Ducks Unlimited has hired Karen Waldrop as its new chief operating officer after years serving as its Chief Conservation Officer.
Waldrop joined the organization in 2019 and has since worked as Ducks Unlimited (DU) chief conservation officer.
“Since Karen joined DU in 2019, her impact on our conservation delivery has been historic,” said the organization’s CEO Adam Putnam.
In her tenure at DU, she has overseen the expansion of DU’s conservation delivery footprint across the United States, surpassing one million acres of conservation in FY24 and FY25. Waldrop was previously part of The Wildlife Society’s “Leaders in Conservation on Mentoring the Next Leaders.” The session, held at the TWS’ 30th Annual Conference Louisville, Kentucky, brought together a group of women who overcame obstacles in a male-dominated field to reach top leadership positions in conservation. Before joining Ducks Unlimited, Waldrop spent 20 years at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, starting as a graduate student and progressing to leadership roles, including Wildlife Division Director and then Deputy Commissioner.
“It’s a privilege to work alongside the passionate volunteers, staff and members who make DU a uniquely effective force for conservation,” Waldrop said. “Everything we’ve accomplished so far has been a team effort, but there is still much more work to be done to combat North America’s continued wetland loss and habitat degradation—that’s a challenge we readily accept.”
