Our Staff

Nancy Karl – Executive Director
nancy@mojavedesertlandtrust.org
Hired as the Executive Director in May 2007, Nancy Karl has successfully administered administered $18.5 million in grant funds since joining Mojave Desert Land Trust.  Partnerships for land acquisition, conservation and management have been developed with the Department of the Navy, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, CA Department of Fish & Game, The Trust for Public Land, The Conservation Fund and County of San Bernardino.  Nancy also sits on the steering committee of the Morongo Basin Open Space Group, supporting the collaborative development of an open space plan.  Prior to joining the Land Trust, Nancy was Executive Director of Joshua Tree Chamber of Commerce, where she was selected as a committee member to develop the Joshua Tree Community Plan for the county’s General Plan and worked with municipalities and local chambers of commerce to increase tourism.  Her professional experience includes corporate industry marketing for CNET.com, SRI Consulting–Stanford Research Institute, and Preview Travel (now Travelocity).  Nancy also co-owns the Integratron in Landers, CA, a historical building that operates tours and education toward its restoration.

Kimberly Bowers – Director of Communications
kimberly@mojavedesertlandtrust.org
Kimberly Bowers lives in Joshua Tree, CA and is Director of Communications for Mojave Desert Land Trust.  Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, she holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri.  She has been actively involved in nature and conservation throughout her life, and prior to joining MDLT in April 2011, was Director of Community Relations for The Living Desert in Palm Desert, CA.  “I’ve been following the work of Mojave Desert Land Trust for the last few years and have always been impressed by the work of this organization.  I’m proud to be a part of such a dedicated team of people, who truly care about the future of the Mojave Desert ecosystem.”   Kimberly’s professional experience includes sales, marketing, public relations, and community outreach.  She has served on several committees and boards, and is a graduate of Leadership Coachella Valley, 2009.

Leslie Nyquist – Program Coordinator
leslie@mojavedesertlandtrust.org
A third-generation Californian, Leslie grew up in Newport Beach and later lived in Laguna Beach.  For 8 years she played bass guitar in an all-girl country rock band, performing in many venues around Southern California before embarking on a 20 year career in nutrition research.  She is a published co-author in peer reviewed scientific journals and participated in FDA’s development of mandatory nutrition labeling regulations.  Leslie’s attention to detail is one of the many skills that make her so valuable to the Land Trust today.  As Program Coordinator, she manages the grant administration process, oversees day-to-day operations, supports fundraising efforts, and works carefully to develop recordkeeping and document tracking procedures.  A true nature girl at heart, Leslie visited the Mojave Desert for years before making it her permanent home in 2008. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved being close to the land – it is a dream come true to live in the wide open space of the Mojave Desert and to help the Land Trust preserve these places that are so precious to me.”

Britta Murphy – Administrative Assistant
britta@mojavedesertlandtrust.org
Britta Murphy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Originally from Kansas she relocated to Southern California in 2007 and then later to Yucca Valley in 2010.  Since moving to the Mojave Desert, she has enjoyed the dry hot climate and has come to further appreciate the importance of the desert ecosystem.  When asked what she enjoys most about working at Mojave Desert Land Trust, she said, “It gives me piece of mind to know that we are protecting the desert because of its fragile relationship with the wildlife and the extraordinary night skies.”  Prior to working for Mojave Desert Land Trust she worked as a logistics coordinator in Redlands, CA.  Her experience includes: logistics, customer service and database management.

Painting © Diane Best