Our Digital Content Coordinator Amber Wong hopped on the phone recently for a virtual interview with one of Conservation Legacy’s newest Board Members: CJ Goulding (@goulding_jr on insta). CJ joined the board in 2019 with experience in leading backcountry trips for high schoolers, diversity, equity and inclusion facilitation, youth leadership development, and so much more.

Amber initially met CJ in Denver, CO last summer while representing Conservation Legacy at a ‘Spark 2020’ event. CJ was one of four facilitators for this collaborative diversity, equity and inclusion workshop. Spark 2020 brought together a small group of change-makers to discuss the current status and budding potential of DEI topics in the outdoor industry just prior to the massive Outdoor Retailer Trade Show. Let’s listen in on their conversation and learn a little bit more about CJ!

Amber: Hi CJ! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I’m excited to learn a bit more about you. Can you introduce yourself?

CJ: Of course! Thank you for inviting me to interview. My name is CJ Goulding. I was born and raised in New Jersey in a Jamaican family. I am the first generation, born in the states. I initially went to school for engineering, but soon changed paths after some formidable internship experiences during college—I realized I needed closer interactions with people in my career. I led a group of high school kids on a backcountry trip through North Cascades Institute, and I began to see my direction and purpose in creating an outdoor framework for building leaders from diverse communities.

Over the past few years, I’ve really leaned into this passion, that purpose, of developing leaders. I’ve seen what facilitating community and connection can do, and the need to advocate for, and create spaces for marginalized communities. I want people from these marginalized communities to gain access to opportunity and growth, and to shift the systems that create those conditions to begin with.

Amber: Thank you so much for sharing some of your background and the powerful experiences that led you to where you are today. What is your job right now?

CJ: I work for the Children and Nature Network. I have been the Manager of Community Leadership Development since 2016. In that position, I focus on community engagement, youth leadership in nature, and DEI. Our whole organization works remote, so I work with leaders and communities all across the country. The counterpart I work most closely with lives in Texas, so between here and Texas we meet in person to lead the trainings and different initiatives we develop.

Amber: What does being part of Conservation Legacy mean to you?

CJ: Being part of Conservation Legacy to me is coming full circle—my way to pay it forward, provide input and guidance for young people with these opportunities. Lots of growth can be done in conservation. Being involved is an opportunity to support how those opportunities show up for other young people.

Amber: What has been your most prominent accomplishment in your work?

CJ: My most prominent accomplishment is when I see leaders that I’ve mentored in a program start creating their own initiatives, doing their own thing. It makes me so proud to know that the people who mentored me, who poured their energy and time into me, now benefits those who I mentor in their leadership development. Some of my mentees stay in contact with me—each person keeps connected in their different ways. Some become peers and collaborators and I present beside them at conferences. I am planning a program this fall with one of my former mentees, and I’ve even been in some of their weddings! It’s more than just work for sure, the learning becomes mutual.

Amber: Can you think of a time that was a turning point/ah-ha! moment in your career?

CJ: Before deciding to switch from engineering in college, I had the opportunity to go to an internship seminar at Grand Tetons National Park, it was an NPS Academy Orientation. The program was looking to increase the diversity in the NPS workforce. I was introduced here to some amazing facilitators. I could see and feel the care and genuine investment in me and the other interns. This was the seed that slowly began turning. It was also my introduction to the concept of public lands, as before this, I had never been further west than Michigan. I didn’t realize it then, but public lands, facilitation, and bringing communities of people together—it all fit my purpose.

Amber: What are you looking forward to in 2020?

CJ: The outdoors can be used as a framework for a lot of positive things. I have a personal project planned for 2020 that centers on positive male experiences in the outdoors. The program model is based on connections, brotherhood, and accountability, specifically for men of color. I’ve been putting the work into this and hope to get it off the ground this year! I think we need to be approaching the outdoors from a different perspective. We ran a small pilot of this program last January, and we are continuing to research and plan a second, larger pilot session later in 2020! Definitely looking forward to it.

Amber: That sounds absolutely fantastic. I hope to hear about how that second pilot goes! What’s a fun fact about yourself?

CJ: I’m an absolute goofball. I love acting silly to make others feel comfortable. I love being with people in person, connecting on that level, getting my hands dirty, listening, hearing stories, sharing stories. I don’t take myself too seriously. I can get down with a 3 year-old and be three, and I can get down with an 85 year-old and be 85!

We’re so grateful to have CJ on the Conservation Legacy Board of Directors, and so glad he took the time to open up to us in an interview! Keep an eye out for more interviews of Conservation Legacy members, alumni, and staff!