Who we are
Our Mission
Piedmont Land Conservancy protects our region’s natural lands, farms and waters for present and future generations. PLC connects people with nature.
How We Accomplish Our Mission
We protect important land resources through conservation easements, acquisition and stewardship of previously protected lands through our four primary themes: farmland preservation, water quality protection, natural areas and urban green space. We connect people to nature through education, outings, access to protected properties and nature preserves.
Core Values
- Connection to the earth
- Passion to protect land in the Piedmont forever
- Reliance on science for land protection and stewardship
- Engage and connect people with the natural places all around them
- Respect for the land and all who love it
- Consistency and integrity in all we do
- Commitment to permanence
- Fiscal responsibility
- Collaboration with partners to leverage resources
- Encourage inclusion and diversity of individuals with which we work and cooperate.
Our Staff
Kevin Redding
Executive Director
kredding@piedmontland.org
Kevin Redding was born and raised in Faith, NC, just outside of Salisbury. He received his Eagle Scout award just before graduating high school. He then went to Western Carolina University and earned a B.S. in Natural Resource Management with a minor in Business Management. Kevin then crossed the state to East Carolina University where he earned a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Environmental Policy. He worked for the LandTrust for Central North Carolina in Salisbury for 7 years as their Associate Director. In 2007 he was named the Executive Director of Piedmont Land Conservancy. Kevin’s hobbies include growing tomatoes and hot peppers, fly fishing, duck hunting, Duke basketball and spending time outdoors with his wife, Lori, and their two children, Boone and Molly Ruth.Â
Kalen Kingsbury
Associate Director & General Counsel
kkingsbury@piedmontland.org
Kalen joined PLC in 2000 after 15 years as a corporate attorney in Los Angeles and Greensboro. She grew up in the “be home by dark” generation exploring the fields and forests around her home and her love of nature began in her grandmother’s garden and grew steadily on a diet of fishing trips with her father, family camping trips and college backpacking trips. Kalen got her B.A. at Duke University and her J.D. at University of Maryland. Her passion for conservation is fueled by a desire to make sure that special natural areas are easily available for future generations to explore and enjoy. Kalen currently serves on the Conservation Defense Advisory Council, a national group providing guidance to the Land Trust Alliance to ensure conservation permanence. So much of what land trusts do will depend on their ability to make good on their promise of permanence.
Ken Bridle
Conservation Advisor
kbridle@piedmontland.org
Ken Bridle has been a professional scientist for over 40 years. Trained as a botanist with emphasis on plant physiology and natural product chemistry (Ph.D.), these interests have been applied to a variety of projects. He has worked as a natural heritage and watershed inventory biologist, field ecologist, science museum exhibits director and environmental consultant. He has been active with PLC for over 30 years as a member, volunteer, consultant, board member and staff member. Â
He is the author of several county Natural Heritage Inventories (1998-2002) as well as watershed assessments, wetland delineations and rare plant and animal surveys. He has conducted other local and regional conservation research and restoration projects in North Carolina and around the southeast for a variety of groups. He is a founding member of the Dan River Basin Association and the Carolina Butterfly Society and has served on the board and been a volunteer for many conservation groups in North Carolina and Stokes County where he lives. He is a past Chair of the Wildlife Resources Commission, Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee which helps to facilitate work and listing of rare animal species in this state, a board on which he served for two decades. He is also a past president of the North Carolina Native Plant Society and Past President of the North Carolina Prescribed Fire Council and a founding member of the Triad Mushroom Club. He is a frequent leader of hikes and nature walks and a speaker on local conservation issues.
Leah Cattanach
Accountant & Office Manager
lcattanach@piedmontland.org
Leah developed her love of nature playing in the woods behind her house and helping out her Grandparents at their dairy farm and vegetable garden in a small town in the Sandhills of North Carolina. She attended NC State University as an undergraduate and later received her MBA from Duke University, while working at Sara Lee in Winston-Salem. As a long-time supporter of PLC, she was delighted to join the team in 2018 to contribute directly to the organization’s important land conservation work. Today, she still enjoys walks in the woods behind her house and finding good sunny spots to grow vegetables.
Abby is an avid outdoorswoman that enjoys climbing, sailing, running, and exploring all the beautiful landscapes that North Carolina has to offer. After completing her bachelor’s degree in PR & Advertising from Sam Houston State University, Abby moved her life to North Carolina to attend UNCG to obtain her master’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management from while working for the University’s Outdoor Adventures Program as the Piney Lake Graduate Assistant. Her lifelong love and respect for the outdoors was deepened while in the program and built a sense of responsibility to support and protect outdoor spaces.
Abby looks forward to engaging and connecting communities with the trails in effort to make the spaces an even larger part of the piedmont community identity.
Brianna Haferman
Communication & Engagement Director
bhaferman@piedmontland.org
Motivated by her passion to empower people to protect and connect to the natural world, Brianna works hard to share about the indispensability of land conservation and the work of PLC. She is a multi-media content creator, writer, website manager, photographer, licensed drone pilot, and artist. She started at PLC as the Piedmont Legacy Trails Coordinator and followed her love of design and story-telling to become PLC’s Communication and Engagement Director. Brianna holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to being a trail and eco-advocate, Brianna loves backpacking, gardening, art, and photography.
