Krista Helmboldt

Krista: I remember the day of my interview, when it quickly became evident that the staff at TNC were energetic, thoughtful, positive and kind. And I remember the first weeks. I started as one of three new administrative assistants working in the Eastern Regional Office (ERO) in Boston; the other two were seasoned office professionals, whereas I was fresh out of college (and hired with the condition I had to take a typing course). The three of us had a special bond during our time together.

Summer in downtown Boston was fresh and exciting, and in 1985, the Eastern Regional Office was a vibrant hub between the “Home Office” in Arlington, Virginia and the “Field Offices” from West Virginia to New York to Maine. The Field Offices were in various states of development—from well-established programs in New York, Virginia, Connecticut and Maine—to nascent programs like West Virginia and New Hampshire (which was a brand-new field office at that time with only two part-time staff); Rhode Island was still joined with Massachusetts and hadn’t yet formed its own program.

ERO consisted of 30 or more staff, providing regional support for all aspects of TNC’s work—science & natural heritage data, conservation planning, stewardship, legal, philanthropy, administration & operations. There was a strong positive culture—lots of hard work and good energy, good collaboration among the program areas, lots of dynamism up to Arlington and out to the Field Offices, shared lunch time, seasonal staff gatherings at the Regional Directors home. When I think of those times, I am reminded of colleagues moving about the office with purpose and energy, positivity and laughter, and collaborating and supporting.

TNC: What’s one project or moment from your early years that still makes you proud today?

Krista: Building the Bat Gate at Mascot Mine. I loved that I was able to lead a project that was very unique, that addressed a need to protect New Hampshire’s best bat hibernaculum, including a state endangered species. The project involved bringing in a bat gate construction expert from West Virginia, getting tons of steel flown in by helicopter to a remote site, working with some key local people in helping to prepare and access the site, getting welding and steel-cutting and drilling equipment to the work site, orchestrating 50 volunteers to support the gate expert over the course of a 15-day project, and soliciting donations of materials and supplies. It was the first of many volunteer projects that I led during early years—subsequent volunteer projects were focused on trail building at TNC preserves. Working with volunteers was always energizing, productive, rewarding and fun.

TNC: Is there a lesson from nature that’s guided your work or life over the years?

Krista: Nature is foundational to my worldview and belief system. By serendipity, I landed at the beginning of my career at The Nature Conservancy—an organization with a mission of protecting biodiversity and for protecting the lands and waters on which all life depends. That had immediate resonance for me 40 years ago because I have always felt at home in a natural environment, and I am passionate about protecting the species that are most sensitive and unique in our landscapes and ensuring the care of the web of life that surrounds and supports us.

TNC: What’s a change in conservation work or technology that’s amazed you most during your career?

Krista: The advent of the automobile and telephone have been phenomenal. Just kidding. In all seriousness, the advent of the computer and internet and email have transformed the work environment and our systems of communication as anyone of my age knows; it was a big deal that we had a Wang Word Processor at ERO when I first started; our membership was on microfiche; we sent memos and correspondence by daily post. But in conservation specifically, ArcGIS and digital mapping are transformative. The data we can gather, store and analyze has taken tremendous leaps, and this allows us to do so much more in conservation planning and stewardship. Spatial tools also enable us to hire seasonals with a wider away of skills that don’t rely on the specific ability to read survey plans. This makes it possible to consider a broader pool of candidates when we hire seasonals, and this is important to building a strong cohort of future conservation professionals.

TNC: Who is someone at TNC (past or present) who inspired you, and why?

Krista: This is hard to answer because we are fortunate at TNC to work with really wonderful people—so many of whom are inspiring in myriad ways. But if I choose one person, it is Joy Gaddy, who was the director of administration for the Eastern Region; she hired me at ERO and was my boss for the two years that I worked there. Joy was an amazing person to lead Human Resources, positive, energetic, a problem solver, an excellent listener, funny, adaptable, good at holding accountability—always moving forward productively and constructively, usually with a smile, and always with kindness. I was very lucky to work with and be guided by Joy.

TNC: What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in conservation?

Krista: Always keep your organization’s mission as your north star when you have challenging decisions to make. Take time to consider the complexities of a situation, listen to other’s perspectives and think about things from various points of view before forming a plan of action. And for me, it’s to always keep the health of nature, the Earth, and all our plant and animal relatives front of mind in our actions and decision making.

TNC: If you could sum up your 40 years at TNC in three words, what would they be—and why those?

Krista: Smile, peace, resonance. I have deep resonance with TNC’s mission. Reflecting on the people (colleagues, members, volunteers, landowners) with whom I have worked—and what we have collectively accomplished—makes me smile and feel at peace.