Program Officer

Polly Carr

pcarr@alaskaconservation.org

Polly moved to Anchorage in 1997 from the East coast to guide for the Trailside Discovery program of Alaska Center for the Environment.  She interned with the Alaska Women's Environmental Network at National Wildlife Federation in 1998, and during that time helped form Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA). She managed AYEA for ten years, learning how to cultivate leaders, facilitate cross-cultural education, engage volunteers, and build a grassroots funding base.

Polly joined ACF in February 2009 to spearhead ACF’s Community Capacity program. The program will incorporate a combination of strategic grantmaking, community dialogues, training, and technical assistance/referrals to help organizations navigate the new economy while implementing strategies to sustain the movement in the long run. She also provides ongoing support to a range of ACF grantees.

Polly graduated from Bucknell University with a BA in psychology and a minor in marine biology. Her Alaska education includes the Leadership Anchorage program of the Alaska Humanities Forum, the Environmental Leadership Institute of the League of Conservation Voters, and the Art of Collaborative Leadership by the Rockwood Institute. She has been recognized with a "Top 40 Under 40" Award by the Alaska Chamber of Commerce and an Environmental Excellence Award by the Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management, and was a finalist in the Ford Foundation's national "Leadership for a Changing World" program. She has served on the boards of Alaska Conservation Voters and the Spirit of Youth Foundation, and volunteered with the Rose Urban-Rural Exchange Program Task Force and the Anchorage Urban League Young Professionals.  She currently serves on the Rage City Rollergirls Board of Directors and the Anchorage Diversity Advisory Commission. Her pastimes include hanging out at her husband’s wine bistro, Crush, walking with her street mutt Charlie, and writing poetry.