Brenda Schick grew up in the American West. She graduated from Lewis and Clark College with a degree in International Relations and a minor in Eastern European Studies. Brenda then went to the University of Oregon where she received her law degree. While at UO, Schick was able to focus her studies on environmental law, mediation, and negotiation. Schick is an inactive member of the Oregon State Bar and she has studied executive leadership at Stanford University. Conservation is her life’s calling and where she has spent the last twenty years of her professional career.
Most recently, Brenda was the Vice President and Director of Land Protection for The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit organization committed to conserving land for people. During her tenure, The Trust for Public Land successfully completed 1700 land and water protection projects in 44 states. These projects protected 1.5 million acres valued at over $4 billion and included critical partnerships with foundations, local, state, and federal agencies.
Brenda’s professional background also includes work for the Oregon Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and six years of professional experience in the private sector including work as a manager and trainer for Starbucks Coffee Company and at DS Consulting (a small firm focused on complex environmental dispute resolution).
In 2019, Brenda founded Singing Stream Conservation Consulting, LLC where she serves as principal. Singing Stream provides conservation consulting to families, foundations, corporations, and nonprofits. The diverse clientele benefit from Brenda’s impeccable professional reputation, education, national conservation expertise as well as her experience on various leadership teams of a large nonprofit organization.
Brenda and her husband Steven live in La Jolla, California. When she’s not working, Brenda enjoys yoga, hiking, painting, and traveling. Brenda is a proud member of the San Diego Women’s Foundation.
“Brenda Schick is a highly valued, incredibly capable colleague who ranks among the very most insightful leaders and strategic thinkers I have known in my nearly 40 years in the conservation trenches. An alum of both The Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy, she consistently demonstrates skills, smarts, spirit, and a personal touch that are truly remarkable.”
— Alan Front, CEO, Conservation Pathways (former TPL colleague)