Christine Hall Named New President

TLCNJ's incoming president, Christine Hall (second from left), recently met with the staff at South Branch Preserve.

We are pleased to announce that Christine Hall has been selected as the next president of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. Christine takes the reins from David Epstein, who will be retiring at the end of 2026. This transition marks the end of a transformative era and the exciting beginning of a new chapter for our organization. Christine will be only the second president in the organization’s 45-year history.

Christine Hall has been working in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Office of the Chief.  In this office she has served both as Team Lead in the Partnerships Division and as the agency’s first National Innovation Leader. Her time with NRCS has led her from developing farm scale conservation plans, to area-wide watershed planning and nonprofit management, to statewide program management. Most recently she has worked to develop and implement innovations that improve both the agency’s ability to deliver their conservation mission and improve the experience for staff and the customers they serve.

In addition to working with NRCS, Christine has taught as an adjunct professor in environmental policy at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Based in Hunterdon County, she also serves on the Land Acquisition and Stewardship Committee for the Hunterdon Land Trust and is past president of the national Women in NRCS professional organization. Wife and mother to three sons, she loves to tend her vegetable garden, hike, kayak, travel, and get outdoors with her family and two dogs.

Christine is eager to get to work in her new role, saying, “As a fifth generation New Jersey resident, I am thrilled to continue TLCNJ’s important conservation mission here. The pressures on our natural resources are tremendous—and so are the opportunities for TLCNJ to continue making a lasting impact here in the Garden State. I am excited to work with the team, trustees, and supporters to protect and preserve the landscapes we love.”

TLCNJ has a strong, cohesive team of staff and board members dedicated to our mission that has benefited countless individuals who enjoy and cherish New Jersey’s natural landscapes. When David became the first permanent staff member in 1994, The Land Conservancy was an all-volunteer organization. Three decades later, we have permanently protected 30,000 acres of land, including eight of our own preserves, and completed 220 open space and farmland preservation plans throughout the state. TLCNJ’s scholarship program awards $100,000 to college students each year, and our internship and fellowship programs have helped to develop hundreds of future environmental leaders. This remarkable work culminated in The Land Conservancy receiving the 2024 National Land Trust Excellence Award, the most prestigious honor in our field. 

“The Land Conservancy’s board of trustees began a thorough and thoughtful search for our next president early this year. We are pleased to have found in Christine Hall a leader who can not only carry forward David’s vision and dedication, but also propel our organization into its next phase of growth,” said Andy Dietz, the president of TLCNJ’s board.

Outgoing Conservancy President David Epstein is in agreement. “I am confident that Christine’s experience and dedication make her the right person to help lead The Land Conservancy to expand its critical land preservation, stewardship and education work.” 

We acknowledge the exciting challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. David’s legacy provides a solid foundation for The Land Conservancy of New Jersey as we move forward, particularly with the ambitious goals he has helped set to preserve the next 30,000 acres of land in New Jersey and develop our South Branch Preserve Master Plan. The board and staff have begun implementing a succession plan that will ensure a smooth transition between David and Christine’s leadership.