SFI Reimagines Leadership for a New Era in Sustainable Forestry

OTTAWA, Ontario and WASHINGTON – January 27, 2026 – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) today announced a significant evolution in its leadership structure, set in motion by the planned 2026 retirement of its long-serving President and CEO, Kathy Abusow. Concluding a tenure defined by visionary growth and diversification, Abusow’s departure marks the end of an era and the beginning of a strategic reorganization designed to amplify the organization's impact. In a decisive move, SFI will split the singular CEO role into three distinct leadership positions, a change that underscores the non-profit's expanding mission in standards, conservation, and education.

A Transformative Legacy

When Kathy Abusow took the helm in 2007, SFI's focus was primarily on its forest management standards. Over nearly two decades, she has been the driving force behind its transformation into a multi-faceted organization with global recognition. Under her leadership, SFI's certified land base in North America exploded from 140 million acres to over 370 million acres (150 million hectares), encompassing a diverse array of public, private, Indigenous, university, and community forests.

But the growth was not merely geographic. Abusow expanded SFI's mandate far beyond certification, embedding pillars of conservation collaboration, community engagement, and environmental education into its core identity. This strategic diversification has positioned SFI as a critical player in addressing complex sustainability challenges, from climate action to biodiversity loss.

“Kathy’s leadership has invaluably shaped who SFI is today. She has been a strategic growth leader who translated mission into impact and results,” said Dan Lambe, CEO of the Arbor Day Foundation and Chair of the SFI Board of Directors. “Her commitment to excellence, integrity, and people has left an indelible mark on our organization. We are deeply grateful for her many contributions and the strong foundation she leaves behind.”

Reflecting on her career, Abusow stated, “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve SFI and work alongside such dedicated colleagues, partners, and board members. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together and in fact, one of my greatest accomplishments is having built an amazing team at SFI and a strong Senior Leadership Team. I have every confidence in the continued success of the organization.”

A Strategic Split for Expanded Impact

The most significant aspect of the transition is the decision to restructure the executive leadership. Abusow’s combined role as President & CEO of SFI and President & CEO of PLT Canada will be divided into three new positions: a President of SFI, a President of PLT Canada, and a new, overarching SFI Chief Executive Officer. This move signals a deliberate effort to provide focused, expert leadership to the organization's increasingly complex and successful program areas.

To ensure stability and continuity, SFI has elevated two long-standing senior leaders. Jason Metnick, a 25-year veteran of the organization who has been instrumental in leading its standards pillar, has been named President of SFI. He will focus on elevating SFI standards as a proof point for sustainable forestry and responsible purchasing in the global marketplace. Christine Leduc, RPF, previously SFI's VP of Canadian Operations & Communications, has been appointed President of PLT Canada, where she will continue her work in strategic communications and government relations while championing the organization's educational and workforce initiatives.

This new structure allows for greater specialization and accountability. With Metnick dedicated to the core standards and conservation work and Leduc focused on the rapidly growing education and green jobs portfolio, the incoming CEO will be free to concentrate on overarching strategy, high-level stakeholder engagement, and guiding the implementation of SFI's ambitious future plans.

Cultivating the Next Generation: The Power of PLT

Nowhere is Abusow's legacy of expansion more apparent than in the realm of education and workforce development. In 2017, she led the integration of Project Learning Tree (PLT), a renowned environmental education program, into SFI. A year later, she founded PLT Canada, an initiative that has become a powerhouse for building the future green workforce.

Since its inception in 2018, PLT Canada has placed over 8,700 young adults in green jobs within the forest and conservation sectors. The program has been a model for diversity and inclusion, with 50% of participants being women and 15% being Indigenous youth. Funded in part by the Canadian federal government, the initiative provides meaningful, hands-on work experience and mentorship, creating career pathways for the next generation of environmental leaders.

Under the new, dedicated leadership of Christine Leduc, PLT Canada is poised for continued growth. The creation of a distinct presidency for the program underscores its importance to SFI's mission of fostering a lifetime of learning, from environmental literacy in early childhood to professional development in the green economy. This focus ensures that as SFI works to sustain forests, it is also working to sustain the human capital needed to manage them.

Charting the Course: The 2025-2030 Strategic Direction

The incoming CEO will not be starting from a blank slate. Their primary mandate will be to guide the implementation of the SFI 2025-2030 Strategic Direction, a comprehensive roadmap developed with input from over 400 stakeholders. This plan is built on a vision of “a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests” and is organized around four key strategies:

1. Promoting Responsible Forestry and Sourcing: Enhancing the value and demand for SFI-certified products.
2. Providing Nature-Based Solutions: Advancing practices that deliver positive outcomes for climate resilience, biodiversity, and water.
3. Fostering a Lifetime of Learning: Expanding environmental education and career pathways through programs like PLT.
4. Creating Positive Change with Diverse Communities: Deepening engagement with a wide range of partners, including Indigenous Peoples.

This strategic framework directly addresses the pressing challenges facing forests today, including climate change, wildfire risk, and species loss, while also tackling the need to build a more diverse and resilient workforce. A comprehensive search for a new CEO who can execute this vision will begin in the coming months. The Board will seek a leader who can build on Abusow's formidable legacy and steer the newly structured organization toward even greater impact.