Our Staff

Ms. Michael “Mikey” Nye Fulk has worked in the wildlife conservation arena for over 20 years. After graduating from North Carolina State University, where she earned a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Science with a minor in Environmental Science, Ms. Fulk worked with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Glasgow, Montana. During her tenure, she documented various prairie species such as the burrowing owl, black-tailed prairie dogs, prairie falcons, and the endangered black-footed ferret. Following her work with the BLM, Ms. Fulk served as a wildlife biologist in Wright, Wyoming for a private wildlife consulting firm. She worked with energy companies, state, and federal officials to conduct wildlife surveys, document species of concern on coal bed methane and coal mine project areas, and completed project assessment reports. She also ensured proper land reclamation practices were in place.

Ms. Fulk then spent nearly 13 years as the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) Region 6 Access Coordinator where she oversaw the hunting access program on 1.2 million acres in NE Montana and worked closely with over 300 landowners to provide access opportunities to hunters from around the world. For her efforts in Montana, she was recognized by the Montana Wildlife Federation for improving landowner/hunter relations and was presented with the MFWP Hunting Heritage Award for her work advancing the state’s hunting access programs.

Her career brought her back to her home state of North Carolina where she served as the Southern Piedmont Hunter Education Coordinator for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, teaching wildlife and hunter education to youth and adults across 15 counties. Ms. Fulk then served as the Associate Director for Three Rivers Land Trust based out of Salisbury, NC and later as President of Conservation for The Barn Group. Her work in the land trust arena has contributed to thousands of acres of permanently protected through conservation easements in NC and across the US. Currently, Ms. Fulk serves as the Governor Appointee for the NC Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council and as a Board member of the Lexington Tourism-Recreation Investment Partnership.

Email: mi***@***************st.org

Lisa began her career in 2005 with Lowcountry Land Trust (LLT), a local non-profit land conservation organization based in Charleston, SC. She then returned to her home state of Georgia to continue her work in land conservation. “Conservation has always been a calling and a passion for me, and I have always loved being a part of the non-profit and land trust communities,” she explains. After being a part of the significant growth and success of Lowcountry Land Trust, and being mentored by some of the best conservationists in South Carolina, Lisa wanted to find a way to share her experience and skills to support other land trusts and conservation groups, particularly those in the earlier stages of development or in the process of growth. Additionally, she saw the need for many organizations to fill a temporary gap in capacity due to special projects or other timely opportunities and needs. Thus, Peace of Land was born with the vision of supporting land trusts and other partners in land conservation. Lisa started contract work with Working Lands Trust in 2019 and came on as a full time staff member in 2023.

Lisa has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Ecology from the University of Georgia. She held brief positions for county, state, and federal agencies while gaining experience during her college career, including Gwinnett County Public Utilities, SC Department of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, and the US Forest Service. Lisa is also recognized for her GIS education, experience, and achievements as a certified GIS Professional (GISP) through the international certification program at GIS Certification Institute (GISCI).

Email: li**@***************st.org

Originally from Connecticut, Ryan has lived in Western North Carolina for over 30 years. In 2007 he graduated with a degree in GIS from Haywood Community College and a year later he began his career in conservation at Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District. Over the course of his 15 years with the Haywood District, Ryan was responsible for the GIS needs of numerous District projects. These projects allowed him to work with local, state and federal government, various non-profit organizations, and of course numerous landowners and farmers.

In 2017, Ryan took over management of the Farmland Preservation Program. During his tenure with the District, with the cooperation of the NCDA-ADFPTF and the USDA-NRCS, and many forward thinking farmers, Haywood Soil and Water was fortunate enough to receive over 30 Farmland Preservation Conservation Easements, resulting in the protection of over 2,000 acres of prime farmland. In this position, Ryan also served as the clerk to the Haywood County Agricultural Board and managed the Haywood County Voluntary Agricultural District program.

Email: ry**@***************st.org

Christy has nearly 15 years of experience in project management and operations for conservation-focused non-profit, government, and academic teams. Her work with organizations such as the Philadelphia Zoo and Metro Parks & Nature in Portland, OR, has often centered on information systems, capacity building, and partnership development, as well as providing analytical insights that inform decision-making and enhance program performance. She also serves on the grantmaking committee for the Maine Mountain Collaborative’s Conservation Transaction Fund.

In 2025, she earned an M.S. in Ecology and Environmental Sciences from the University of Maine, where she led a modeling project spanning the Forest Resources and Wildlife departments to examine how future management pathways could influence big game habitat and other ecosystem services across Maine’s working forestlands. As an NSF-funded Conservation Science Fellow, she also collaborated with tribal and non-profit partners to strengthen ecosystem health and landowner resilience planning, further deepening her transdisciplinary approach to problem-solving.

Christy also holds a Graduate Certificate in Ecosystem Measurements and Data Analysis from Penn State and a B.A. in General Science with a concentration in Biology from Rutgers University. Originally from Pennsauken, NJ, just outside Philadelphia, she has also spent time in Oregon, Utah, and Maine, along with two nomadic stints traveling across the United States. She’s excited to now call North Carolina home and to continue supporting conservation and resilience strategies for its working lands community. Outside of work, Christy lives for good food and all things sports.

Email: ch*****@***************st.org

Jared was born and raised in China Grove, North Carolina, where his love for the outdoors sparked a lifelong passion for wildlife and the lands they depend on. He earned his undergraduate degree in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from North Carolina State University in 2020. After graduation, he worked on an elk research project in New Mexico before returning to NC State to pursue a master’s degree focused on deer research in Durham County.

Throughout his academic journey, Jared found fulfillment in the meaningful relationships he built with landowners which inspired him to pursue a career supporting the stewards of North Carolina’s forests and farms that he grew up surrounded by. His deep connection to the land and natural resources grew alongside his passion for wildlife and continues to drive his commitment to conserving working lands for future generations.

Email: ja***@***************st.org

Fresh from earning her Master of Landscape Architecture degree from UVA, Laura is thrilled to be joining the Working Lands Trust team.  She previously earned her BA in Political Science with a focus on food policy and water law. After college, Laura co-created an organic vegetable farm and had the privilege of connecting with her community through the farm’s CSA and farmers’ market booths.

Additionally, Laura has over fourteen years of paralegal experience specializing in land transactions, business, estate planning, and tax law. In her free time, you can find Laura relaxing on her front porch, drawing, painting, growing plants, learning how to fly fish, playing with her beloved dog, Ivy, building things, or cooking.  

Email: la***@***************st.org