Katherine Moore named Georgia Conservancy President

ATLANTA (September 24, 2020) The Georgia Conservancy’s Board of Trustees is excited to announce that it has appointed Katherine Moore as the new President of the organization. Moore, who currently serves as the Georgia Conservancy’s Vice President of Programs and Director of Sustainable Growth, will succeed Bart Gobeil in this role on October 1.

"The future of the Georgia Conservancy under Katherine’s leadership could not look brighter,” says Gobeil. “We have recently held two of the most successful fundraisers in our organization's history, general membership continues to grow in strength, and our advocacy and fieldwork continue to shape the future of this great state with such initiatives as Georgia Now and Forever. Having successfully implemented key administrative processes that have increased organizational efficiencies and governance, the Georgia Conservancy is primed for another 50 years of impactful work.”

After a successful tenure as Georgia Conservancy President, Gobeil will be stepping down at the end of September as the organization begins the development of a new five-year strategic plan. 

“The Board of Trustees extends its thanks to Bart for his tremendous leadership, as he has positioned the organization for a successful transition into a new strategic plan,” says Dr. Mark Berry, Georgia Conservancy Board Chair. “During this important period of growth, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Katherine Moore into this new role. In her more than a decade at the Georgia Conservancy, she has proven herself as a visionary leader in meeting many of our state’s most pressing conservation and sustainability challenges.

Moore has worked in the community development and environmental conservation fields for more than 20 years, including 12 years in the private sector as a planner and the past 11 years with the Georgia Conservancy. In her role as Vice President of Programs, Moore has been responsible for the strategic direction of five areas of focus, including land conservation and advocacy. As Director of the Sustainable Growth program, she has provided training, technical expertise, and community engagement services on the topics of resiliency and planning. Under her leadership, the program has worked with dozens of communities across Georgia, as well as nationally, and has put new emphasis on the opportunities within housing choice, small town stabilization, and redevelopment to increase community resilience.

“I look forward to serving as Georgia Conservancy's next President and continuing to work with my colleagues, our Board of Trustees, and our partners to identify and act upon opportunities that will provide for a more conservation-focused and sustainable Georgia,” says Moore. “The Georgia Conservancy continues to be uniquely positioned to advance conversations into actions and to serve our fellow Georgians, our precious natural resources, and the communities that we call home. I appreciate the support of the Board and staff as our organization begins its next chapter.”

Included in this next chapter under Moore’s leadership is the Georgia Now and Forever initiative, a statewide vision to ensure a healthy environment and the long-term quality of life for all Georgians in all geographies. Central to the Georgia Conservancy’s strategic planning process, Georgia Now and Forever will utilize historic land-use and demographic data to identify impacts to our natural resources and our communities and will create opportunities for bold leadership and action to address current and future challenges. 

“The seriousness of our times requires an honest exchange of thoughts, a humble perspective on our responsibilities toward our environment, and an appreciation of the fragility of the resources we sometimes assume will be available and accessible tomorrow,” says Moore. “There exists every opportunity to ensure that the Georgia we enjoy now or would like to experience will be available to its future stewards, and I am excited by the role that the Georgia Conservancy will play in seizing these opportunities and leading these efforts.”

Founded in 1967, the Georgia Conservancy’s mission is to protect and conserve Georgia’s natural resources through advocacy, engagement and collaboration. Its vision is a Georgia where people and the environment thrive.