I Ling Thompson is the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, the congressionally chartered charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management. As the Foundation’s first CEO, Thompson leads the organization’s inaugural work to improve awareness, access and stewardship of our public lands and waters for present and future generations.
As a mission-driven leader with two decades of expertise in global land and water conservation, Thompson has dedicated her career to fostering people’s love, connection and stewardship of the outdoors. Before joining the Foundation, Thompson held leadership roles with The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land and the Outdoor Industry Association.
Thompson drove the game-changing 2012 Outdoor Recreation Economy Campaign, which significantly elevated and reframed the industry’s impact on the U.S. economy. She has earned recognition for her work, including receiving the 40 Under 40 Outdoor Industry Award. Thompson also remains active in the community through her board service with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the Keystone Policy Center and the Together Outdoors Governance Council.
Thompson has long believed in the power of public lands to unite, benefit and transform people. She’s a mountain biker, hiker, whitewater SUPer, skier, novice fly fisher and was part of a group that held a Guinness World Record for the longest static cycling class. In her free time, she loves exploring public lands around Colorado with her husband, an avid hunter and angler, and their two dogs.
