Nancy Braker ’81

After graduating from Carleton as a biology major, Nancy Braker ’81 earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Entomology. Most entomologists work on addressing insect pests, but Braker’s interests have been in conserving endangered insects. She worked for The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, conducting surveys for rare insects and developing conservation plans for sites where they were found. She lived in Wisconsin for close to 20 years while continuing to work for the Conservancy in land management and conservation planning with a focus on invasive species issues and fire management. She was delighted to return to Carleton in 2007 to fill the newly created position of Arboretum director.