Kathleen (Kat) Nelson, a Savannah, Georgia native, is our Director of Operations. A graduate of the University of Georgia (2007) and the University of Georgia School of Law, cum laude (2011), Kat went on to receive her Master of Laws (L.L.M.) in Environmental Law, cum laude, from Vermont Law School (2012).  Kat worked with several government agencies and non-profit organizations during her scholastic tenure, in scientific, legal, policy and administrative capacities, including at NOAA Grey’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Region IV in Atlanta, Georgia River Network, Georgia River Basin Center, the National Wildlife Federation: Northeast, and the Upper Valley Land Trust in Hanover, NH.

Following completion of her academic endeavors Kat joined the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust (fka Georgia Land Trust) in 2012, where she served as a Staff Attorney and a Director of Land Protection for five years.  During her tenure with the Land Trust, Kat worked with hundreds of landowners to find a win-win opportunity for their property – one that ideally benefited the landowner, supported the working landscape, and permanently protected high priority, critical habitats.  Kat worked to oversee and facilitate new conservation easement donations from start to finish.  During her five years at the Land Trust Kat worked to write and review hundreds of conservation easements and their accompanying documents, and to serve as a leader within the land trust and the community.  Since 2017 Kat has worked in the private sector to continue to achieve the same on behalf of private landowners.  As the Director of Operations, Kat works closely with all of our staff to oversee company functionality and communication as well as to actively manage start-to-finish land development or protection projects.

Kat has worked as a leader within the community, serving on the Board of the Savannah Tree Foundation since January 2013 and currently serving as the Board President.  Kat has also been a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the Chatham County Commission’s Resource Protection Committee, and as an Advisory Committee member for the Savannah River Clean Water Fund.  Kat currently lives on Wilmington Island, five minutes from where she grew up, with her husband and two daughters, Gwen and Bella.