The Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA) is pleased to announce Tim Sandsmark as recipient of the 2024 ANCA Nature Center Leadership Award. This award acknowledges Sandsmark’s major achievements in the nature center profession through his work at Jefferson County Open Space and the former Greenway and Nature Center of Pueblo (now the Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center).
Sandsmark began his administrative career in the nature center profession at the Greenway and Nature Center of Pueblo in 1994, serving as director until 2002. That year Sandsmark became the administrator of the Lookout Mountain Nature Center, part of Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS). JCOS manages over 56,000 acres in 28 parks throughout Jefferson County, Colorado, part of the Denver metropolitan area. Sandsmark went on to hold several other positions at JCOS, including the Lookout Region Parks Supervisor, Education Supervisor, and Heritage Stewardship Supervisor. He retired in 2021.
Throughout his career, Sandsmark worked to connect people to nature and elevate our collective profession. He notably led major educational transitions at JCOS, including the development of offsite educational outreach that expanded JCOS’ audience. Sandsmark also led efforts to respond to vastly increased onsite visitation, which led to stronger promotion of park stewardship and visitor safety.
Sandsmark is known as a collaborative and thoughtful leader within his professional communities. Heidi Skiba, Stewardship Education Senior Ranger at JCOS, wrote in Sandsmark’s nomination that “Tim noticed and appreciated the unique skills and abilities of each staff member and volunteer, and empowered everyone to utilize those strengths to develop innovative educational opportunities for visitors.” Sandsmark has clearly inspired his colleagues to strive for excellence in our field.
Beyond his work at JCOS and the Greenway and Nature Center of Pueblo, Sandsmark has contributed service to multiple nonprofits and professional organizations. Sandsmark served on the ANCA Board of Directors from 2001 to 2008 and from 2011 to 2017. During this time he served as Board President from 2005 to 2008, and Board Treasurer from 2013 to 2017. Following his Board service, he also served on the ANCA Summit Committee until 2019 and the ANCA Governance Committee until 2021. Sandsmark still serves on the ANCA Finance Committee. Additionally, Sandsmark has served on an impressive 23 ANCA Peer Consults.
He has also served on the boards of the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE), the Colorado Environmental Partnership, the Lariat Loop National Scenic Byway, and Science, Health and Access to Resources and Education (SHARE). In 2020, Sandsmark received the CAEE Outstanding Retiring Environmental Educator recognition.
ANCA will recognize Sandsmark with this award as part of the Leadership Award Ceremony on September 11 at the 2024 ANCA Annual Summit.
"I am thrilled to see Tim recognized for his exceptional leadership and dedication to the profession. Tim’s ability to inspire and empower others is a testament to his remarkable talent and unwavering commitment. I met Tim in 1998 at my first Summit and immediately knew I had found a peer and mentor. I am most impressed with Tim’s contributions to the success of ANCA. Tim often says of ANCA, ‘I found my people,’ and thanks to his dedication, many of our members feel the same way.”
— Jen Levy, ANCA Executive Director
“Tim is a thoughtful and insightful leader who seeks to empower individuals, create cohesive teams, and build cooperative bridges. He has an unassuming demeanor and goes about achieving success in a very quiet and unobtrusive manner. Tim’s affable and humble demeanor endears him to those who work with him, and his ability to think reflectively makes him a great source of advice and good counsel. In addition, Tim consistently steps up to the plate to help out or take the lead on a project.”
— Pat Welch, Executive Director (retired) of Pine Jog Environmental Education Center and 2009 recipient of the ANCA Nature Center Leadership Award
ABOUT THE AWARD
The ANCA Nature Center Leadership Award recognizes an individual who in their role at the highest administrative level of an organization has made a major contribution to the success of a nature center, as well as important contributions to the profession through professional organizations and the support of other nature center leaders. A committee of ANCA members selects the award recipient from a pool of leaders who were nominated by their peers. ANCA has presented this award to one individual each year since 2000.
ABOUT ANCA
The Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA) promotes and supports best leadership and management practices for the nature and environmental learning center profession. It is the only such organization in North America and supports over 700 dues-paying members that include nature center directors, managers, senior administrators, and board members.
