Grand Canyon Conservancy, Chief Executive Officer

Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National Park, has selected Elizabeth Silkes as CEO, effective February 3, 2025. Silkes will leverage her extensive expertise to elevate Grand Canyon National Park and the Conservancy’s mission to inspire generations of park champions to cherish and support the natural and cultural wonder of Grand Canyon.

Silkes brings over 14 years of experience and expertise from her role as Executive Director of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC), where she oversaw a dynamic network of more than 370 museums, historic sites, and memory initiatives across 80 countries. In this role, she fostered civic engagement, advanced transitional justice, and supported human rights through innovative programs, exhibit designs, and global collaboration. 

Silkes has also served on the board of ICOM-US, the U.S. National Committee of the International Council of Museums; as an International Advisor to the Accounts of the Conflict project at the University of Ulster INCORE; as an international advisor to UNESCO; and as a member of the Law Advisory Council for the Fetzer Institute. 

Read the full announcement here.  

Cati Mitchell-Crossley led this search with Luciano Zuniga and Thea Kosmack.