As Public Policy Director for Wildlands Network’s Mexico Program, Gina Ileana Chacón works to increase support for private lands conservation, federal Natural Protected Areas, wildlife corridors, and improved enforcement practices around wildlife protections.

Gina, born in Mexico City, earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Latin American Studies and Political and Social Studies, respectively, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In 2013, she was granted a Hubert Humphrey Fellowship through the Fulbright Program to study post graduate courses at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University in New York.

With 15 years of experience, Gina has worked as a researcher for organizations in Mexico and the U.S., focusing on citizen participation and human rights defense. Over the last decade, she has been dedicated to conducting research and analysis of public policies within the environmental sector, focusing on areas such as budget analysis, transparency, and accountability. Gina's dedication to enhancing public policy for environmental protection, while simultaneously advocating for human rights, motivated her decision to join Wildlands Network.

Gina is an environmentalist and feminist by conviction. From a young age she learned from her parents the love and respect for nature. Beyond her professional activities, she enjoys exploring her interests in history, has a passion for reading and traveling to explore and learn about other cultures.