Jonathan Birdsong to Join National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as Director of the Western Partnership Office

Washington, D.C., Nov. 18, 2014 – Today, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announces the appointment of Jonathan Birdsong as Partnership Office Director for the Western Partnership Office. Birdsong will be based in NFWF’s newly expanded San Francisco office, starting in January, and will be responsible for leading staff and for raising and distributing funds for cooperative conservation projects throughout Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada.

Birdsong brings to his new position more than 15 years’ experience in brokering strategic, non-traditional initiatives in the public and private sectors that benefit natural resources. For the past four years, Birdsong worked for BlueWater Strategies, a boutique consulting firm in Washington, D.C., where he focused on natural resources, agriculture, energy and irrigation efficiency policies.

From 2002 to 2010, Birdsong worked for U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson of California, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Jonathan handled energy, natural resources, western water and agriculture policy for the Congressman and, for the last seven years of that time, was the Congressman's legislative director, responsible for managing legislative strategy and staff.

Prior to working for Congressman Thompson, Birdsong worked for one of the oldest conservation organizations in the country – the Izaak Walton League of America – where he managed their energy program and was part of their federal government relations team. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and an MBA from The George Washington University.

“I’ve worked with Jonathan in both the public and private sectors and have always admired his ability to bring people together to support conservation,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “I am excited that he will be taking a leadership role in the West Coast operations of the foundation.”

 

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 intractable conservation challenges. Over the last three decades, NFWF has funded more than 4,000 organizations and committed more than $2.3 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

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