Board Member Interview: Mark Scott

Welcome, Mark Scott, to the NVCT board! Mark is a risk management specialist with a background in leadership positions at environmental nonprofits. Mark has lived in various places in the U.S and has dealt with all manner of hazards and natural disasters. Now that he has settled in Northern Virginia, he is ready for his next challenge. His current assessment is that one of the biggest risks Northern Virginia faces is not prioritizing our greatest defense against a changing climate: nature!

1. Do you have a favorite park or spot to visit?

“The areas my wife and I loved are in Loudoun and Fauquier. We visit the wineries; the scenery is beautiful.”

2. Did you grow up in Northern Virginia?

“No, I was born in Iowa, lived in Southern California for a while, then moved to Pittsburgh, then West Virginia, and finally here.”

3. Where does your passion for conservation originate from?

Mark described his relationship with conservation as more of an evolution of his interests rather than a separate passion. Risk management is Mark’s area of expertise, and this passion has often led him on paths that intersect with environmental work. “I studied community planning in graduate school. For a few years, I was a health and safety regulator for coal mines. That opened my eyes up to environmental issues.”

4. Tell me about your career path and how it led you to NVCT?

“When I was in West Virginia, I was the state director of the Nature Conservancy branch there.” This role provided Mark with the opportunity to hone his leadership skills and prepared him for his next role as Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Department; this is where Mark’s love for risk assessment came back into play. That pushed him into his next role as the CEO of Chemical Studies, a nonprofit devoted to chemical risk assessment in communities. Finally, he decided to branch out and found his own risk assessment consulting company!

5. How did you find out about NVCT? Why did you decide to get involved at the board level?

“My wife and I have lived in Northern Virginia since 2012, and we have seen this place change. When my wife and I visit Loudoun and Fauquier, the amount of development that has popped up is appalling. I wanted a way to get back to my interest in environmental work and find a way to do something about the change I’m seeing in my home.” Having worked with land trusts in the past, Mark found NVCT through friends and colleagues.

6. We have several committees within our board at NVCT; which are you most interested in joining and why?

“The one committee I really want to get involved with is the Policy Committee; I have spent my entire professional career in policy.” Mark’s previous work involved policies surrounding what to do in the event of a disaster or regulations around toxic materials.  While he was Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Department, he also represented the agency before the legislature, the public, and the community.  

7. What aspect of NVCT’s work interests you most?

“Policy, I feel like that’s where organizations can make inroads. I have spent time in the past bringing stakeholders together; it’s very rewarding. I’m also interested in land conservation surrounding the Potomac, as much of my previous work dealt with drinking water, and the Potomac is a water source for many across the region.”

8. How has your experience been so far as an NVCT board member?

Mark has been officially onboarded and has begun to join committee calls to engage with staff and other board members. “One thing I've learned already: we have a whole lot of smart, dedicated people on the board and staff. I’m humbled by the work everyone is doing. Doing conservation in this landscape is interesting, and I’m ready to pitch in where I can.”

We are thrilled that Mark is ready to hit the ground running,  and have no doubt his planning and strategizing skills will come in handy as we continue to work toward growing our impact in the Northern Virginia region.