Heather Wendt Appointed as WACD Deputy Director

Since Heather Wendt joined WACD in August 2023, she has brought tremendous value to the WACD staff team. Over the past 21 months, Heather has worked tirelessly to improve conditions for conservation districts through her leadership in the Shared Resources Workgroup, the Sustainable Funding Committee, and the Plant Materials Taskforce, among others.

In addition to her external efforts, Heather has played a vital role in strengthening WACD’s internal operations. She has led the update of organizational policies and implemented tracking and communication tools that have significantly enhanced our advocacy efforts, both internally and externally. Heather has blended extremely well with existing staff capabilities, helping to create a stronger, more effective team providing service to all members.

Heather’s dedication to conservation and collaboration has not gone unnoticed. She is a recognized and proven advocate for conservation districts and our partners, as demonstrated by her receipt of the 2024 Vim Wright Building Bridges Award and the 2024 NRCS Partnership Award.

As we look to the future, transitioning Heather into the new role of Deputy Director helps to ensure smooth, uninterrupted service to conservation district members, partners, and the WACD Board of Directors.

Please join me in congratulating Heather on this well-deserved transition!

/s/ Tom Salzer, Executive Director