Meet Our New Office Manager!

Forest Park ConservancyUncategorized

Meet Cailin Bell our new office guru and organizational glue. Everything that flows through the office flows through Cailin. We wanted to get know her a little better so we asked her a few questions. Here’s what she had to say.

What led you here? Why this job?

As Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” After spending 17 years working in healthcare and the nonprofit art world, I was feeling a disconnect between how I wanted to spend my life and how I was spending my days. So, I made a conscious decision to put my passion for doing my part to create a more sustainable culture that places a high value on the long-term ecological health of our planet at the center of each day. I had been volunteering for a variety of conservation organizations and began to keep careful tabs on job openings at organizations that seemed to represent my personal values, while also endeavoring to spend more of my time engaging in my art-based hobbies. My skill-set is in nonprofit accounting, operations and sales, and this job at FPC presents an exciting opportunity to marry my personal passions and professional background.

How do you like to spend your free time?

For me, free time is for slowing down and experiencing life in a present and connected way. Walking, exploring areas full of natural beauty and leaving myself open to new experiences are high on my list. Any opportunity to get my hands dirty is welcome, and I’m a registered crew leader with Solve, Friends of Trees and the Forest Park Conservancy. 

What are your talents and passions?

I have always loved dancing and theatre and have recently started taking ballet again, which feels incredibly fulfilling. Other interests include reading (a lot), gardening, writing, drawing and trying to learn Spanish. My proper talents are probably limited to the abilities to keeping a cat’s cradle game going and to put a fussy baby to sleep. I can also chop an onion without crying.

What is your favorite Forest Park trail and why?

I actually have a lot of exploring left to do in Forest Park. I lived adjacent to Lower Macleay for a year and would head out to explore Forest Park from that starting point every chance I got, but always in a loop that brought me back home. I loved how a half-hour walk would place me in relative quiet and solitude and I relish the opportunity to explore more of the park’s northern trails.

The next time you stop by or call the Forest Park Conservancy office, be sure to give Cailin a warm welcome. She is the first smiling face you will see when you walk through the door and the first extension you can dial (101). Welcome, Cailin! It is great to have you on board.