Although no trumpets are sounding, Alberta Ecotrust staff members are genuinely delighted to welcome Wanda Spooner back to their ranks.  Hired initially in 2003, Wanda started work as Ecotrust's first full-time Fund Development Manager and eventually added communications to her busy portfolio.  In early 2006, she took eight month's maternity leave to have her first child, returned for a year, and then worked part-time from out of town until she had her second child in April 2009. Returning to the Foundation in May — this time as Partner Development Manager — means not only the welcome reappearance of a friendly face but an important connection to the history and partner relations of the Foundation.

Not to rest on past laurels, Wanda has definite plans for the organization. "I'm excited to be back on the Ecotrust team," she says. 

"I'm looking forward to connecting with our partners and donors and introducing our good news story to potential donors around the province and in every sector. While tightening their belts, donors are increasingly adding environmental stewardship to their list of priorities, as we've seen in 2010. With such amazing energy around our partnership table and with the help of our dedicated team of fund development volunteers, I'm positive we'll see our granting budget grow significantly in the next two years."