Today, the National Audubon Society and Audubon North Carolina announced the appointment of Andrew Hutson, PhD as Executive Director of Audubon North Carolina and Vice President of National Audubon Society.
Andrew joins Audubon after a successful tenure at Environmental Defense Fund where he most recently served as Senior Director of the Fishery Solutions Center.
“Birds are our link to the natural world and an incredible lens through which to view our greatest conservation challenges. They provide hope and beauty to our daily lives. Saving birds and the places they need to thrive in North Carolina is critical to the conservation of the greater Atlantic Flyway and the people who live in it,” said Hutson.
“Audubon North Carolina is primed for growth, and the timing is perfect to expand our partnerships and evolve our strategic plan for even greater impact.”
As head of Audubon North Carolina, Andrew will oversee conservation strategies spanning across North Carolina’s mountains, coast, working lands, and bird-friendly communities.
In the coming months, Andrew will meet with partners, donors, funders and chapter members to strengthen community connections and lay the groundwork for Audubon North Carolina to address new conservation challenges including climate change and sea level rise. We look forward to applying his unique perspectives to make an even greater impact.
“North Carolina is home to vital habitats, including 96 Important Bird Areas like the Outer Banks and Currituck Marshes, that are critical breeding, migrating or wintering sites for birds as they journey along the Atlantic Flyway,” said David O’Neill, National Audubon Society’s chief conservation officer and senior advisor to the CEO. “Andrew’s expertise is a great fit for our work in North Carolina and we look forward to his leadership.”
At Environmental Defense Fund, Andrew led a team of two dozen diverse, highly-talented experts in EDF’s Fishery Solutions Center focused on science, economics, capacity building, and supply chains. Prior to leading the Fishery Solutions Center, Andrew was a director in EDF’s Corporate Partnerships Program where, among other duties, he opened the organization’s office in Bentonville, Arkansas to improve the sustainability performance of leading retailers, worked to reduce energy use in Chinese factories, and partnered with leading food companies to halt Amazon deforestation.
Andrew holds a PhD in Public Policy from UNC-Chapel Hill, a Masters in Environmental Management (MEM) in Resource Economics & Policy from Duke University, and a B.A. in International Relations from James Madison College at Michigan State University.
Thanks to an incredible six years under former Executive Director Heather Hahn, Audubon North Carolina is stronger than ever. Andrew’s leadership is sure to take our mission to new heights.
JOIN our 2018 Summit "Migration in the Mountains" this September 7-9 to meet Andrew in-person!
