Staff bios

Eastern pondhawk ~ photo by Ellis Laudermilk

Greg AbernathyExecutive Director | [email protected]
Greg provides strategic leadership and management of KNLT’s efforts to protect, connect and restore wildlands. He serves a variety of key roles with responsibilities ranging from land acquisition efforts to partnerships and outreach to wildlands philanthropy. Greg joined KNLT in 2012 after many years of assisting on special projects. He served as the Assistant Director from 2012-2017 and became the Executive Director in 2018. He has previous experience working for private, government and nonprofit conservation organizations both in Kentucky and throughout the Appalachian Region. Greg’s background is in forest ecology, geographic information systems (GIS) and design.

Boards & Committees: Land Trust Alliance’s Land & Climate Program (Former Advisor) & Floracliff Board (Board)
Professional Memberships: Society for Conservation GIS & Society for Conservation Biology
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Donna AlexanderOperations and Finance Director | [email protected]

Donna provides overall program management. Her responsibilities include managing KNLT’s general operations and providing support for development activities, outreach, events and board functions. She also manages the Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund as part of a partnership between KNLT and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Kentucky Ecological Services Field Office. Donna joined KNLT in 2001. Previously, she taught at Knott County Central High School and worked for Appalachian Communities for Children, Madison County Children’s Network, Forward in the Fifth, and Mountain Maternal Health League. She is a graduate of Berea College.
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Angie Allman, Development Coordinator | [email protected]
Angie provides development coordination, as well as program and operation support for KNLT. Her responsibilities include assisting in and supporting fundraising operations, receiving, recording and responding to donations and maintaining specialized databases. She also helps manage the Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Angie joined KNLT in the fall of 2015. Before joining KNLT, she worked at the Berea-based Mountain Association. Angie holds a B.S. in Agriculture & Natural Resources (minor in Sustainability & Environmental Studies) from Berea College.

Professional Memberships: Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP); AFP KY, Bluegrass Chapter
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Nicole BreyetteDevelopment Director | [email protected]
Nicole leads the fund development efforts of KNLT to sustain and grow the support of individual donors, foundations, and community partners who make the mission possible. Nicole joined KNLT in early 2020 just in time to celebrate KNLT’s 25th anniversary. Her previous experience includes more than a decade of nonprofit service in the health and human services sector in Louisville. She holds a M.A. in Communication from the University of Louisville and a B.A. in French from Wittenberg University.

Professional Memberships: Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP); Fundraising Executives of Metro Louisville (FREML) & Grant Professionals Association (GPA)  
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Megan Falce, Outreach Coordinator | [email protected]

Megan provides outreach coordination in Harlan, Letcher and Bell Counties. Megan joined KNLT in 2024 after nearly a decade of environmental and cultural education work in Harlan County at Kingdom Come State Park and Pine Mountain Settlement School. Megan holds a B.A. in General Studies and certificate in Social Intelligence and Communication from Eastern Kentucky University and is a certified Environmental Educator through KEEC and KY Master Naturalist.

Boards: Harlan County Community Foundation
Professional Membership: Kentucky Environmental Education Council

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Preston LacyConservation Director | [email protected]
Preston assists with conservation planning and land acquisition as well as managing the stewardship program. Preston joined KNLT in 2013 after working at other land trusts in Illinois and the Ozark Mountains (Missouri & Arkansas). He holds a dual masters degree in Urban Planning (concentrations in Land Use & Environmental Planning) & Public Administration (concentrations in Nonprofit Management) from the University of Louisville and a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation & Management (minor in Geography) from the University of Kentucky.

Boards: Pine Mountain Trail Conference, Kentucky Woodland Owners Association & Pine Mountain Settlement School
Professional Memberships: American Institute of Certified Planners, American Planning Association (APA) & APA Kentucky Chapter
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Derrick Lindsay, AWB ®, Stewardship Coordinator | [email protected]

Derrick provides land management and stewardship coordination for KNLT preserves on Pine and Cumberland Mountain by protecting, connecting, and restoring wildlands in eastern Kentucky. He oversees and conducts biological research and inventory of fauna and flora on KNLT preserves with local colleges, universities, federal, state, and other non-profit agencies to identify and protect local ecosystems. Derrick is also a certified Pollinator Steward, Wildland Firefighter, and Associate Wildlife Biologist with over 12 years of habitat restoration experience in Kentucky. Derrick joined KNLT in the fall of 2016 and previously worked for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Service. He holds an M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management (concentration in Fish and Wildlife Management) from American Public University and B.S. in Biology from Lincoln Memorial University. 


Boards: Kentucky Invasive Plant Council (Treasurer), Kentucky Prescribed Fire Council (Secretary), Pine Mountain Trail Conference (Board) & The Wildlife Society Habitat Restoration Working Group (Secretary-Treasurer)
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Megan NasemanAdministrative Specialist | [email protected]
Megan provides administrative support for KNLT. She joined KNLT in 2024 after nearly a decade of working in Human Resources and operations at the Mountain Association. She graduated from Berea College with an independent major in Outdoor Education through the Sustainability & Environmental Studies Program.
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Jess Slade, Conservation Manager  | [email protected]
Jess is KNLT’s first Conservation Manager. She brings more than 11 years experience in natural areas management and horticulture. She previously worked as Curator & Native Plant Collection Manager at UK Arboretum and as the Bluegrass Region Preserve Manager at Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves. Jess earned her master’s degree from University of Pennsylvania in Natural Resource Management and is an ISA Certified Arborist.

Boards: Kentucky Invasive Plant Council (President) 
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