Josh Horton
Land Protection Counsel
jhorton@piedmontland.org
Josh joined PLC in 2017 after spending several years as a residential land development attorney at a law firm in Raleigh, a move that aligns his career more closely with his values, and brings to PLC the benefit of his real estate experience. Growing up on a small farm in Pennsylvania, he saw the prime farmland surrounding him be converted into large subdivisions and the cultural shift of his hometown from historic rural farm and horse country into a busy commuter suburb of Philadelphia. He received his B.A. in Anthropology with a concentration in Religious Studies from University of Pittsburgh, and his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law with a focus in public interest.Â
Tesla Jefferson
Conservation and Stewardship Associate
tjefferson@piedmontland.org
Tesla has worked in every region of North Carolina, her home state. She has a Master’s in Environmental Science with a focus in Conservation Management from UNCW and has worked many jobs related to conservation ranging from environmental education, invasive species removal, and songbird habitat restoration.
Mehari joined Piedmont Land Conservancy with over 15 years of nonprofit work experience. He began his career in the for-profit sector as a chemical engineer focusing on process improvement and project management. Mehari unexpectedly made the leap into the nonprofit world soon after relocating to Atlanta, where he was invited to help launch The Ron Clark Academy (RCA), a highly acclaimed demonstration middle school. After serving in various roles during the school’s start-up period, He volunteered to be RCA’s first Development Director. Since moving into fundraising he has gained experience in both front-line fundraising and leveraging his engineering experiences in support of the operational side of advancement teams. Mehari looks forward to helping PLC increasingly connect with members of the community who will engage their compassion philanthropically to connect people with nature.
Excited to be in Greensboro, Mehari and his family enjoy exploring all that North Carolina provides in its wonderful cities, mountains, and beaches.
Karrie Jo Manson
Development Director
kmanson@piedmontland.org
Karrie Jo was born and raised in Greensboro with family roots in Pleasant Garden where she spent lots of time hiking along Polecat Creek. She is a Guilford College graduate following a long line of family members, and has a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from The College of New Jersey. After a career as a family therapist in Bucks County, PA, Karrie Jo returned to the Piedmont and spent 16 years in development work, primarily as Senior Director of Alumni Relations and Engagement at Guilford College. There, she strengthened relationships and expanded the community of donors. Her love of the outdoors and appreciation for how we are all connected by the physical and natural spaces we live in led her to join the PLC development committee several years ago. In addition to meeting people and hearing their stories, Karrie Jo loves hiking and exploring, hanging out with dogs and horses, playing tennis and spending time with her adult children, Julia and Joseph when she can get on their calendars! Karrie Jo welcomes the privilege of nurturing relationships with loyal PLC donors and sharing even more widely the opportunities to support the ongoing work of preserving our natural resources in this special spot on the planet.Â
Palmer McIntyre
Conservation Planner
pmcintyre@piedmontland.org
Growing up spending summers on the family farm in Ashe County, North Carolina fostered Palmer’s love for nature. She first joined the Piedmont Land Conservancy in 1996 as the Program Manager, and has held various positions since then, including Executive Director, Board Member, and now, as a part-time Conservation Planner. Palmer has a B.A. in Comparative Politics from Wesleyan University (CT) and a Masters of Regional Planning from UNC-CH. Palmer and her husband have three children and she enjoys hiking, gardening, volunteering in schools, serving as a Girl Scout leader, and spending time on their Ashe County farm, which is forever protected by a conservation easement.
Mindy Mock
Director of Stewardship
mmock@piedmontland.org
Growing up, Mindy spent every possible moment outside, whether it was gardening and birding with her grandmother and great-grandmother, riding bikes, or exploring the outdoors with her friends. A Guilford College graduate with a B.A. in both Life Sciences and Environmental Studies, and additional previous degrees in horticulture and marketing, Mindy’s varied background has lent itself nicely to the various roles she has filled with PLC, beginning as Land Protection and Outreach Specialist, GIS Data and Maps Coordinator, and serving as the Garden Manager of the Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve. She currently is the Director of Stewardship and will be visiting PLC protected properties and the landowners. Outside of work, Mindy enjoys spending time with family and friends, kayaking, hiking, camping, cycling (both bicycles and motorcycles), gardening, and various art projects.
Interested in making a difference?
Piedmont Land Conservancy is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.
Our board
R. Scott McNeely
President
Mary Magrinat
Vice President
Erika von Isenburg
Secretary
William W. Truslow
Treasurer
Members
Linda Beerman
Managing Director at CIBC Private Wealth Management
Steve Berlin
Attorney, Kilpatrick Stockton
James (Jim) W. Bryan
Nexsen Pruet P.L.L.C.
Duane K. Bryant
Attorney at Law Office of Duane K. Bryant
David B. Craft
Vice President, Craft Insurance Center/ Assured Partners
Robin Davis
Owner of Maxie B’s
Mary Gill
Attorney at Gill Law PLLC
William Hinman
William Hinman Consulting
Parker Huitt
Vice President at Richardson Properties
Frankie T. Jones
Sr. President and CEO, Phoenix One Enterprises
Lynn J. Moseley, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology Emerita, Guilford College
Bern Schumak
NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, Retired
Andrea THomas
Spanish Teacher, Forsyth Country Day School
Steve Wright
Co-owner and operator of Wright Dairy Farm
More about Piedmont Land Conservancy
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Help us protect more land, like Elkin Creek Headwaters Preserve, by making a donation.