Executive Director, Alexa Shapiro

During the Winona Outdoor Collaborative's July board meeting, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to promote Alexa Shapiro to the role of Executive Director. Alexa, who co-founded the WOC, has been working with the organization since August of 2019. The WOC was initially structured horizontally, with five staff members working alongside one another to form the building blocks of the organization. As the WOC has grown, the team and Board of Directors agreed that the organization would benefit from having an Executive Director to support the leadership team and the day to day functions of the organization. Alexa was a clear choice due to her dedication and experience working in non-profits and environmental organizations throughout the past decade, and was widely recommended by the other members of the WOC leadership team.

"I'm really looking forward to supporting my team in doing the good work that they are already doing," Alexa said. "I am fortunate to be leading such an dedicated, passionate team and am excited to support the growth of the organization in this role."

Alexa has a Masters in Recreation Management from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse and has her certification in Wilderness First Response. Through her education, she hopes to continue growing the organization's capacity for risk management in the outdoors in order to create programs that help people feel comfortable exploring more in nature. Beyond this focus, Alexa will also be taking on more responsibilities with the financial management and strategic planning of the organization and professional development of the team. The Board of Directors is excited to watch the direction Alexa takes the organization in this new role.