A new leader is coming to the Student Conservation Association, which has announced the appointment of Jaime Berman Matyas as its president and chief executive officer beginning in September.

Ms. Matyas will succeed Dale Penny, who is retiring after nearly two decades overseeing SCA, which connects youth with the outdoors through educational and work projects tied to conservation.

Ms. Matyas is the former executive vice president and chief operating officer of the National Wildlife Federation. She joined NWF in 1993, creating its first corporate marketing department and rising through the ranks to hold a series of senior positions. In her most recent role, Matyas set organizational strategy, built new constituencies, and managed day-to-day operations. She creatively advanced the organization’s mission—and her own personal passion—to protect wildlife by connecting young people with nature.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Jaime to SCA,” said Steven T. Seward, chair of SCA Board of Directors. “She’s a perfect fit. With her spirit of innovation and commitment to diversity, we know she will take SCA’s nationwide student programming to new heights as we continue nurturing the next generation of conservation leaders.”

Matyas has served on the National Wildlife Productions’ Board of Directors and the Advisory Board of Nature’s Best Magazine. She is currently on the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance Board of Directors and is a member of Rachel’s Network. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School’s Executive Education Program and is a certified Black Belt in Innovation Engineering.

“I’m inspired by SCA’s national presence, interest to pursue new partnerships and track record of leadership development. I’m honored to lead an organization so uniquely positioned to meet the needs of young conservation leaders,” she said. “Young people are the ‘farm team’ of the conservation movement. We need their energy and fresh ideas to stay relevant and effective. I look forward to expanding SCA’s impact as a thriving organization that represents the rich diversity of our nation’s youth.”