Chris Szell serves as the Director of Conservation Project Management for Western Reserve Land Conservancy within the Conservation Team. Ensuring land acquisition projects are completed on time and within budget. During his 17-year tenure with the organization, he has been instrumental in managing projects to completion, writing and administering a number of various state and federal grants, stewardship, transitioning the team to a new SalesForce database platform, and developing team processes.
Chris has spent 27 years in conservation having previously worked with The Nature Conservancy as a fire ecologist for the Southern Regional Office located in Durham, North Carolina as well as a Biologist for the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. He has a Master’s of Science Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and served two years in the U.S. Peace Corps in Eswatini.
Chris lives in Hiram Village, Ohio with his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Adia. Chris has served as a Village Council member for eight years, including four as council president. He holds a certification from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as an Ohio Certified Prescribed Fire Manager.