Webinar: Tackling Climate Change

Presenter: Karen Petersen ’07
Climate Change Project Manager for the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy

Moderator: Professor Given Harper
George C. and Ella Beach Lewis Endowed Chair of Biology

Climate change has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters, and as temperatures rise the impacts are expected to negatively impact livelihoods, especially for the most vulnerable communities. To achieve deep decarbonization and avoid the most dramatic impacts of climate change, countries, corporations, and communities are in pursuit of actionable climate solutions. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. Karen Petersen ’07 will discuss her career trajectory, her role at TNC, and how her work is addressing global climate change. This Titan Talk is co-sponsored with the Illinois Wesleyan University Environmental Studies Program and the Department of Biology.

Karen Petersen graduated from Illinois Wesleyan in 2007 with majors in Anthropology and Hispanic Studies. Karen served in the Peace Corps in Peru from 2007-2009, and in Honduras from 2010-2011. In 2013 Karen received a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. After receiving her graduate degree, Karen served as Program Office of the Forest and Climate Team of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) from 2015-2019. Karen has served as Climate Change Project Manager for the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy since 2019.