Our Team

Erik Kingfisher has spent more than twenty years working to protect and care for land across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. In his long tenure as Director of Stewardship and Resilience at Jefferson Land Trust, Erik helped shape the organization's 100-year strategic Conservation Plan, led a Climate Resilience Spatial Conservation Planning initiative developed in partnership with North Olympic Land Trust, and played a key role in establishing Chimacum Ridge Community Forest — one of the first efforts of its kind in the state. He also built and launched a custom stewardship database that transformed how the organization tracks and manages its conservation obligations, and created a community education program (the Northwest Naturalist Program) that has supported capacity-building for conservaotion since 2012. In 2025, he received the Olympic Peninsula’s Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award in recognition of this body of work.

From 2009 to 2020 he served on the board of directors of the Washington Association of Land Trusts (President 2013-2014), helping guide the organization through its first decade of growth and impact. Earlier in his career, he managed conservation projects for Northcoast Regional Land Trust in northern California, and helped organize the northern region for the California Council of Land Trusts, coordinating among 15 land trusts and advocating for conservation policy in Sacramento. He currently also serves as an Associate Supervisor for the Jefferson County Conservation District.

A sought-after speaker, Erik has presented at the National Land Trust Rally, Northwest Land Camp, and other regional gatherings for over two decades, covering topics from stewardship funding to community engagement and climate-informed land protection. He also founded and facilitated a regional stewardship roundtable, bringing together practitioners from across the region each year for over a decade.

Erik holds an M.A. in Environmental Politics from Keele University in the United Kingdom and a B.A. in Environmental Education from Western Washington University, along with coursework in ecology and environmental protection at Luleå University in Sweden. Before settling into land trust work, he built a foundation in outdoor education and wilderness leadership — guiding naturalist cruises in Southeast Alaska, teaching field ecology in Olympic National Park, and leading wilderness courses for teens.
A respected voice in Pacific Northwest conservation circles, Erik continues to shape how practitioners, policymakers, and the public think about the role of private land in building a more resilient and equitable future.

Erik is also a really great dad, a pretty good naturalist, and an alright musician.

Kate grew up in Kirkland, Washington and graduated from Whitman College with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Humanities. During her time in college, Kate interned with the Blue Mountain Land Trust, and developed a deep interest in the vital role landowners play in conservation initiatives.

After graduation, Kate moved to New Zealand and worked for two environmental organizations: the National Wetland Trust and Trees for Survival. While at the National Wetland Trust, she helped develop educational programming that highlighted the cultural and ecological significance of wetlands to New Zealand's landscapes. At Trees for Survival, Kate facilitated events between schools and landowners, which involved planting native trees along riparian areas. The collaborative experiences between community groups and landowners continued to fuel her interest in conservation across working landscapes.

After moving back to Washington, Kate spent a year working for a Seattle based software company where she honed her skills in engaging audiences and facilitating conversations. In her free time, Kate enjoys spending time hiking, writing, and traveling.