Katie Gillies

Katie grew up outside of Chicago but spent most of her time living out west in Idaho and Nevada, before circling back to the Midwest via Texas and Oklahoma. Before coming to TNC, she worked as the director of imperiled species for Bat Conservation International (BCI), where she led the White-nose Syndrome and Imperiled Species programs. She currently serves as the president of the Western Bat Working Group.

“I am excited to bring my experience and passion to The Nature Conservancy—an organization filled with passionate people. I have always admired the work that TNC does and am excited to be a part of the team helping to achieve this mission that I believe so strongly in.”

She began her career working with non-game wildlife—specifically bats and other small mammals—conducting fieldwork across Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, Arizona and Panama. She received her B.S. in wildlife resources at the University of Idaho and spent summers working as a seasonal employee with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. This led to her graduate work, examining the molecular ecology of Townsend's big-eared bat, a sensitive and rare species. Upon receiving her master's degree, she began working as a regional habitat biologist at the Nevada Department of Wildlife. There she worked to minimize and mitigate impacts to mule deer, sage grouse, pronghorn, elk and a variety of non-game species from mining, wind and geothermal energy development, as well as assisting a variety of partners through the NEPA process.