About Us
Kevin Essington | Founder
Work Experience:
Roger Williams Park Conservancy, Providence, Rhode Island
Trust for Public Land,
Boston, Massachusetts
The Nature Conservancy,
Providence, Rhode Island
Montezuma Land Conservancy,
Cortez, Colorado
Colorado Natural Heritage Program,
Fort Collins, Colorado
Education:
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Michigan
- Master of Environmental Policy and Management, University of Denver
Kevin has served as an environmental professional and leader for over 25 years. He is the founder of City Greener Strategies, a strategic planning and facilitation firm that helps non-profits elevate and fund big ideas and better integrate people and nature in their work. He is a proven fundraiser, team leader, communicator, and strategist.
Kevin has been leading strategic and action planning initiatives for small- and medium-sized programs (under $5M) for 20 years. His passion for helping others aim and achieve higher was kindled in 1996 when he collaborated with The Nature Conservancy in Colorado to create a Preliminary Conservation Plan for the Conservancy’s work in the biologically rich San Luis Valley in south central Colorado. Five years later, the Conservancy partnered with the U.S. Department of Interior to double the size of the Great Sand Dunes national monument there, which later became one of the country’s newest national parks. He went on to become a member of the international Conservation Coaches Network, serving conservation teams across the country and in the Caribbean. He brought his passion for helping others achieve more to The Trust for Public Land, leading people-focused planning sessions for his colleagues working in cities and small towns across the country.
While serving his colleagues as a planner he also negotiated complex real estate transactions, raised millions of dollars in private and public funds, led community visioning, managed diverse and high-functioning teams, led communications and advocacy work, built boards, and was always identifying new partnerships and business opportunities. He helped create large protected areas, new trails, urban farms, fitness zones, urban adventure parks, paddling campsites, year-round multicultural park programs, and multi-city climate adaptation decision support tools.
Raised in Detroit, he now lives in Providence, Rhode Island with his partner while his adult children explore the world. He currently serves on the Sustainability Commission for the City of Providence and the Board of Directors of One Neighborhood Builders, a community development corporation in central Providence.