Speaker

Lesford Duncan

He/Him/His
CEO
Greening Youth Foundation
Atlanta, GA
United States

Lesford Duncan, MPH, recently joined the Greening Youth Foundation as Chief Executive Officer. The Greening Youth Foundation works to cultivate the next generation of diverse environmental stewards, engaging under-represented youth and young adults through connection to the outdoors and careers in conservation. Their culturally based environmental education programing engages children and youth from local communities in the Atlanta metropolitan area and West Africa. Their workforce development program creates career opportunities for youth and young adults across the US in collaboration with federal land management agencies and outdoor industry partners. Prior to his appointment at the Greening Youth Foundation, Lesford served as the Associate Executive Director of San Diego-based nonprofit, Outdoor Outreach. He has a career background promoting the resilience of youth and communities by developing trauma-informed programs, ensuring access to behavioral health services, and advancing youth employment opportunities. He has led and collaborated on public policy efforts on local, state, and federal levels to reduce barriers to outdoor access, advocate for equitable conservation and environmental justice, and promote the health and wellbeing of communities. Lesford earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of Florida, and his Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy and Leadership from Loma Linda University. He serves as a board member of the Outdoor Foundation, Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, and is an avid kayaker, ultramarathon runner, and mountaineer. Born to Jamaican parents that instilled in him the values of adventure, persistence, and curiosity, Lesford is proud to have placed a Jamaican flag at Mt. Everest Base Camp, and has also summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, traversed the Grand Canyon, and kayaked through the swamps of the Everglades, all with the hope of encouraging more youth of color to explore their world in new ways.

Contact:
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+1 678-790-0190


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