Bay Area Ridge Trail Council welcomes Kirsten Saenz Tobey as its next Executive Director. A lifelong Bay Area resident and mission-driven executive with two decades of leadership experience, Kirsten brings deep expertise in organizational strategy, operations, community engagement, and conservation to one of the region’s most beloved public resources.
Most recently, Kirsten served as Chief Operating Officer of Save the Redwoods League, where she led organization-wide strategy and operations, guided the organization through a CEO transition, and served as Interim CEO. She introduced annual planning processes that strengthened cross-functional alignment, launched a new leadership development function, and oversaw implementation of a landmark landscape-scale conservation strategy.
Before joining Save the Redwoods League, Kirsten co-founded Revolution Foods, building it from a startup into a national social enterprise with over 800 employees and more than 500 million healthy meals delivered to children across the country. She held multiple executive roles over 18 years, leading strategy, operations, innovation, and mission delivery while championing equity and inclusion at every level of the organization.
Kirsten’s connection to the outdoors is personal and enduring. An avid trail runner, mountain biker, and backcountry skier, she brings a genuine passion for connecting people to nature to this role. She is a current board member of ARTA River Trips and has served in leadership roles across numerous mission-aligned organizations. Her career reflects a consistent commitment to partnership-driven work, equitable access to the natural world, and building organizations that grow stronger over time.
To learn more about the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council, visit ridgetrail.org.
