opportunity to learn how we can continue to be a leader in environmental justice through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion," she said. In her spare time, she enjoys international travel (when it's not a pandemic!), learning to play piano, and swimming in lakes, rivers, and oceans.
Want to learn more about Amanda or have questions about The Lands Council? You can reach her at aparrish@landscouncil.org.