Susan Culp is stepping down as executive director of the Arizona League of Conservation Voters to become project manager for Phoenix office of the Sonoran Institute.
Among other things, the league backs political candidates it regards as having a pro-conservation record. Ms. Culp led the league as it joined hands with the Grand Canyon chapter of the Sierra Club in grading Arizona lawmakers on their environmental votes.
Ms. Culp also was the league’s Arizona voice in commenting on the National League of Conservation Voters’ scoring of congressional members on their votes.
Ms. Culp opened the league’s Phoenix office for the nonprofit advocacy group in 2002 as deputy director. She said she spent the first few months working out of her home. She became executive director last year.
“One of things I was really proud of was being able to bring a full presence for the League of Conservation Voters to the state Capitol,” said Ms. Culp, 34.
Before that, the Arizona league had just a Tucson office.
Ms. Culp herself came from Tucson, where she previously worked for the Sonoran Institute.
The nonprofit institute, she said, has “a collaborative approach when it comes to conservation.”
Last day in Nov. 10
Her last day as the league’s executive director is Nov. 10. She will start at the institute Nov. 13.
At the institute, she said, “I’ll be working primarily on growth management and water management issues and projects.”
The Sonoran Institute, among other things, promotes state trust-land conservation. The institute as well as the league support Prop. 106, which would conserve 700,000 acres of state trust land.
But, unlike the league, the institute — as a tax-exempt organization — does not endorse political candidates.
The league expects to choose an interim executive director soon and is advertising for applicants to fill the position permanently, Ms. Culp said.