Island Conservation’s CEO spoke to our Senior Major Gifts Officer Lisa Kelly about the value of Pride Month and the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusivity. 

LK: Karen, we’ve reached the end of June. What thoughts and reflections come to mind as Pride Month 2022 draws to a close?  

KP: It’s certainly been a difficult few years, and current political issues are sincerely weighing on my mind. I find myself asking: “How do I reconcile these things with Pride Month?” There are many hard things going on for many different people. At least Pride Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate. In the face of much divisiveness and violence in our country and around the world, many of us can celebrate that we support an inclusive society. I think the importance of inclusivity can’t be understated.   

LK:  What does Pride Month mean to you? And why is it important for organizations like Island Conservation to support Pride?  

KP: Well, for me it’s personal. I am part of the LGBTQ+ community. But for Island Conservation as an organization, it’s an important way to express support for people who have to fight for their rights. We want to encourage marginalized and underrepresented groups to participate in conservation. These voices, perspectives and experiences are welcome and needed in science and conservation. We want to make the sector a safe space for everyone to bring their whole authentic self to the work.   

LK: Have you always been interested in social justice?  

KP: I’m a baby boomer who was raised in the ’60s and ’70s in a mostly white suburb in New Jersey. I grew up during the “second wave” feminist movement when girls weren’t allowed to play sports and women were striving for equal rights in general. I remember Billie Jean King beating Bobby Riggs in tennis, which had a profound impact on me and showed that the status quo can change.  

LK:  As a conservation leader, how do you create an inclusive environment for diverse staff, partners and supporters?  

KP:  Creating an inclusive culture is one of the hardest things to do in any organization. Norms and values are a key part of this and must be lived on a day-to-day basis. Time and resources must be spent to translate values into behaviors, which in turn shape the culture. CEOs must be champions of these efforts (not just supporters), as well as all members of the leadership team. Then leaders must drive needed changes throughout the organization at every level – from the board to staff on the ground. 

LK: What LGBTQ+ conservationist do you most admire?  

KP:  I recently met Brigitte Baptiste via Planet Women. She is Colombian and focused on ecology, diversity and society. She’s very vocal about her transgender identity. She’s one of the most visible transgender women in our movement, and she’s an inspiration. 

LK:  Your passion for conservation extends to the intersecting movements for environmental, racial and social justice, as well as gender equality. Can you tell us more about this work, including your role at Planet Women?  

KP:  In 2020, I co-founded Planet Women with Kristine Zeigler. We wanted to start an organization that was women led and women focused. We didn’t see the support and inclusivity we valued within the big environmental organizations. There are amazing women doing incredible grassroots conservation in their communities all over the world and we bring financial support to this on-the-ground work. We also seek to be catalysts for sector change across conservation with programs focused on Regenerative Leadership and helping women grow into CEO, Executive Director and C-Suite positions. I strongly believe more women should be leading – the world needs our leadership style, life experiences, and ways of thinking about and solving problems. 

You can find out more about Planet Women here. 

Happy Pride Month to all our LGBTQ+ staff and supporters!