After over 22 years of exemplary service guiding Douglas Land Conservancy, Patti Hostetler, our Executive Director, will be leaving DLC this year. Thank you, Patti, for all you have done and for putting DLC solidly on the path to further success in the future.
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Laura Sanford as the new Executive Director of Douglas Land Conservancy. Laura comes to us with extensive land conservation experience including over 11 years with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy in Maryland working in all areas critical to the successful operation of a land trust. The Board is confident DLC will be in good hands going forward.
Over the next few months there will be opportunities to meet Laura and to thank Patti and wish her well as she moves on to new adventures.
Alan Clarke
President, DLC Board of Directors
I am coming to Douglas Land Conservancy (DLC) with over 20 years of conservation experience. Past professional experiences include working for Adkins Arboretum, a native ecosystems arboretum, running my own native plant nursery, working for The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and spending 12 wonderful years with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC).
In 2015, my family visited Colorado for the first time and fell in love. We decided to try to relocate and explored many opportunities to make that happen. Fortunately, the stars aligned when the Executive Director position at Douglas Land Conservancy opened. The chance to work and play in the picturesque community of Douglas County is a dream come true. A long history of conservation and land trust work, including leading ESLC through national Accreditation, has helped prepare me for the challenge of leading Douglas Land Conservancy into the next phase.
DLC has had a phenomenal leader for over 20 years and filling those shoes will be a challenge and an aspiration. I look forward to continuing the great legacy, already established by Douglas LandConservancy, to protect and conserve the natural and open space of Douglas County, as well as working with the vibrant community of Douglas County.
Laura Sanford
I began my career with DLC in 2000 after working as aresident of Castle Rock helping protect what is now known as the Woodlands Bowl Open Space, inCastle Rock, which is still one of my favorite conserved properties. Until 2010, I was the onlyemployee at DLC. When I started with DLC in 2000, we had preserved a total of 5,700 acres of landin Douglas County. Today we are a nationally accredited and state certified land trust, havingpreserved over 26,757 acres, also adding conserved properties in Elbert and Jefferson Counties to ourportfolio.
After over 22 years with this great organization, it is time for me to pass the torch to the next Executive Director, Laura Sanford. I feel that Laura is the perfect addition to DLC and will lead theorganization in the same upward direction that DLC has been heading with a continued focus onconservation, land stewardship and community education and outreach. Welcome aboard Laura!!
I’ll be leaving DLC by the end of the year, but not before I can ensure a smooth transition to Laura.DLC’s Board of Directors and I have spent more than a year planning for this transition, and I feelthat DLC is very well-positioned for the future.
Patti Hostetler