Phil is a conservation scientist with more than three decades of experience in ecosystem science, policy, science communication, and collaborative environmental problem-solving. He serves as Executive Director of EarthLab at the University of Washington and leads the United by Nature Initiative, a national effort to connect scientific knowledge with the lived experiences of people and the places they love.

His background in ecology, social science, and community engagement helps him support the Land Trust’s work at the intersection of science, people, and place.  Phil and his wife, Elizabeth, live on Vashon, where their days are shaped by caring for a flock of chickens, ducks, and Lu the goose, and tending the land they steward. Phil is committed to the Land Trust’s mission because protecting these forests, farms, and shorelines honors the island’s past and safeguards a sense of belonging for future generations.