Natalie Lucas started at Friends of the Rainforest as the Executive Director in April of 2026. She began her work in tropical forest ecology as a master's student studying the impacts of fuelwood use on deforestation and forest degradation in Lombok, Indonesia with the Center for International Forestry Research. She holds her Master's Degree in Development Practice from the University of Arizona as well as a BS in Environmental Science and a BA in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (PPEL). Throughout her career, Natalie has used her skills and talents to create non-profit organizations, support networks working on climate and environmental issues around the world and manage large environmental organizations via their boards. She founded Care About Climate, a global youth climate advocacy organization in 2014, and in 2025, she co-founded an Indigenous Wisdom advocacy and implementation organization, A Wisdom Keepers Delegation. She was the youngest woman to be elected to the national Sierra Club Board in 2017, where she served as secretary for two years of her six-year term. Additionally, she has worked with the US Climate Action Network, the Southeast Climate and Energy Network, and the Lower Mekong Network to facilitate their international programs. Natalie is deeply passionate about creating a future that protects people and the planet in a way that is equitable, restorative, and just. During her free time, you can find Natalie reading a good book, playing boardgames with friends, or cuddling with her cats. She loves hiking, exploring new places, caves, and animals!

Tori Green joined Friends of the Rainforest in March 2023. Her lifelong passion for wildlife and global conservation drove her to obtain a B.A. in Conservation Biology and Ecology with a minor in Geography. Prior to FOTR, Tori's background includes a mixture of fieldwork, lab work, education facilitation, nonprofit management, and wildlife research. Tori also serves on the Board of Directors for Treehouse Wildlife Center and works as a supervisor and consultant for Earthday365. While not in the office or in the field teaching, you can find Tori caring for her rescue ranch of animals and plants, working in her garden, painting or drawing, cooking up new recipes, rehabilitating local wildlife, reading, doing renovations on her home, or on crazy explorations with family and friends. She loves hiking, caving, and especially kayaking.

Sophie Arp started with Friends of the Rainforest in 2019 as our Development Coordinator. At the end of 2021, she took on the role of Executive Director of FOTR. Recently she has shifted her work to support financial management in the organization. She has worked with a variety of non-profits across St. Louis, through volunteer and consulting work, mostly focused on development, media communications, and fundraising. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sophie attended Webster University at the Leiden Campus in the Netherlands to receive a BA in International Relations and Media Communications. After spending 3.5 years in Europe, Sophie completed her last semester at the Webster Campus in St. Louis. Outside of work, Sophie is passionate about social and environmental justice, reading (send her all your book recommendations), video editing, making music, taking walks, playing soccer and DND with friends, and hanging out with her cat, Frankie.