Nikki D’Adamo-Damery Joins Sand County Foundation Team

Sand County Foundation has named Nikki D’Adamo-Damery its Conservation Outreach and Equity Director.

Sand County Foundation, based in Wisconsin, is a national non-profit that works at the intersection of agriculture and environmental improvement with farmers, ranchers, forestland owners and other land managers.

D’Adamo-Damery will lead Sand County Foundation’s work with historically underserved farmers and ranchers, primarily through its Land Ethic Mentorship program.

“Nikki’s ability to engage community leaders and institutions on issues of racial equity and environmental justice will be a critical piece to removing barriers to conservation adoption and increasing access to funding and technical assistance,” said Dr. Heidi Peterson, Sand County Foundation Vice President of Agricultural Research and Conservation. “Having a rural sociologist on staff will be a game-changer in conversations around building inclusive programs and addressing systemic change.”

D’Adamo-Damery helped to operationalize the first community land trust in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia. She also created a cross-sector network to address community food security in central Appalachia, operated a small grazing operation that included cattle, sheep, and pastured poultry, and supported limited resource farmers in southern Alabama with Heifer International. Her experience also extends internationally, where she spent two years working with community relations in Northern Ireland.

“I am excited for the opportunity to work with individuals representing a range of cultures and agricultural practices, and to support historically underserved farmers and ranchers through the Land Ethic Mentorship program,” D’Adamo-Damery said.

D’Adamo-Damery completed her Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology from Duke University, and Master of Science in Sociology and Sustainable Agriculture, with a certificate in Social Justice, from Iowa State University. She and her family reside near Richmond, Virginia.

She began her duties on August 8.

SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION inspires and empowers a growing number of private landowners to ethically manage natural resources in their care, so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. www.sandcountyfoundation.org