Please Welcome Our New Executive Director!

The staff and Board of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) are excited to introduce Tom Maloney as our new Executive Director. His background in Economics and Resources Management and Administration, along with 25 years of conservation experience, make him the ideal candidate to lead the OVLC.

“We are fortunate that Tom will be joining our conservation community. He has the skills and experience to revitalize our land acquisition program and guide our strategic vision for the future,” Roger Essick, OVLC Board President and Interim Executive Director.

During his distinguished career, Tom worked for numerous conservation organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, National Audubon Society, and the Tejon Ranch Conservancy. During his six years as the Executive Director of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy, he led the acquisition of over 100,000 acres of working lands conservation easements, wrote, negotiated and received a $15.7 million state grant for land acquisition, led the accreditation process and raised over $2 million in private support for the conservancy.

Tom credits much of his success to community engagement and connections. He looks forward to forming strong ties to the community. “Tom, and his wife Andrea, will be excellent additions to our community. They are passionate about protecting Ojai’s open spaces, and are excited to integrate themselves into all things Ojai,” Tania Parker, OVLC Deputy Director.

Tom received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Boston University and his Masters of Science in Resources Management and Administration from Antioch University New England. In 2008, he completed The Nature Conservancy’s Sawhill Leadership Excellence Program, a year-long curriculum focused on building leadership competencies and managing for change. Tom was also part of a similar training with the Land Trust Alliance.

When not working, Tom can be found out on the land. He is an ardent birder, hiker and naturalist, as well as an inept surfer. He is excited to get to know Ojai and plans to lead bird walks with longtime OVLC supporter Jesse Grantham.

Tom and Andrea will officially join the OVLC on October 1, 2019, but plan to attend Under the Open Sky (September 20) and MountainFilm on Tour (September 21), so please keep an eye out for them and help us welcome them to our community.