Our Staff

Torjia Karimu joined the Fairmount Park Conservancy team in April 2024. In his role as Natural Lands Field Coordinator, Torjia is responsible for coordinating and carrying out maintenance and habitat restoration projects.

Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, Torjia spent nearly a decade working as a nature conservationist in Africa. Previously, he served as Program Manager for a Jane Goodall Institute-led regional chimpanzee conservation and sensitization program. Recently, in the Philadelphia area, he volunteered with the Franklin Institute, completed AmeriCorps service, and worked as Project Coordinator for PowerCorpsPHL.

Torjia holds master’s degrees in Forest Science and Environmental Biology from Yale University and Njala University Sierra Leone, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with honors in Applied Ecology. He has completed numerous professional and environmental leadership training courses, including a diploma in endangered species management (DESMAN) from Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent at Canterbury and a summer’s certificate in Sustainability Management from University of California, Berkeley.

When not at work, Torjia is interested in family, friends, reading, and nature/behavior watching. His favorite Philadelphia park is West Fairmount Park.