Introducing NatureBridge's New CFO, Mitch Holmer!
We're thrilled to announce that joining our senior leadership team as new Chief Financial Officer is Mitch Holmer! For more than three years, Mitch has been a dynamic part of the NatureBridge Finance Team. As the Director of Finance and Technology, he brought insight, leadership and clear, strategic vision to NatureBridge finance and IT functions.
With his budgeting experience, ability to interpret and analyze data and resolve to drive positive change, Mitch has stepped into the role of CFO eminently qualified to lead. In addition to his wealth of experience and financial acumen, Mitch brings a demonstrated commitment to the mission of our organization. Get to know more about him with this Q&A and join us in welcoming Mitch to his new role!
What inspired you to pursue a career in finance? #
Pursuing finance was a logical path for me in the beginning because I loved working with data and numbers. Along the way I had a lot of great mentors who encouraged me to continue learning and expanding my knowledge of the field. In general, I think it offers a unique window into an organization's inner-workings, and I find that fascinating.
Why NatureBridge? #
I first read about NatureBridge in Outside Magazine and felt a connection to the mission. It was at a point in my career when I was looking for an organization whose values I align with, and NatureBridge felt like it could be a perfect fit. Luckily, it just so happened that NatureBridge needed a Financial Analyst at the time.
I am excited, grateful and humbled to be the next CFO of NatureBridge, an incredible organization driven by an inspiring mission and team.NatureBridge CFO Mitch Holmer
Favorite national park or outdoor space? #
Arches and Canyonlands National Parks near Moab, Utah. I also love Midwest farmland because it reminds me of my childhood.
When you're not crunching numbers in the office what are you doing? #
Probably hanging out with my amazing wife. We are expecting a baby in August, so I'm really looking forward to being a father and spending time with my son. I also enjoy watching documentaries, reading, woodworking and being outside.
What about this opportunity are you most excited about? #
Working with and learning from incredible people across all of NatureBridge. I feel truly fortunate for the opportunity to be on the same team with such smart, passionate individuals. With the support of our talented and hard-working finance and IT staff and the entire NatureBridge team, I look forward to leading this charge as CFO in preparation and anticipation for what lies ahead.
Stories
Fall Reflections from NatureBridge Yosemite
As an environmental science educator, I spend a lot of time teaching about nature, but this season I’ve been finding that as it turns out, nature has a lot to teach us, too. Sometimes I can let the trees, the meadow, and the lichen teach for me. They show us how to respect each other’s boundaries, how to celebrate differences, how to work together, and how to lean on each other’s strengths in order to exist in a new place. These lessons felt incredibly relevant to me heading into the first week of November, a notoriously busy time at NatureBridge Yosemite. I wanted to focus on messages of kindness and inclusivity with my students, I wanted them to feel a sense of belonging in this new space, and I also hoped that they would share those messages with others.
An Incredible 10th Anniversary of Evening on the Lake
On October 25, the Amazon Meeting Center in downtown Seattle buzzed with celebratory energy as over 300 NatureBridge guests and supporters gathered for the 10th anniversary of "Evening on the Lake," our signature Pacific Northwest fundraising event for our Olympic campus.
"Science became fun" at NatureBridge for Alum Laura Lomeli Russert
Laura Lomeli Russert is a NatureBridge alum who grew up in Groveland, CA and now calls Washington, D.C. home. Laura’s journey with NatureBridge began when she attended the Golden Gate campus as a young student with her class from Tenaya Elementary. Laura credits NatureBridge with shaping not only her love for nature but also her passion for education and science. "Science became fun,” she recalls. “You weren’t learning from a textbook anymore, and it became so much more real." Her hands-on, scientific experiences at NatureBridge laid the foundation for her eventual pursuit of a Ph.D. in psychology. “I feel like I owe a lot to NatureBridge."