Leading with Her Heart

Foundation president Katie Loos discusses her passion for the work, the people, and a greener future.

WHEN SHE STARTED AT THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION nine years ago, Katie Loos didn’t know a lot about trees. What she did have was a strong desire to create a better world for her children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. The mission began to “grow” on her the minute she walked through the doors, and now she serves as president of the organization — a dedicated champion for tree planting. Read on to get to know Katie in her own words.

What is your strongest connection to trees?

I grew up in western Nebraska, near the Colorado mountains. Places like Rocky Mountain National Park hold a tender place in my heart. My husband and I take our two kids there every summer to spend a week in the woods. As you can imagine, my favorite tree is the aspen. Seeing aspens makes me feel at home.

What fuels your passion for the Foundation?

What gets me out of bed every day is the people who are committed to doing this work. My husband has often said my superpower is understanding people. I love the opportunity to lead people and teams. And not everyone loves that — because it’s hard, because we’re all complicated and messy people. But over the years I’ve honed the ability to see people — how they’re uniquely wired and what their talents are — and then to put them into the right role and allow them to run. It’s a joy to get to do this for such a wonderful team of people.

How about your passions outside of work? What defines you as a human?

I have this optimistic outlook on life. I tend to see the hope, the possibilities. I care deeply about the people in my life — family and friends. I also love art and music. If my headphones are on, Taylor Swift is probably playing. And I am incredibly competitive. Just ask my kids how many games of checkers I’ve lost.

How do you balance family and work in your new role?

I love being a mom; it’s my greatest gift. And at the Foundation, my kids get to be a part of my work. They’re at tree planting events with me all the time. They’re so proud of the trees they help plant — they even name them. They think I’m out planting trees all day every day, which is awesome. My first grader even wants to work at the Arbor Day Foundation someday.

What are you most excited about as you look to the future?

Over the years, we have challenged ourselves to be thoughtful about what we want to accomplish as an organization. Right now, we have big goals that are worthy of the moment we’re in as a planet. I’m excited about the focus we have and the discipline we maintain as we fulfill our mission in new and meaningful ways. And as we plan for what the next 50 years of this organization look like, I can’t help but feel incredibly excited as we chart a course for a greener tomorrow.