William Pitt: President & CEO
Asheville, NC — Conservation leader Dr. William Pitt has been selected as President & CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), an organization that has played a leading role in rescuing the American chestnut species.
With over 25 years of experience leading science and conservation efforts in the U.S. and around the world, Dr. Pitt is passionate about the environment and creating opportunities where all people benefit from conservation action. As President & CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation, he will lead TACF in its pioneering work to preserve North America’s forest legacy, despite continued and increasing threats from introduced pests and pathogens.
Most recently, Dr. Pitt was Deputy Director at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, leading six science centers and education and conservation programs as well as administration and operations. Previously, with the USDA’s National Wildlife Research Center and as a researcher, he focused on restoration of ecosystems, reducing the impact of invasive species, and training the next generation throughout his career.
Founded in 1983, The American Chestnut Foundation is a conservation, education and scientific organization based in Asheville, NC. TACF and its 16 state chapters are employing traditional breeding and modern genomics to develop, and ultimately restore, American chestnut populations. For four decades, TACF has played a leading role in rescuing this species with the long-term goal of creating self-sustaining populations, with disease-resistant trees growing more resilient in each succeeding generation. For more information, visit https://acf.org/.
