Jay Jensen to Join National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as Director of the Southern Regional Office

Washington, D.C., July 29, 2015 – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced the appointment of Jay Jensen as director of the newly created Southern Regional Office.

Jensen will join the Foundation on Aug. 5 and will be based in Washington, D.C. He will be responsible for developing and advancing conservation initiatives, managing projects and securing funding for NFWF’s grant-making portfolio. The Southern Regional Office addresses conservation priorities in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.  

“Jay’s commitment to conservation and experience in developing collaborative solutions at multiple levels of government will prove to be tremendous assets for the Foundation,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “Jay also has led efforts to build successful partnerships between the public and private sectors, which makes him an ideal match for NFWF and our mission.”

Jensen brings more than 15 years of public policy and executive management experience in conservation efforts to his new role with the Foundation. Prior to joining NFWF, Jensen served as the associate director for land and water ecosystems for the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), where he had land- and water-policy responsibility for the U.S. Departments of Interior and Agriculture, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. His work focused on a range of issues, including ecosystem restoration, endangered species, drought, climate change, illegal fishing, marine planning, green infrastructure, clean water and public lands.

In 2009 and prior to his service at CEQ, Jensen served as the Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As deputy under secretary, Jensen had oversight responsibility for the U.S. Forest Service.

Previously, he served as the executive director of the Council of Western State Foresters/Western Forestry Leadership Coalition, and was senior policy advisor for the Western Governors Association working on wildfire and forest management issues, as well as managing their biomass energy program. Jensen also worked on lead up to the 2002 Farm Bill as lead forestry advisor for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture.

Jensen is a forester and former wildland firefighter. He holds a degree in biology and geography from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a master’s degree in forest sciences from Colorado State University. 

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores our nation’s wildlife and habitats. Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF directs public conservation dollars to the most pressing environmental needs and matches those investments with private contributions. NFWF works with government, nonprofit and corporate partners to find solutions for the most complex conservation challenges. Over the last three decades, NFWF has funded more than 4,000 organizations and committed more than $2.9 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.