Center for Conservation Solutions Staff

Drue DeBerry
Senior Vice President, Conservation

Over the past six years, Drue has advanced family forest conservation projects in 18 states in partnership with a diverse range of national, state and local organizations.

Previously Drue worked as a wildlife biologist for the USDA Forest Service in California and Montana. He also served in the U.S. Peace Corps for three years as an aquaculture and agroforestry agent in Cameroon. His career has taken him from the jungles of Uganda to the Arctic Circle in Nunavut, Canada.

Drue holds a Master of Forest Science from the Yale School of Forestry and a BA in Biology and Environmental Conservation from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Laura Dunleavy
Manager, Partnerships for Southern Forests

Prior to joining AFF, Laura worked with the District of Columbia government in their Watershed Protection Division focusing on watershed planning and environmental education. She has also worked for the Nature Conservancy, the National Forest Foundation, and several private consulting firms. She brings a wealth of conservation experience including wetlands restoration, invasive species control, use of prescribed fire, environmental consulting, and non-profit grants management.

Laura holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a BS in Neuroscience from Trinity College.

Todd Gartner
Manager, Conservation Incentives

Todd focuses on place-based conservation incentives and market-based strategies, such as biodiversity offsets, payments for watershed services, and carbon markets, to achieve conservation objectives on family forests. Prior to joining AFF, Todd's work included researching the effects of fire on small mammal communities in Botswana, studying the impact of eco-tourism in Botswana and India, business consulting for the USDA Forest Service and several years as a corporate financial consultant.

Todd holds a Master of Forest Science from Yale School of Forestry and a BS in Finance from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business.

Emilie Cooper
Manager, Prescribed Fire

Emilie focuses on the education and outreach to family forest owners, local and state policymakers, and partner organizations about the use of prescribed fire. Prior to joining AFF in October of 2008, Emilie worked as a Watershed Forester for the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources. She has on-the-ground technical experience with prescribed burns, as well as strong outreach and communication skills.

Emilie holds a Master of Forest Resources from Penn State and a BA in Biology from Denison University.

Margaret Munford
Program Coordinator

Margaret provides overall support and coordination for CCS. She brings to the CCS team her critical thinking and analytical skills and her Southern charm, having grown up in Jackson, Mississippi. As a student at The Mountain School--a semester program in the Green Mountains--she learned the importance of sustainable land management and the various challenges that face landowners. Prior to becoming the CCS Program Coordinator, she served as the Development Coordinator for AFF, where she developed knowledge of fundraising and database management.

Margaret holds an AB in History from Bowdoin College.