Nature conservation can mean a lot of things in different contexts — it’s not just working in wetlands and forests, but it also has a role to play in the ways our cities function, too. Additionally, nature doesn’t recognize boundaries or borders, and it requires cooperation between the different countries and states that many natural areas cover. This is the kind of work Leslie Harroun focuses on every day as Executive Director of the Salazar Center for North American Conservation.

The Salazar Center works to build conservation, leadership, thinking, and practice across North America to restore and sustain our natural world for future generations. Before joining the Salazar Center, Leslie led the Next System Project at the Democracy Collaborative where she worked to design and articulate a common sense next economic system that is equitable, democratic, and ecological. Previously, Leslie was a founding director of the Partners for a New Economy and International Donor Collaborative focused on conservation in the economy and senior program officer at the Oak Foundation

Leslie joined Jocelyn to talk about where her passion for nature conservation came from, her day-to-day work and the path that brought her to the Salazar Center, and her favorite pair of shoes that get her through a long day of meetings.

Salazar Center for North American Conservation Website

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