Ashley Webster on Sage and Sparrow (Photo by NCC)
Ashley Webster
Director of Development Operations
Vancouver, BC
ashley.webster@natureconservancy.ca
C: 604-834-2151
O: 1-877-231-3552 ext. 8205
How did you come to join the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC)?
I spent my childhood in the woods, raised in a small log cabin that my parents built. My dog was part wolf and disappeared into the forest every night, returning in the morning dirty and happy. Although I have lived in the city for most of my adult life, I can still smell the damp forest in my dreams. When the job posting for NCC came up, I knew this was where I wanted to be.
What is your educational background and previous experience?
I have had a diverse career managing teams of software developers, designing commercial products, coordinating events and cutting trails with youth at summer camp. Since moving from the private to the non-profit sector, my work has focused on donor relations and communicating the impact of our donors' gifts. I have a bachelor's degree in justice studies from Royal Roads University and a master's degree in urban studies from Simon Fraser University.
What are you hoping to achieve through your work at NCC?
Human civilization is at a crossroads. Loss of biodiversity, climate change and political polarization threaten to destabilize everything we have inherited and created. Growth was the guiding principle of the last century; I believe that preservation must be the guiding principle of the next. Every parcel of land purchased by NCC contains a hundred stories of hope. My goal is to tell these stories to anyone who will listen and engage them in creating a bold vision for the future.
Describe a typical day at work.
Talking with donors, writing letters, creating stories of impact, following up on grant proposals, following up with people for information, hunting through an ever-growing collection of nature photos for that perfect image for the report I’m working on, and learning from an amazing and dedicated team.
What are your hobbies/interests outside work?
Spending time with family and community, long-distance longboarding, designing and making things, reading, learning, smelling the roses.