Meghan Hertel joined the California Natural Resources Agency in February 2024 as Deputy Secretary of Biodiversity and Habitat. In this role, Meghan leads the Agency’s efforts to conserve biodiversity and improve habitat across the state through the implementation of California’s 30x30 strategy and associated efforts including the Cutting Green Tape initiative and supporting the implementation of large-scale habitat projects. Before joining the Agency, Meghan served as North American Director for Land Life, a technology-driven, nature restoration company, and spent over a decade with Audubon California holding several positions including Director of Land and Water Conservation, where she led statewide conservation programs focused on inland water and working lands strategies. In her free time, you can find Meghan and her husband enjoying California’s incredible outdoors—backpacking, biking and paddleboarding—or trying to keep up with their foster dogs. Meghan holds a Master of Arts in Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Florida.
