As an intern for Greenbelt Alliance, Kristen Johnson facilitated the Green Vision Groupí¢â‚¬â„¢s efforts to conserve open space in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

The Green Vision Group (GVG) is a partnership of regional agencies and nonprofits co-founded by Greenbelt Alliance and the Bay Area Open Space Council, and í¢â‚¬Å“green visioní¢â‚¬  refers to the goal of permanently protecting a network of open space throughout the Bay Area. During her internship, Kristen facilitated the development of strategies for achieving this vision. Specifically, she 1) researched state legislation and funding streams pertinent to open space protection; 2) supported the development of a communications piece targeting elected officials; and 3) compiled facts on the economic, ecological, and social benefits of open space.

From her internship, Kristen gained invaluable insight into the strategies of an environmental advocacy organization working at a regional level. She became more familiar with the diverse array of legislation relevant to open space protection and gained experience identifying key decision-makers and evaluating what messages would reach them. In addition, she learned firsthand the benefits and challenges of sustaining a collaborative working group. As a result of her work, Greenbelt Alliance gained critical information for designing its í¢â‚¬Å“green visioní¢â‚¬  campaigns and was poised to create a well-researched communications piece that would resonate with elected officials.

Internship Details