The Board of Trustees of Willowsford Conservancy is pleased to announce Sophie Lambert as Executive Director. Willowsford Conservancy is a unique integration of farming, recreation, conservation, and education in Loudoun County, VA. Following an extensive national search led by Good Insight, Lambert will begin her new role on May 15, 2023.

“Sophie has the organizational skills and creative vision we need to develop Willowsford as a new model for sustainable living,” said Board Chair Claudette Papathanasopoulos. “Her experience and grounding in urban planning, land use, and conservation are a perfect fit for our vibrant ‘agrihood’ community.”

Lambert will steer Willowsford in executing a three-year strategic plan to forge greater connections between residents and the land and build sustainable financial sources to support Willowsford Conservancy in the long term. 

“I’m thrilled to join the amazing team driving such a hands-on, intentional connection between farming, land management and community,” said Lambert. “The Willowsford Conservancy can be a model for how we live and also how we sustain the environment in responsible and rewarding ways.”

About Sophie Lambert

Sophie Lambert brings twenty years of experience as an urban planner and program director for nonprofit organizations. Most recently, she served in a senior leadership role for the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a nonprofit organization focused on creating livable communities. There she led the programming, operations, and strategy for UrbanPlan, an education program for students, community members, and elected officials to redevelop a fictional site and engage in the complex tradeoffs that happen in the land use process in cities across the country.  

Before joining ULI in 2014, Lambert directed the LEED for Neighborhood Development program at the U.S. Green Building Council, working with experts and staff to create a rating system for evaluating sustainable neighborhood projects. She previously worked at historic preservation and planning consulting firms and at the U.S. EPA, where she conducted research on the impacts of development on natural habitats. Lambert serves on the board of Project GROWS, a nonprofit improving the health of children and youth through garden-based education and access to healthy food in the Shenandoah Valley.

Lambert has a BA from Smith College, an MS in Historic Preservation from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Urban Planning from Virginia Tech. Raised in England and Canada, Lambert moved to the U.S for university and enjoys gardening, hiking, running, and spending time with her children. 

About Willowsford Conservancy

Located in Aldie and Ashburn, VA, Willowsford Conservancy is the owner and long-term steward of more than 2,300 acres of woodlands, meadows, wetlands, a working farm, and nearly 40 miles of hiking trails. The Conservancy is a 501(c)4 nonprofit, established more than a decade ago as an intentional partnership with the communities of Willowsford, four Loudoun County, VA neighborhoods consisting of more than 2,000 homes. 

Through land management and preservation, education, and community engagement, the Conservancy protects, maintains, and promotes a vision for viable, long-term use of the land. The Conservancy integrates farming, recreation, conservation, and education to enhance the quality of life for the residents of Willowsford and the greater community. To learn more, visit willowsfordconservancy.org. 

About Good Insight

With a mission to connect good causes to great leaders, Good Insight is an executive search firm and governance consultancy serving the social sector. They plan leadership transitions, recruit talented senior executives, and strengthen boards of directors. Good Insight focuses on leadership searches for small and mid-sized nonprofits with a nationwide reach. To learn more, visit www.good-insight.org.