About us

Board and staff

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  Dillon Thomson

  Executive Director

  Dillon is a co-founding member of Fertile Ground Conservancy and its first executive director. He grew up in the damp green of occupied Chehalis land, in what is now western Washington, a place scarred by clearcuts and dripping with wild beauty. Watching that wildness eaten away by industry and development convinced him the dominant economic system is at odds with the natural world. He found a home for his love and grief in the deep ecology and conservation movements.

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  Max Wilbert

  Board President

  Max is a writer and biocentric community organizer who has been part of grassroots political work for 20 years. He founded Protect Thacker Pass and is the author of two books, most recently Bright Green Lies: How the Environmental Movement Lost Its Way and What We Can Do About It (Monkfish, 2021). His work has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, NPR, Le Monde, the BBC, and elsewhere.

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  Saba Malik

  Secretary

  Saba has dedicated her adult life to environmental activism and community organizing. She has spoken at conferences including PIELC and Earth at Risk on ecological justice and the need for systemic change. She now supports at-risk youth in the Bay Area through material assistance and mentorship. An early member of Fertile Ground, she brings decades of experience and vision to the board.

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  Rahman Malik

  Treasurer

  Rahman is an entrepreneur who chose to build his own businesses rather than follow the traditional path through college. Fertile Ground Conservancy represents his passion for protecting wild nature, where he finds solace and feels most at home.