ASU convening celebrates cohort of conservation leaders
Left to right: cohorts Ryan Johnson, Alycia De Mesa, Amber Sampson and Orlando Cazarez. Photo by Aaron Ghena
As nations work to protect 30% of Earth’s lands and waters by 2030 — a goal of the United Nations Global Biodiversity Framework — the world faces a critical shortage of conservation leaders.
Arizona State University’s Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures is helping close that gap by preparing professionals with the skills needed for modern conservation challenges.
That mission came to life this fall at the Conservation Futures fall convening, where 28 professionals, faculty and partners gathered to reflect, plan and celebrate the first graduates of ASU’s executive education cohort at the Conservation Futures Academy.
Upskilling conservation leaders for a planet in transition
Over the course of an evening grounded in conversation and connection, participants discussed how to merge community knowledge with data tools such as GIS and remote sensing, and how systems thinking can guide decision-making in conservation practice.
“As part of the new Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures, the Conservation Futures Academy is designed to equip conservation professionals with the skills, experience and mindsets they will need as leaders in a rapidly changing environment,” said Miki Kittilson, dean of the Rob Walton College of Global Futures.
The cohort completed ASU’s first two professional learning offerings — “Indigenous Conservation Collaborations” and “The Future of Conservation Leadership” — programs developed with ASU’s Learning Enterprise to give working professionals tools to lead in the field. The first, led by Alycia de Mesa, Indigenous education specialist with the Labriola National American Indian Data Center's Firekeepers Initiative and senior Global Futures scholar at ASU, and Professor Melissa Nelson, centers Indigenous knowledge and community leadership as a foundation of modern conservation practice.
De Mesa said the courses were built on the idea that effective conservation leadership must draw from both local experience and global systems thinking.
“The future of conservation depends on how we listen — to each other, to the land and to the knowledge that’s already here,” de Mesa shared. “We’re building a foundation for leadership that’s both culturally grounded and practically effective.”
When learning meets lived experience
Together, the courses drew more than 150 applicants and 66 enrollees from across North and South America, the Pacific and Africa. Most identified as Indigenous or as partners in Indigenous-led conservation, bringing scientific, cultural and community expertise that reflects the complexity of conservation today.
“What stood out to me were two things,” said Amber Sampson, chef at Slow Food Phoenix and a learner in the inaugural cohort. “The wisdom that is part of this training — and the embedded wisdom from being with other learners, scholars and people invested in gaining community through learning together.”
“These executives are already doing the work,” said Ryan Johnson, executive director of lifelong learning for the College of Global Futures. “Our role is to design learning that connects their expertise across scales and amplifies impact.”
Johnson, who leads development of ASU’s professional learning portfolio in conservation and global futures, said the cohort demonstrates what happens when training meets lived experience. Many participants are now applying their new frameworks to community partnerships, policy design and on-the-ground stewardship.
From Arizona, a growing model for global conservation
The convening also reflected the early momentum of a $115 million investment from the Rob Walton Foundation, announced in September, which established the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures — the largest gift in ASU’s history. The school, part of the Rob Walton College of Global Futures, is developing degrees, professional credentials and partnerships to prepare a global conservation workforce.
Through collaboration with ASU’s Learning Enterprise, the school is building flexible professional pathways that allow conservation leaders to gain advanced skills without leaving their communities or careers. Additional offerings, including “Conservation Technology: AI, Drones and GIS” and “Embedding Conservation in Business Strategy,” expand access to tools and leadership practices shaping the next generation of conservation education.
For many participants, the convening felt less like a capstone and more like the start of sustained cooperation. Learners shared plans to co-develop community projects, strengthen Indigenous-led networks and mentor others in their organizations, turning classroom insight into collective action.
“This work isn’t about creating one course or one moment,” de Mesa said. “It’s about building pathways that connect knowledge, practice and leadership — and doing so in ways that reflect the communities conservation serves.”
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