Kelly Herrenkohl

Natural Lands announced it has hired Kelly Herrenkohl as its new vice president of communications and engagement. Herrenkohl has spent the past decade working for Vetri Community Partnership, which promotes health and wellness through teaching basic cooking skills to children and families.

“While cooking and land preservation may seem at odds with one another, they are actually the flipsides of the same public health coin,” she shares. “Getting your body moving and engaging with nature is just as important to physical, mental, and emotional health as feeding yourself more fruits and vegetables.”

Herrenkohl’s initial role at Vetri was as coordinator of auctions for the organization’s annual gala. From there, she transitioned to director of marketing and communications, overseeing all aspects of the organization’s public relations, social media, and print communications. After a year in this role, Herrenkohl was promoted to executive director and, three years later, chief operating officer.

“My experience building partnerships across the Philadelphia region and the state of Pennsylvania translates perfectly to a job focused on engaging with the public to encourage them to connect to the outdoors,” said Herrenkohl.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kelly to Natural Lands,” said Oliver Bass, who was promoted to president at the beginning of the year, vacating the position Herrenkohl now holds. “The breadth of her nonprofit experience, coupled with a passion for the natural world and an affinity for connecting people and the outdoors, makes her the perfect addition to our leadership team.”