Carl Palmer is the founder and CEO of LegacyWorks Group, which works across North America to bring people together to solve the most complex challenges facing communities and landscapes. By aligning local leadership, private philanthropy, impact investing and public investment, LegacyWorks helps communities build the partnerships and financial structures that create the conditions for transformative change.
Prior to founding LegacyWorks in 2014, Carl helped pioneer the field of conservation finance through Greenbridges and Beartooth Capital, where he raised and deployed blended capital to conserve working lands. That experience led him to a broader realization that lasting impact requires more than capital alone. Authentic relationships, shared leadership and trust-based collaboration are what really empower communities to create bright futures together.
Carl earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Architectural Studies and Environmental Studies from Brown University and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is a frequent speaker on conservation finance, collaborative leadership, and systems change, and lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife, children and chickens.