As the California Program Coordinator, Gillian works to advance landscape-scale wildlife connectivity throughout the state. She coordinates between the Wildlands Network’s staff and project partners to ensure the success of these essential projects.

Gillian’s love of California’s incredible lands and wildlife began at a young age. She grew up in a small community in Ventura County, California, where she spent her childhood exploring the mountains, canyons, and rivers near her home. This love of California’s natural world spurred her desire to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Earth Systems from Stanford University. She largely focused her studies on conservation and natural resources management in the California context. During her time in college, Gillian worked with the US Forest Service’s public-private partnerships and Threatened and Endangered Species programs, the Natural Resources Defense Council’s water and agriculture team, and the Institute for European Environmental Policy’s conservation and biodiversity policy analysis program. 

Gillian lives in San Francisco, California. When she is not thinking about wildlife conservation, Gillian can be found going on long walks with friends, running through San Francisco’s incredible park system, scouting out the best picnic spots, and strategizing about the next animal to bring home.