The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment is a family foundation focused on how a vibrant economy provides support for regional economies. Geographic focal areas include the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays and Northern California and the San Francisco Bay watershed.
Alex Echols joined the foundation in January of 2019 and brings experience in the agricultural sector, philanthropy, conservation, and government. Prior to joining the Foundation, Alex ran an independent business to help advance conservation outcomes, particularly in water quality and biodiversity. He also built a company, Ecosystem Services Exchange, that improves farm profitability and water quality. Previously Alex ran the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation worked as the government affairs director of a recycling trade association and worked for the U.S. Senate for 12 years. While working for the Senate, Alex was the principal staff lead in developing the Conservation Title of the Farm Bill.
Alex Echols, the Campbell Foundation’s program director for agriculture, will discuss how the Foundation sets priorities and what they are. He will provide a few examples of how they work to bring groups together, focusing the use of science in decision making, improving environmental returns on investment (E-ROI), and developing innovations in conservation. He will further discuss how this has worked with nutrient management, particularly with chicken and dairy production.