Angela West Blank

As executive director, Angela is Groundswell’s chief steward, leading, and managing the organization to protect our special places forever and for everyone. Angela has a depth of nonprofit experience advocating for conservation and underrepresented communities. As former Director of Strategic Development for Wisconsin Conservation Voters, she oversaw the development program and played a leading role in strategy and capacity building. She also helped support and amplify Indigenous voices through the organization’s Native Vote program – one of her proudest achievements. Awakening people to and connecting them with the wonder and power of nature is her passion and the first step towards protecting our lands and our planet. Angela grew up between the mighty Mississippi and Rock Rivers and spent her early years hiking through woods that were once part of the Sac and Fox Nation. Some of her best memories are of taking long walks along the river with her father, watching bald eagles fly overhead, and talking about her hopes and dreams for making the world a better place. She lives with her husband Steve and two rough collies Veda and Rose in Middleton, WI, where they enjoy paddling, hiking, and spotting sandhill cranes and monarch butterflies in the area’s woods and wetlands.