New York (June 1, 2023) – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) welcomes Monica P. Medina, the first diplomat in the U.S. designated to advocate for global biodiversity, as she begins her tenure as WCS’s new President and CEO. Medina will work to further the WCS mission to save wildlife and wild places, harnessing the power of its four zoos and an aquarium in New York City, and Global Conservation Programs in nearly 60 countries.

Medina has a long and accomplished career in conservation and environmental policy. She was confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs on September 28, 2021, with bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate. Previously, Medina was an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She was also a Senior Associate on the Stephenson Ocean Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Co-Founder and Publisher of Our Daily Planet, an e-newsletter on conservation and the environment. A former Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, she served as General Counsel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. Earlier in her career, Medina served as the Senior Counsel to former Senator Max Baucus on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; as the Senior Director for Ocean Policy at the National Geographic Society; as the ocean lead at the Walton Family Foundation; and in senior roles in other environmental organizations.

For media use:

Download video introduction and photo of Monica Medina HERE.

WCS’s hiring announcement and full background HERE.