RELEASE: Great Outdoors Foundation Hires Senior Project Manager
DES MOINES, IA (May 14, 2025) – The Great Outdoors Foundation (GOF) is pleased to announce that it has hired Melissa Campbell to serve as the organization’s Senior Project Manager. In the newly established role, Campbell will oversee the Conservation Acceleration Fund (CAF) including its project pipeline, stakeholder outreach, and partner programs. Campell holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geological and Earth Sciences and has more than 15 years of experience working in education, government, and consulting, most recently as a Senior Project Manager at Eocene Environmental Group (formerly Impact7G, Inc.).
“We are thrilled to have Melissa on the team and know that her knowledge and expertise will only enhance the efficacy of the Conservation Acceleration Fund,” Hannah Inman, Chief Executive Officer of the Great Outdoors Foundation, said. “As we scale up and prepare for even greater impact, having internal staffing capacity will equip us to provide a best-in-class experience for investors and partners alike.”
In 2024 alone, the CAF activated more than 50 water quality projects across the state. These improvements are expected to mitigate 1.2+ million pounds of nitrate from Iowa’s waterways and include a variety of practices such as urban wetlands, grade stabilizations, and stream restorations. The 2024 portfolio of projects yielded an average 8:1 public-private match, with more than $28 million in conservation funding leveraged.
In addition to the CAF, Campbell will manage the integration of partner programs related to GOF’s mission, including initiatives previously led by Iowa Rivers Revival (IRR). As a nimble, dynamic nonprofit, IRR has mobilized an engaged delegation of stakeholders from across the state, supporting Iowa’s rivers through advocacy, outreach, education, and service. In order to continue advancing IRR’s critical priorities, its Board of Directors has voted to synergize efforts with GOF, a transition that will provide greater resourcing and capacity for IRR priorities.
“Collaboration across the nonprofit sector is vital to creating long-term, sustainable impact,” Jen Cross, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at the Great Outdoors Foundation, said. “We look forward to championing the legacy of Iowa Rivers Revival, its volunteers, and donors, and are honored to have its heritage as a part of our organization.”
“For nearly three decades, Iowa Rivers Revival has played an integral leadership role in Iowa’s conservation sector. We’re proud to have developed an engaged grassroots coalition that has taken a hands-on approach to stewardship as well as for advocating on behalf of crucial conservation funding like Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) and Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF),” Staci Williams, former Board Chair for Iowa Rivers Revival, said. “We are confident that the Great Outdoors Foundation is the right partner to continue carrying out the vision of our organization and its hundreds of stakeholders across the state.”
This year, GOF celebrates its 30th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in the lifetime of the organization, which was nearly entirely volunteer-led until 2016.
To learn more about the CAF or to become an investor, click here.
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About the Great Outdoors Foundation
The Great Outdoors Foundation exists to advance conservation through innovation, collaboration, and stewardship. We are the foremost fundraising professionals in the conservation and outdoor recreation sector. Together, we activate meaningful, accessible initiatives that enhance our environment and improve quality of life. Over the last few years, we have invested more than $200 million in conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives, and we’re just getting started.
