Kenneth Lingerfelt has joined the Coastal Land Trust team as our GIS Specialist/Stewardship Associate.

Born in Asheville, NC, Kenneth grew up exploring the high elevation creeks of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. On family vacations, he enjoyed exploring the tide pools of the NC coast. He earned a B.S. in Ecology and Field Biology from UNC Asheville in 2014 where he also competed for the university’s D1 soccer program. He built a baseline of academic experience in aquatic ecology, wildlife conservation, and GIS before working field research positions with the National Park Service, US Forest Service, and then the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). During his time with the NCWRC, he led backcountry field research teams dedicated to studying and mapping the distribution of native fish species in WNC and was selected for the Technician of the Year award in 2018. He joined the Coastal Land Trust team in January of 2022.

Kenneth always felt drawn to the coastal landscape and is excited for the opportunity to bring his skills and experience to the Coastal Land Trust team and to the conservation of wild places in the region. In his free time he enjoys canoeing, hiking, and camping with his girlfriend and their dog, as well as the occasional soccer game just for fun.