Washington, D.C. (October 24, 2024) – Today, the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, the official charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), announced Paula Neira will join as Vice President of Finance and Operations, along with Tomer Hasson who will serve in the role of Senior Program Officer.
“We are excited to add Paula and Tomer to our growing team,” said I Ling Thompson, CEO of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands. “Both bring a passion for the outdoors, and a diverse perspective that the Foundation needs to be successful now and in the future. They will be critical in helping to build out foundational programs, processes, and partnerships that will advance the Foundation’s mission, support the BLM and local communities.”
Neira joins the Foundation as a seasoned leader with two decades of experience driving financial strategy and operations in multimillion dollar non-profit organizations. She most recently served on the leadership team at Homebase and was previously Vice President of Finance at First Book, where she directed the accounting functions of the organization’s $120 million budget, helped scale financial operations, and established financial practices to advance the organization’s growth objectives. Paula has spent her career advocating for causes, including the preservation of public lands and waters, and is a founding member of Hispanic Access Foundation.
“Throughout my career I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to have an immediate impact and make a real difference, and I see that with the Foundation,” said Neira. “The organization is at a critical moment in time expanding its staff, increasing fundraising capacity, and setting goals that will have real impacts for our public lands and waters. I couldn’t be more excited to be part of this process.”
Likewise, Hasson brings a diverse skillset in public land management, wildlife conservation, mitigation, and energy issues that are key to helping advance the Foundation’s stewardship and restoration work. Most recently, Tomer served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the BLM, where he spearheaded the distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars of funding to restore public lands and waters. He has also held roles in the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Senate, and spent seven years at The Nature Conservancy, including time on the Management Board of the Intermountain West Joint Venture.
“I have always held a deep personal and professional view that the health of public lands is inextricably linked to the health of people.” said Hasson. “A common thread throughout my career has been building strong, strategic partnerships, and I believe that will continue to be important to the Foundation’s success – especially as we work alongside the BLM and its partners to help restore and steward our public lands.”
About the Foundation for America’s Public Lands
As the official charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Foundation for America’s Public Lands serves as a convener, partner, and fundraising catalyst to help ensure the health and sustainability of America’s public lands and waters today, and for the future.
The Foundation works hand-in-hand with the BLM, local communities, and partners to increase support for public lands and waters and inspire more people to connect with the outdoors. Each unique and truly special scenic river, wilderness area, monument, historic trail, conservation area, and working land holds a story of its own.
To learn more about the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, visit americaslands.org.
