We’re thrilled to welcome Jennifer Calhoun, who joins the team as our new Finance Director. Jennifer is splitting her time in a joint position shared between Jefferson Land Trust and our sister organization in Clallam County, North Olympic Land Trust.
There is a strong partnership between the two Olympic Peninsula land trusts. Richard Tucker, Jefferson Land Trust’s executive director, and Tom Sanford, North Olympic Land Trust’s executive director, each serves on the other organization’s board of directors. Together, they cultivate opportunities for collaboration between the two land trusts, who both work to preserve the farms, fish and forests in their respective counties.
“Working together like this just made sense,” said Tucker. “It’s about efficiency and collaboration. We were talking about what each of our organizations needed, and said, ‘let’s share a position.’ Land trust finances are very specialized. By partnering with our neighboring land trust that also needed a part-time finance director, we were able to offer a full time joint position and find a great fit in Jennifer, with the qualifications we wanted and a heart for the work we do,” Tucker said.
Calhoun relocated to the Olympic Peninsula from Spokane, Washington after 14 years there. She has worked as an accountant and bookkeeper in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and has experience as a real estate managing broker. She earned her Bachelor’s in Business and Accounting from Eastern WA University in Spokane, and is a certified Quickbooks Proadvisor.
“I’m a country farm girl that grew up 20 miles outside of Pasco, Washington. I’ve always had a love for the outdoors, and I always wanted to live on this side of the state and be close to forests and the ocean. My husband and I have spent many years dreaming of living in a location like Port Townsend and were thrilled when this job came up. These two land trusts and the people who work at them have been so wonderful and welcoming. I was hooked as soon as I spoke to them and am excited to be part of such an important mission” – Jennifer Calhoun, Jefferson Land Trust Finance Director
“I’m a country farm girl that grew up 20 miles outside of Pasco, Washington. I’ve always had a love for the outdoors, and I always wanted to live on this side of the state and be close to forests and the ocean. My husband and I have spent many years dreaming of living in a location like Port Townsend and were thrilled when this job came up. These two land trusts and the people who work at them have been so wonderful and welcoming. I was hooked as soon as I spoke to them and am excited to be part of such an important mission”
– Jennifer Calhoun, Jefferson Land Trust Finance Director