Kara Matsumoto

Bio

Kara currently serves as the public lands policy director at the Conservation Lands Foundation. She is a non-profit leader with significant experience in environmental policy and advocacy campaigns. Her previous work experience includes The Wilderness Society, National Audubon Society, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Department of the Interior. She is passionate about protecting public lands, ensuring equitable access to the outdoors, elevating community voices and understanding how science can inform policy. In addition to her role at the Conservation Lands Foundation, she serves on the Board of Directors for local Denver area non-profit, Environmental Learning for Kids, which connects underserved Denver youth to the outdoors, promotes social-emotional learning and develops the STEM leaders of tomorrow. She is also a co-chair of the Next 100 Colorado, a coalition that works to promote equity in Colorado’s great outdoors.

Kara brings her passion for environmental policy and teaching to her students at DU. She seeks to bring real-world professional examples into her teaching, and she hopes to help develop the next generation of environmental professionals.