Influential Woman · Non-profit Science to Policy
Ann M. Gallagher, MSc, PMP, CSE
President and Founding Director, Ann's Backyard Forest (Non- Profit)
Bethesda, MD 20816
Her Story
About Ann
Ann Gallagher is an environmental scientist, nonprofit executive, and institution builder dedicated to expanding the public impact of science. For more than 30 years, she has led initiatives that connect research, education, policy, and organizational leadership to address complex environmental and societal challenges.
Throughout her career, Ann has built partnerships and organizations that transform scientific knowledge into practical action. Her work spans conservation, climate resilience, environmental education, public policy, nature-based solutions, and community engagement, with leadership roles across government, academia, and the nonprofit sector. Whether developing national programs, mentoring future conservation leaders, or strengthening mission-driven organizations, she focuses on creating the structures, relationships, and cultures that allow evidence-based solutions to endure.
As the Founder and President of Ann's Backyard Forest, Ann advances biodiversity conservation and climate resilience through applied ecological research, place-based education, science communication, and the stewardship of living laboratories. Her work demonstrates how even small landscapes can generate meaningful scientific knowledge, inspire stewardship, and strengthen communities.
Ann's career has included leadership with the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior, universities, and national nonprofit organizations, where she has guided interdisciplinary initiatives, built strategic partnerships, and translated science into decisions that benefit people and the environment. She is equally passionate about developing people, believing that mentorship, collaboration, and lifelong learning are essential to lasting organizational and environmental success.
A Certified Senior Ecologist, ISA Certified Arborist, Project Management Professional, and recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Service Award, Ann holds graduate degrees in Plant Biology and Environmental Public Policy and is completing a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Environmental Policy. Her research examines how leadership and collaboration enable scientific expertise to achieve greater public impact.
Ann believes the most enduring solutions emerge when people, organizations, and disciplines work together. She continues to build partnerships that expand conservation, strengthen institutions, and make science more accessible to the communities it serves.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ann
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to recognizing opportunities that others may overlook and having the persistence to build meaningful momentum around them. Throughout my career, I've found the greatest satisfaction in bringing together the right people, organizations, and ideas to move promising research and innovative solutions beyond publication into partnerships, programs, and institutions that continue creating value long after the original project has ended. Successes stem from collaboration, persistence, flexibility, and commitment to helping good ideas become reality.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received came from my great-aunts, who taught me that leadership and kindness can—and should—go hand in hand. They demonstrated that is is possible to lead effectively while treating others with respect, compassion, and empathy. High standards and effective outcomes do not require reducing others.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to build expertise in technical credentials that qualify you for jobs, but then, do not limit your knowledge to technical aspects. Develop an understanding of how those skills fit into a bigger picture so you can contribute your experience beyond your job, your certifications, or the place you work. Continue to build skills around your interests in order to keep opportunity open and be able to face change with flexibility.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is effectively translating scientific research into meaningful policy and action. Limited research funding, combined with ongoing uncertainty surrounding the federal role in science and policy, can make it difficult to sustain long-term initiatives and implement evidence-based solutions. At the same time, I see a significant opportunity to strengthen collaboration among researchers, policymakers, universities, businesses, and communities to ensure that scientific evidence is used to address real-world challenges and create lasting impact in ways that are effective and sustainable. By combining strengths, rather than relying on any one sector to solve complex problems, innovation is possible.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are collaboration, integrity, stewardship, and purpose. I believe meaning is found when people work together with common goals. Shared values across disciplines, organizations, and diverse communities solve complex issues in ways that benefit the people facing the challenges. Benefits include trust, learning, and empowered solutions that can transform problems into uniquely beneficial outcomes and policies for everyone.
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