Sally Palmer

Sally is a 25-year veteran of The Nature Conservancy and now serves as the external affairs advisor for the Central Appalachians program. She leads the design and execution of federal agency engagement strategies across 11 states and advocates for Congressional support of policies and funding that invest in our natural resources and communities.

Sally previously led Tennessee’s state and federal government relations and policy strategies and managed the execution of priority conservation science and strategic initiatives including a suite of strategies to advance the adoption of natural climate solutions and help the U.S. transition to a cleaner energy future. For the past two decades, she has worked extensively with government agencies and nonprofit organizations on watershed management and conservation planning efforts in Tennessee and adjacent states in the Southeastern U.S. She was a member of the 2014 task force that updated “Conservation by Design,” The Nature Conservancy’s approach to implementing our strategic direction. During her career with TNC, Sally has gained experience communicating about many scientific and conservation issues with a wide variety of audiences.