Meet the Crew: Little Miami Conservancy

Our Crew Pathways program is geared toward bringing greater equity to the outdoor industry and changing the face of outdoor spaces. This new opportunity advances city teens through leadership training, intensive experiential outdoor learning, and collaborative green work opportunities with local and regional partners.

Little Miami Conservancy (LMC) is a key partner in this new program. Founded in 1967, the nonprofit’s mission is to protect and improve the Little Miami, a National Wild and Scenic River. Its work includes conserving and restoring riverfront land through acquisitions and partnerships; education programs; river sweeps; and research and water monitoring.

In January, Jason Brownknight joined LMC as its new executive director. Jason started his career in nature/environmental education, then went on to hold leadership positions with the Cincinnati Nature Center and the Clermont Soil & Water Conservation District. Most recently, he established and ran Brownknight EcoResource, LLC, a company devoted to land and water conservation.

“This incredible opportunity speaks to my passions, skillset and love for the Little Miami National Wild and Scenic River,” he said of taking on LMC’s executive director role. “I am grateful to lead this esteemed organization through its next chapter.”

We’re thrilled that “next chapter” will include working with the Crew! City teens who participate in our Pathways program will have the chance to learn from LMC through activities like tree planting, river cleanups and monitoring, and fish and mussel identification. Those experiences will help them understand appreciate and want to protect critical river ecosystems while exposing them to potential career paths -- a win for nature AND for Crew teens.