Ellen Kwiatkowski
Co-Director, Central Coast Region
Ellen joined LegacyWorks in 2021 and Co-Directs the Central Coast Regional Initiative as well as special projects in the Great Lakes. In addition to overall co-stewardship of the Central Coast regional team and portfolio, Ellen’s Central Coast portfolio includes Disaster Resilience projects such as LWGs involvement in the Wildfire Resilience Collaborative, Community Resilience projects such as the Lompoc Self Healing Communities Project and consulting engagements such as convening/meeting facilitation, strategic planning, data dashboard development, community engagement and more.
Ellen has over 25 years of non-profit experience leading, developing, and implementing organizational development, initiatives, programs and projects for community benefit. An integrator at heart, her career has spanned multiple fields including land trust leadership, biodiversity conservation, land acquisition, health care for the underserved and Native American tribal government operations and programs. In all of her roles, partnership development was an important part of advancing the work and she has experience implementing complex projects with multiple stakeholders including other nonprofits, and municipal, county, state and federal agencies. Her career path has included deep community work both internationally and domestically, and has fostered a deep appreciation for other worldviews. Ellen is fluent in Spanish.
Ellen’s professional preparation includes a BS Biology, from James Madison University (1980-88), United States Peace Corps Paraguay (1988-1991), Effroymson Conservation Planning and Conservation Planning for Hydrologic Regimes, Land Trust Alliance Leadership Program.
Ellen recharges herself with quiet time alone exploring wild places, laughter and hiking with her husband Eric, making good food with and for friends and family, and anything creative.
< Return to Santa Barbara Team, or LegacyWorks Team