Cofounder and President of Tompkins Conservation

Kristine McDivitt Tompkins is the cofounder and president of Tompkins Conservation and the UN Patron of Protected Areas. The former CEO of Patagonia, Inc, she has spent the last 27 years protecting and restoring Chile and Argentina’s wild beauty and biodiversity through creating national parks, restoring wildlife, inspiring activism, and fostering economic vitality as a result of conservation. A key figure behind the establishment of 11 national parks and two marine parks in Argentina and Chile, she has helped to protect approximately 14.2 million acres through Tompkins Conservation and its partners. Along with her late husband Douglas Tompkins, the visionary behind these conservation projects who passed away in 2015, she is considered one of the most successful national park–oriented philanthropists in history. In 2017, she received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. A global leader in conservation, she currently serves as Chair of National Geographic Society’s Last Wild Places campaign.

Global Communications Coordinator

Carolyn joined Tompkins Conservation following a freelance career as a journalist based in the Southern Cone. She has contributed to over 50 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, including Trekking in the Patagonian Andes, and her work has appeared in magazines, anthologies, and online publications. As a Fulbright fellow, she documented cultural changes in Patagonia.

Chief of Staff

Nicole joined Tompkins Conservation in 2017. She previously worked at the National Geographic Society and cofounded a political organizing group dedicated to creating opportunities for volunteers to participate in grassroots democracy. Nicole graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Syracuse University with degrees in geography, policy studies, and Spanish, which she studied in Chile, Ecuador, and Spain.

Director of Philanthropy

Kelsey is a seasoned fundraising operations professional with more than 10 years of experience. She previously worked at The Nature Conservancy for their North America Region. She has a degree in psychology from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Public Service Administration from DePaul University.

Vice President of Finance and Operations

Tim was born and raised in California, but has made his home in Oregon for the last 25 years. Tim has a degree in accounting and several related certifications, as well as over 30 years of experience in finance, accounting and operations. He spent 20 years working at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, one of the foremost cultural institutions in the Pacific Northwest.

Executive Office Administrative Associate

Sawyer graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida where she studied sustainability, ecology, art, ecophilosophy, and climatology. A former research assistant at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, her introduction to administration for a non-profit came from interning at Blue Mountain Center, a justice-focused artist and conference center in Adirondack Park.

Finance Director, USA

Debbie sits on the board of directors of Tompkins Conservation and is the finance director for all of the Tompkins family office, private, and philanthropic efforts. She began her career in public accounting as a C.P.A. specializing in taxation and was the chief financial officer of Esprit de Corp (founded by Doug Tompkins) for six years.

Controller, USA

Born and raised in San Francisco, Esther is a certified public accountant with a Master’s degree in Taxation. She worked with Doug at Esprit for many years and has worked on the Tompkins Conservation team for over 20 years.