Callie Broaddus

Callie Broaddus is the founder and executive director of Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, a nonprofit advancing a new model for biodiversity conservation by empowering young people to directly fund and lead the protection of threatened species and habitats. She advocates for the idea that young people are not simply future environmental leaders; they have the capacity to shape conservation outcomes today, and incorporating youth into governance and decision-making strengthens immediate conservation actions and long-term success.

Since founding Reserva in 2019, Callie has worked with local partners and youth around the world to co-design and support conservation initiatives in some of Earth’s most unique ecosystems, including the creation of the world’s first entirely youth-funded nature reserve in Ecuador. Her work combines land protection, scientific research, storytelling and youth leadership development to create lasting conservation outcomes.

Callie serves on the board of directors of The Explorers Club and Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants, and on the Rainforest Trust Council. She is an experienced expedition leader and conservation photographer, a recipient of the Rolex Explorers Club grant and “EC50” award, and her work has been featured in the Washington Post, on Hallmark+, and in the PBS documentary “Wild Hope: Does Nature Have Rights?” Prior to Reserva, Callie was a senior designer at National Geographic Kids, and she holds a B.S. in architecture from the University of Virginia.