Tamar Renaud

Since joining Trust for Public Land in 2025, Tamar Renaud has brought dynamic leadership and global public health expertise to New York’s outdoor future.

As New York State Director, she is accelerating efforts to ensure every New Yorker can access safe, welcoming green spaces that improve health and social connection. Under Tamar’s leadership, TPL is advancing landmark projects like the Queensway, transforming long abandoned rail line into a 47-acre park in one of NYC’s boroughs most in urgent need of green space; the Long Island Greenway, delivering a safe walking and biking trail to a car-dominated region notorious for cyclist and pedestrian deaths, and Community Schoolyards, a program which has transformed more than 235+ barren asphalt schoolyards into vibrant, climate-resilient parks. She also directs statewide land protection efforts, safeguarding treasured places and new acreage along the Appalachian Trail — advancing a healthier, more connected New York for generations.

Prior to joining TPL, Renaud served as the Chief Operating Officer of Vital Strategies, a global nonprofit funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. During her tenure, she spearheaded the development of Vital Strategies’ inaugural strategic plan and played a pivotal role in the organization’s rapid expansion and international reach. Renaud’s dedication to public health has been demonstrated through her work at UNICEF, where she formulated policies and initiatives addressing HIV/AIDS among children in humanitarian crises.

At the New York City health department, Renaud led the FEMA-funded mental health response to Hurricane Sandy, showcasing her adeptness in crisis management. Renaud’s commitment to social impact extends globally, as she co-founded and directed a nonprofit organization in Thailand as an Echoing Green fellow earlier in her career.

Renaud holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental health from Brown University and a master’s degree in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Fluent in four languages and having been raised on three continents, Renaud’s diverse background enriches her perspective on environmental conservation and community engagement. Outside of her professional endeavors, Renaud enjoys hiking and actively participates in urban greening initiatives in her neighborhood, fostering a deep connection to nature and community.