COMPASS Pathfinders: Conservation Leaders
A deeply connected community, bound by shared purpose
As environmental challenges grow more complex, it’s easy to feel uncertain or discouraged about the path ahead. Yet now, more than ever, we need knowledgeable, dedicated individuals who are ready to take action and inspire meaningful change. The COMPASS Pathfinder Program, built upon the foundational pieces of the Wilburforce Leaders in Conservation Science Program, supports conservation experts from across North America to navigate their journey with renewed clarity, energy, and purpose.
Participants in the program will gain valuable tools, skills, and support to explore different pathways for change. They will develop essential skills to build effective strategies, strengthen resilience, and foster trust and collaboration with others who share a commitment to the well-being of people and nature — both within and beyond the conservation field. We believe that a deeply connected community, bound together by shared purpose, is key to building meaningful, durable solutions.
Whether you’re an experienced conservationist or someone eager to grow in the field, the COMPASS Pathfinder Program offers the opportunity to expand your impact and be part of a vibrant, supportive community that is shaping the future of environmental conservation.
Together, we can amplify our collective impact and reimagine conservation as a collaborative, just, and compassionate effort—one that builds partnerships across boundaries to create a thriving future for all.
Learn more about our current cohort below!
2025 COMPASS Pathfinders: Conservation Leaders
Victoria Holguín
Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Suraj Upadhaya
School of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources at Kentucky State University
Cassandre Venumierè-Lefebvre
Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence at Colorado State University
About the Program
Program Overview
Over the course of the program, we will collectively grow a community who will explore their purpose, grow their skills, and support each other to lead change within themselves and their community. This program will support participants to grow in the following areas:
- Personal Growth in Leadership: Connect with what brings them purpose, build confidence in their strengths, grow resilience to adversity, and develop skills to help lead change
- Strategic Communication: Learn to effectively frame and share their message, engage in meaningful, productive dialogue, and productively navigate differences
- Science for Society: Develop pathways for their work to better serve society, including identifying levers of change, cultivating networks, and engaging in meaningful collaborations, all grounded in the experience of guest experts
- Meaningful Relationships: Build enduring and mutually supportive connections with fellow participants and be poised to engage in thoughtful collaborations
Program Schedule
For the success of the program and each individual, participants are expected to attend the key events outlined below. Virtual sessions will be approximately three hours long (10am PT/1pm ET – 1pm PT/4pm ET).
- Virtual kick off event on Friday, September 26, 2025
- In-person retreat from November 3–7, 2025, held outside Portland, Oregon. All travel expenses will be covered.
- Half-day virtual workshops on Friday, December 12, 2025 and Friday, February 6, 2026
- Virtual closing event on April 10, 2026
- Optional monthly peer group gatherings (dates and times TBD based on participant availability)
About Us
The COMPASS Pathfinders program is designed and facilitated by COMPASS staff. This program is funded through private donations and philanthropic contributions, including Wilburforce Foundation, a private philanthropic organization that supports land, water, and wildlife conservation efforts in Western North America.
Learn more about COMPASS.