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SACRAMENTO – On January 11, Governor Newsom appointed Jenn Eckerle as Deputy Secretary for Oceans and Coastal Policy at the California Natural Resources Agency. In this role, Jenn serves as a key advisor to the Governor and the Secretary for Natural Resources and directs policy, scientific research, and critical partnerships to increase protection of California’s coast and ocean as the Executive Director of the Ocean Protection Council (OPC).

“I have had a deep connection with the ocean for as long as I can remember and have dedicated my career to protecting California’s extraordinary coast. I am honored to have this opportunity to continue serving the people of California by helping protect biodiversity, building coastal resilience, increasing access and stewardship by California Native American tribes and local communities, and supporting livelihoods that depend on a healthy ocean,” said Eckerle.

Jenn has been the Deputy Director at OPC since 2016, where she helped set strategic priorities for ocean and coastal conservation, led a team of 13 permanent staff, and managed all aspects of  operations including organizational and program budgets and workforce planning. She was an Ocean Policy Analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council from 2008 to 2016, Coastal Program Analyst at the California Coastal Commission from 2007 to 2008, and Coastal Program Analyst at the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission from 2000 to 2007. She represents OPC on the 30×30 Partnership Coordinating Committee, serves as California’s co-lead for the West Coast Ocean Alliance, and is a Program Advisor of the UC Davis Graduate Program of Environmental Policy and Management. She represents CNRA as a Commissioner on the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and an alternate on the California Coastal Commission, and serves on the Boards of California Sea Grant and California Ocean Science Trust. Eckerle earned a Master of Science degree in Marine Biology from the Florida Institute of Technology.