Rachel Vazak - Whatcom Land Trust

Speaker:  Rachel Vasak, Executive Director, Whatcom Land Trust

Topic:  Overview of the Whatcom Land Trust and the conservation and stewardship work the trust performs in Whatcom County.

Rachel has over 25 years of experience in conservation and restoration, and holds degrees in environmental and engineering geology and a master's in nonprofit leadership. Rachel brings extensive leadership experience to her role as Executive Director of Whatcom Land Trust. Raised on a farm, Rachel developed a lifelong connection to the land that inspires her work in conservation today. When she's not preserving special places, she enjoys watching her son play baseball and exploring the outdoors through activities like hiking, climbing, skiing and snowboarding, boating, and kayaking.  Rachel volunteers to teach avalanche education at Mount Baker Ski Area and serves on the board at WECU. 

Rachel believes that everyone who lives, works, or plays in the Pacific Northwest should be able to access nature, locally farmed food, and experience seeing wildlife, like birds in the sky, orcas in the sea, and salmon in local waterways. She knows that conservation, restoration, and stewardship of the landscape is critical to the health of the landscape and communities in Whatcom County.  Rachel has a bachelor’s degree in geology and a Master’s in Public Administration & Nonprofit Leadership.  Rachel has spent most of her career working in environmentally focused nonprofits, including volunteering, serving on boards, and 17 years as an Executive Director.  Focus areas and achievements include the establishment of endowments, legacy giving program, successful capital campaign, succession planning, strategic planning, board development, and increase in capacity to expand mission. Working with the Whatcom Land Trust gives her hope that we can create a future where people and wildlife thrive in and around the Salish Sea and the Pacific Northwest.