Olivia Walcott Gonda

Acquisitions and Grants Manager

Olivia was born and raised on a farm in Michigan. Watching the land produce food for her community and swimming in Lake Michigan until she turned blue informed her love of place-based work. In college, Olivia participated in student organizing for sustainability projects and studied environmental science at Northern Michigan University. 

Olivia acquired project management skills from her work as a local-food organizer in Iowa and the San Juan Islands—bringing this experience to the Preservation Trust when she joined the staff in March 2022, initially as Philanthropy Coordinator, then stepping up as Acquisition and Grants Manager in October 2025. 

As the Acquisition and Grants Manager, Olivia is the first point of contact for anyone wanting to learn more about conserving their property in the San Juan Islands. She works across teams to complete due diligence and closings of conservation projects and manages government grant applications.