Katie Bruell
PEEC NEWS RELEASE
The Pajarito Environmental Education Center announces Executive Director stepping down; new director search underway.
The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) announces the resignation of its executive director, Katie Bruell, effective May 20th. Bruell was the first executive director of this formerly all-volunteer organization, and has been with PEEC since 2009.
“I love PEEC and the important work it does in our community and beyond. I believe it’s a good time for new ideas, new leadership, new energy, and new passion to lead our organization on to more great things,” says Bruell. The organization has begun their search for a new leader. For more information on the job posting, visit https://peecnature.org/peeced/.
PEEC began in 2000 as a small, grassroots group of citizens interested in bringing a nature center to Los Alamos. Today, thanks to the hard work of those original volunteers and many who came after them, PEEC has a $700,000 annual operating budget organization and holds the contract to operate the showpiece Los Alamos Nature Center.
“My favorite part about working at PEEC has been the people,” says Bruell. “Our staff are hardworking, creative, smart, and fun. It’s been my great pleasure to work alongside them. Our volunteers are generous with their time and energy, and are critical to the success of everything we do. And getting to know our donors and members has been a delight.”
Bruell started at PEEC as the program coordinator when PEEC was housed in an old preschool building on Orange Street. Volunteers helped paint walls and plant gardens while Katie organized talks, classes, and fundraising. “We were like a poor but happy family in those days,” says Rebecca Shankland, one of PEEC’s founders, “but Katie eventually became the head of that family and helped us become a professional organization. We’re grateful for all of her work in those old days as well as the new days of her involvement in creating and financing the gorgeous new building in 2015.”
As the new executive director, Bruell’s replacement will be responsible for supervising daily operations at the nature center and ensuring that PEEC has the financial stability and human resources to effectively achieve its mission. The executive director works closely with the Board of Directors. PEEC will be embarking on a capital campaign in the next five years, and the executive director will be the lead on this project.