About UsAbout Us

Leadership

Meet our executive team members at the Land Trust Alliance.

Andrew BowmanAndrew Bowman

Andrew is president of the Land Trust Alliance. Before joining the Alliance in 2016, Andrew served as the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s program director for the environment, overseeing all environmental grant-making. During his 11 years there, Andrew developed more than $100 million in grants and program-related investments. Before his foundation work, Andrew practiced law in Oregon for Defenders of Wildlife and at Perkins Coie LLP.

 

 

 

Wendy JacksonWendy Jackson

Wendy is the executive vice president at the Land Trust Alliance. Before joining Alliance, she spent 15 years as the founding executive director of the Freshwater Land Trust in Birmingham, Alabama. During her tenure, the land trust conserved more than 11,000 acres and accepted the largest gift in the history of U.S. Steel to create a new 1,200-acre urban park. Wendy is a native of Alabama, who still enjoys life on her family’s farm just outside of Birmingham.

 

 

 

Marilyn AyresMarilyn Ayres

Marilyn is the chief operating and financial officer at the Land Trust Alliance and treasurer of Alliance Risk Management Services LLC. In 1999, Marilyn joined the Alliance, where she manages its financial, information technology, human resources and administrative systems. Previously, Marilyn worked as the senior vice president and cashier at Capital Bank. She received her MBA in Finance from The George Washington University. Marilyn is a licensed CPA.

 

 

 

Renee KivikkoRenee Kivikko

Renee is vice president of education at the Land Trust Alliance. An Alliance staff member since 2000, Renee previously served as the Midwest director and as national director supervising all field-based programs. Today, Renee oversees the Alliance’s education, standards and research, and conservation defense programs. Before joining the Alliance, she was the first executive director of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a land trust that serves a nine-county area.

 

 

 

Clara NymanClara Nyman

Clara is the vice president of development at the Land Trust Alliance. Before assuming this role, Clara worked for the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. She is a certified fundraising professional. Clara has extensive experience in major gift fundraising, directing development operations, building board and donor relationships and growing membership and planned giving programs. Clara is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University.

 

 

 

Elizabeth WardElizabeth Ward

Elizabeth is the vice president of communications at the Land Trust Alliance. Before assuming this role, she worked for 10 years at The Nature Conservancy, where, among other things, she was responsible for its flagship marketing channels, including nature.org and Nature Conservancy magazine. She has more than 20 years’ experience across print and interactive media and a strong editorial background in book publishing. She is a graduate of Wellesley College.