NVCT Interview: Abby Knipp

Meet our newest team member, Abby Knipp! Abby is our administrative and membership manager. This is a new role at NVCT that will help steward NVCT supporters while ensuring there’s always a friendly face at our front desk!

1. Did you grow up in Northern Virginia?

“I grew up in Northern Maryland, in Northern Baltimore County. My family has a remote farm surrounded by 10 acres of land”

Abby grew up surrounded by nature, but had never imagined working at an environmental organization. “I was very privileged to grow up where I did”. As fate would have it, Abby was brought back to the DMV after studying acting at Boston University and living in New York. Abby had set out to act on stage and screen, landing a few roles in short films and other projects.

2. What are some of your favorite activities to do outside?

“Hiking, birding, camping, and kayaking. I also enjoy gardening and teaching people about gardening.”

3. Where were you prior to NVCT?

Abby studied acting at Boston University and then moved to New York to find work. This is where she met her husband! After landing roles in short films and other visual projects before COVID hit and shut down everything.

The global pandemic was a forced pause in life that brought everyone back down to earth. “I was starting to look for something that had a more meaningful impact on society. I didn’t want to accomplish work that wasn’t benefiting the world.”

Living in one of the largest cities in the world, Abby often witnessed food insecurity, inspiring her to get more involved with work related to sustainable food practices, access to fresh produce, and helping get people connected to those resources

One of the best outlets for a creative to get involved in nonprofit work is marketing! This was Abby's next move, and she started working in marketing roles for startups in the area. Her most recent position was at SIMPLi, an organization that works with farmers who use planting and harvesting methods that don’t strip nutrients from our soil but are regenerative. Perhaps foreshadowing the sustainable and environmental work Abby would be accomplishing at NVCT!

4. How did you find the job posting?

“My husband and I had a family in Northern Virginia, and we were looking to settle down after marrying. We moved to the Falls Church area, and I was looking at high-impact green job boards. I had never heard of NVCT before, but I could tell it was a mission-driven nonprofit that protected the outdoors.”

5. Has community nonprofit work or environmental work ever been part of your plans?

“I was drawn to startups because they are seeking to solve problems that afflict us all. They're new in their respective fields, so emphasizing their unique mission and the large problems a small group wants to tackle is a bold image that brings others in. They’re usually close-knit teams with energetic, passionate people on the team.”

Although environmental work wasn’t originally in Abby’s plans, the outdoors have always been her backdrop. Abby loves to hike, kayak, bird, and travel. The career shift to nonprofit work opened the door for fueling her hobbies through her work

“I always liked the idea of getting a paycheck for taking care of something you love. Your life’s work goes toward something you cherish. When I realized environmental work could be that avenue for me, I was antsy to get my foot in the door.”

6. How do you feel your previous experiences lend themselves to this new role?

“Start-up work and non-profit work are pretty similar in terms of scale, being mission-driven, and having to be resourceful. Oftentimes, you have to help out where you can, which means working outside of your role, but it’s not just because the team is small. It’s because everyone is at work because they care a great deal about what their work accomplishes.”

7. How do you see your role in upholding our mission?

“Admin is where I thrive in creating efficiencies in chaos. I enjoy the challenge of finding solutions and making things run more smoothly. Coming from a background in startups, you need ways to work smarter not harder.”

Abby’s previous communications roles centered on building bases around missions and that is exactly what we hope she can help us do at NVCT. Her role will be to listen to our supporters and ensure they have easy ways to achieve meaningful conservation wins with NVCT.

When asked if her acting career may provide any useful skills in this role Aby shared “You would think no but the stage and screen have made me feel more comfortable communicating with others! I feel at ease being the extroverted person who welcomes someone to our work!”

8. What are you excited to accomplish? 

“I hope to have an impact and look back 5 years from now and say I helped save that property or I met that person and helped them become a lifelong member of our work.”

9. What has been your favorite aspect of working at NVCT?

“The team. Everyone is so warm, welcoming, accommodating, and passionate about what they do.”

Abby has joined our land stewards on a few site visits and has had the opportunity to meet some of our landowners! Getting staff outside, regardless of their role, is a way that we like to immerse new team members in the world of land protection

For Abby, a hike and an opportunity to get out of the office were a new job perk! “The landowner I met was very friendly, and it’s nice to get outdoors and chat with friendly nature lovers!”

It makes work all the easier when you fit right in to the team. Abby has hit the ground running and shares our passion for the outdoors. We knew it would be a perfect match from her first day of work. Abby’s first day was on our spring staff outing day, at which we had planned a guided bird hike at Monticello Park. She was a natural at identifying birds and helped us clean up some trash we found in the park. Her thought and consideration for the outdoors leave no doubt in our minds that Abby is just the right person to embody our mission to our donor base!