President & Executive Director
Karen Grey has served as the President of Wildlands Trust since 2007, where she thoroughly enjoys her work at the intersection of beautiful land and extraordinary people.
Under her leadership, Wildlands Trust has significantly grown its protected lands, operating budget, endowment, staff, and programming. Karen's vision and execution led to the creation of Davis-Douglas Farm, a transformational education facility and headquarters for Wildlands, and the Stewardship Training Center, a retreat and training facility operated by Wildlands to benefit land trusts and conservation groups throughout Massachusetts and beyond.
In addition to her role at Wildlands, Karen is committed to the community and has served as the vice president of the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition, vice president of the South Shore Economic Development Council, and a board member of Historic O'Neil Farm in Duxbury. She began her conservation career at Manomet Conservation Sciences, where she held several senior leadership positions during her 17-year tenure.
Karen grew up in a densely populated Gateway City in Southeastern Massachusetts. “Nature to me was a pocket park with swings, some tennis courts, and a row of perimeter shade trees,” she said. “I never thought about nature, except for the small patch of woods a block from my house that we were forbidden to enter. City kids are taught that bad things happen in the woods.”
Growing up in Brockton was a formative experience for Karen, and she continually works to discover new ways for Wildlands to impact underserved communities. She is a graduate of the University of Vermont and is incredibly grateful for her three amazing young adult sons.