The National Audubon Society announced today the official promotion of Andrea Jones as Vice President, California. A widely respected leader who has driven several major conservation wins across the state, Jones will helm one of the organization’s largest offices, overseeing 46 staff and several innovative programs.
“Our team in California is creating incredible impact for birds and communities across the state and I’m honored to support their efforts,” said Jones. “As the California office approaches its 30th anniversary in 2026, I look forward to building on its legacy of powerful conservation and envisioning new paths to reduce the decline of North America’s birds through protecting and enhancing habitats, addressing the impacts of climate change, and engaging Audubon chapters and communities to expand our work. I’m fortunate to have worked in every corner of this beautiful state and I’m thrilled to leverage my deep knowledge of our communities, our opportunities, and our birds in this important role.”
“Audubon’s Flight Plan calls for ambitious strategies to meet the challenges of this moment – and California plays a critical role in achieving that vision,” said Srabani Roy, Audubon’s Vice President of Conservation Action for the Western Flyways. “Andrea’s collaborative and inspiring leadership will be instrumental to building a more resilient future for birds and communities, not only across the state, but all along the Pacific Flyway and the western hemisphere.”
With over 600 species noted in the state, California is one of the most important places for birds in North America and boasts a nearly unmatched biodiversity. Notable Audubon achievements in California include saving Mono Lake, negotiating a conservation agreement at Tejon Ranch, listing the Pacific Coast population of Western Snowy Plover as federally threatened, leading science and restoration efforts at the Salton Sea, and helping to save the California Condor. Audubon has a strong network in California, with 48 independent chapters, 10 campus chapters, and 100,000s of members and supporters.
Jones brings over 30 years of experience in bird science, conservation, and advocacy, and has led several collaborative initiatives. She has served in various leadership roles at Audubon California since 2006, most recently as Senior Director of Conservation and Interim Executive Director, managing key conservation programs focused on coastal and marine ecosystems, working lands, saline lakes, science, and community engagement. Jones played a key role in negotiating the Owens Lake conservation plan, now an important model for water co-management with bird habitat and communities. Her work running a multi-million-dollar restoration project in San Francisco Bay led to policy changes to help make marshes more adaptable to sea level rise. And she partnered closely with Audubon chapters and other organizations across the California coast to launch a statewide Sharing Our Shores program protecting the threatened Western Snowy Plover. Formally trained as a scientist, she has also written and contributed to several important publications and white papers.
Before her work in California, Jones served as Director of the Coastal Waterbird and Grassland Bird Programs at Mass Audubon. She earned her Master of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts, where she conducted thesis research on Grasshopper Sparrows.
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Media contact: Shineh Rhee, Communications Director, Audubon California
shineh.rhee@audubon.org
415.644.4605
Audubon California is a regional office of the National Audubon Society. Learn more at audubon.org/california and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @AudubonCA.
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come.
