It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our colleague Amy Wold. After a brief but courageous battle with cancer, Amy’s sister Andra let us know she passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Thursday, May 29.
So many people in the coastal restoration, environmental, and research communities knew Amy and appreciated her intellect, kindness, and professionalism. Between Amy’s 17 years as an environmental reporter, 8 years with The Water Institute as communications director, and recently as policy director with LWF, she made a lasting impact on addressing and understanding the challenges of natural resources management in Louisiana.
A native of the Pacific northwest, when Amy moved to south Louisiana it became her home and she contributed much to people understanding the complexity of our landscape and how we live with it. She believed in and supported science and evidence-based decision-making.
Amy joined LWF as Policy Director in August 2024 and quickly added tremendous value to our policy analysis. She identified research for best practices for solar siting. She provided detailed analysis of the proposed reorganization of what was formerly called the Department of Natural Resources. She brought her deep knowledge of coastal restoration to LWF’s responses to the criticisms of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, which LWF supports. Because LWF covers many issues, she crafted our comments on changes to reptile regulations, shark regulations, and plans to recover the Louisiana pinesnake. She helped celebrate the ribbon cutting for the Maurepas Diversion project. She represented LWF on numerous working groups.
Rebecca Triche, executive director of LWF said, “Amy was excited about increasing and elevating LWF’s policy work and our board was thrilled that she offered us her expertise and experience. It was a delight to see her enthusiasm for the many wildlife and habitat issues LWF prioritizes. She is deeply missed.”
Beaux Jones, President & CEO of The Water Institute said, “Amy brought heart and an unwavering dedication to truth to her work — first as a journalist, then as a colleague, and always as a fierce advocate for Louisiana’s coast and communities. For 8 years at The Water Institute, Amy shaped how we share our science with the world, with integrity and deep insight. She was a patient teacher, a fair critic, and a loyal friend. Amy’s quiet influence is everywhere in this work, and her loss is deeply felt.”
Her colleagues and friends at The Water Institute will soon post a tribute that LWF plans to share here too.
Amy requested no formal memorial service and something informal will be planned. We will post a link to the obituary here when it is available.
Please feel free to leave tribute and memorial comments to this post and we will make sure Amy’s family sees it.
Amy, I hope you knew how many people admired you and appreciated your work. You were one of the best. My condolences to the family and friends who love you.
Wherever she was and whatever she did, Amy did it well and in ways that made it a pleasure to be around her. We’re better off for having had her and will miss her going forward. Godspeed, Amy.
When I was employed at a conservation non-profit, Amy was always helpful to spread the word in a newspaper article about the good environmental work being done . She was talented, whip smart, and a pro at assimilating information quickly. Amy was a pleasure to work with and I hope she knew how much good she spread in this world.
Beautiful soul doing wonderful work for this world. Your compassion and dedication this world will miss.
God bless
It probably shouldn’t be a surprise since she was such a good reporter, but I always found it easy and enjoyable to talk to Amy. At the end of a boring meeting, I could always make my way to Amy for a sharp and incisive take on the proceedings and a personal and friendly antidote to the formality of a public presentation about something weedy. I so enjoyed working alongside Amy over the years, but was particularly excited to work even more closely with her as she entered the policy phase of her career. She left her mark on a complicated and important field and helped so many people understand it better. It was a true gift to know and work alongside Amy and she will be greatly missed.
I met Amy sometime around 2003, when she was at the Advocate. She was working on a series about aging and care of the elderly. I was impressed with her dedication to her subject, but even more so with her compassion and her sensitivity when interviewing caregiver families. Through the years, I occasionally saw her name in print, connected with one project or another, and always with that same enthusiasm for whatever she was investigating or researching. I was delighted to hear that she had joined the La Wildlife Federation staff, and now, less than a year later, heartbroken to hear of her death. What a loss, not only personally, but for the LWF, for Louisiana, for the environment, for us all. She will be greatly missed.
I only knew Amy for a short while when she helped me contact DOTD about roadside management for wildlife and wildflowers, but I will miss her. I’ll miss her intelligence, her patience, her kindness, her understanding, her willingness to help and work on a project, her everything. She was great. I hope she knew how great she was.
Amy – you were always such a great partner for us. We loved working with you and getting to know you. You are already missed.
I am so sorry to hear this news. I wailed with Amy when we were both newbies at The Courier and she was a top notch reporter and a better friend and colleague. It was great to see her at events around the state and catch up. Prayers for her and her family.
Thank you for your work and love shared beautiful soul! May your legacy live on in the coasts and communities you impacted and beyond 🙏💐💐
A kind and wonderful person. I feel fortunate to have worked with her in Baton Rouge, drinking beers, playing tennis and passing late nights at Chad’s. Rest easy, A-Wold!!
We had many amazing years together at The Water Institute. She taught me and so many how to communicate well and work with journalists to support coastal restoration grounded in science. She was also a very funny and kind person. Sometimes she would make me laugh until I cried. I always felt comfortable and welcomed in her presence. She will be missed by so many. My heart grieves for her family. She was a special person.
I worked with Amy at The Advocate, although my remote job site didn’t put us in the same room that often. But I admired her steady hand as our environmental reporter and always looked forward to her articles. She also was a genuinely nice person.
Outstanding reporter. Great laugh.
Amy was such a great person; smart, talented, capable, and fun to talk to. She understood the coast, and so many of the people that made this place what it is. She will be deeply missed, and remembered dearly.
Oh my. What a loss for Louisiana, our coast, and the communities under threat from short-sighted leaders. Amy was such a steady, insightful reporter when I first met her, and she was a natural in continuing the legacy of committed environmental journalism at the Advocate, especially after the loss of Mike Dunne. I had left the region by the time she exited the ranks of ink-stained wretches, but watched her continued excellence from afar. My heart breaks for her colleagues, family, and the legion of tree-huggers who will miss her. The world, and all who care about its sustainability, will be poorer for her absence.
It hurts to hear this. Amy and I met during my time at the Gulf Alliance. We bonded over our shared history of reporter turned environmental communications professional. She was brilliant, and funny. She was one of my references for my most recent job, because I knew she would share the best of me, honestly, and openly. She was a fabulous lady and the world will miss her.
It was such a pleasure getting to know you Amy. I enjoyed talking to you about hiking and traveling. You were such a genuine, kind person and I will miss you.
The Truth Teller. Our angel-sent messenger – the insight, the courage, the light. You have our infinite gratitude, and to have known you was an invaluable gift. Our deepest sympathy and the joy of heartfelt memories for her family. You, our friend, made a difference – to us, to the world.
She will indeed be greatly missed.
I worked with Amy at The Advocate for years. Then I went to work for LDEQ, and she covered what we did. She was wonderful colleague and a fair and unbiased reporter. She was also a great human being. The world is a little bit smaller now.