Chestnut Hill Conservancy director to depart

by Daralyse Lyons

Posted 6/18/24

Lori Salganicoff, executive director of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, will leave the organization in six months.

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Chestnut Hill Conservancy director to depart

The Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s spring gala, held on June 8 at a historic Norman-style property with a conservation easement in Wyndmoor, raised $92,000. The gala honored Charlie Dilks for his lifelong dedication to conservation and announced the planting of a Lois Magnolia tree in Pastorius Park.

Photo courtesy of Chestnut Hill Conservancy

Posted Tuesday, June 18, 2024 12:00 pm

Thank you, Lori Salganicoff

After nearly a decade at the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, Executive Director Lori Salganicoff has decided to move on to explore the next chapter of her life. Lori has been a transformational leader during her time with us. She has added a new level of professionalism to the organization, worked with neighbors to preserve significant historic buildings, added robust programming, ensured financial stability, and so much more. We sincerely appreciate her impactful contributions to our organization. She will continue to serve as Executive Director until the end of the year, ensuring a smooth transition with her successor.

Fortunately, Lori has given the Board ample time to conduct a rigorous search for her successor. The entire Board is committed to engaging in a search for a leader who will advance our mission of preserving the historical, architectural, and cultural resources, as well as the open spaces that define the character of Chestnut Hill and the surrounding communities in the Wissahickon watershed.

We have begun the search for our next ED and will support the transition process to ensure continuity and stability. Judee von Seldeneck, a generous supporter of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, has graciously agreed to advise the Conservancy on this transition.

She has helped identify executive search firms specializing in non-profit positions, one of which will be chosen and announced shortly. First Vice President Bill Webster and I will chair the Search Committee. We plan to announce the opening in early July and ideally make an offer by September or October to ensure at least a month of overlap. The selection process will be thorough, and the Board is committed to finding a leader who will build on the organization’s legacy and continue to advance our missions.

Please join me in thanking Lori for her contributions to the Conservancy. We will celebrate and remember her achievements before she departs.

Thank you in advance for your support as we undergo this transition. If you have any questions or wish to discuss this further, please contact me at Eileen@CHConservancy.Org.

by Daralyse Lyons

Lori Salganicoff, executive director of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, will leave the organization in six months, after a decade of leading the nonprofit in its mission to preserve Northwest Philadelphia’s architecture, land and history.

“My departure is not immediate,” Salganicoff said in a statement released last week. “I will continue as executive director through December as we search for and welcome a successor to ensure a seamless and fruitful transition.”

Over the last ten years, the Conservancy has averted a dozen demolitions of historic properties, secured easements
protecting more than 50 acres of open space, and substantially grown the Archives, Salganicoff said. The organization has led the community through collaborative planning, intro- duced new programs such as a tour and lecture series and Night of Lights, as well as expanded the Conservancy’s staff and supporters.

“I am deeply proud of these and the many other accomplishments, and believe it is the right time for me to step aside and welcome new energy to bring fresh ideas and capacity to our essential work,” Salganicoff told the Local in a June 18 email.

“It has been a profoundly fulfilling journey to work for the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, an organization that has made such a significant impact in this extraordinary community and beyond for over 55 years,” she continued. “The decision to leave was not easy, given my deep commitment to our mission and the community we serve, as well as the joy of working with such a remarkable board of directors and staff.”

Salganicoff will play a pivotal role in ensuring a smooth transition. She welcomes community comments, input and suggestions as part of the process.

“I love this organization, this community, and the people here, and am very glad to be able to spend the next six-plus months helping the board find and wel- come the organization's next Executive Director before my departure,” she said. “For the benefit of the communities we serve and the Wissahickon water-
shed, I wish to ensure that the Conservancy will continue to thrive and be firmly positioned for its next remarkable chapter, before I even consider what my next chapter might be.”

Lori Salganicoff can be reached at
Lori@chconservancy.org.

Keywords

Chestnut Hill, Conservancy, Salganicoff

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