FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Eric Epstein, Sustainable Conservation
(650) 283-5876, eepstein@suscon.org
Sustainable Conservation Names Dr. Josette Lewis as Next CEO
San Francisco, CA — October 14th, 2025 — Sustainable Conservation is pleased to announce that Dr. Josette Lewis has been selected as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer, following a nationwide search led by the Board of Directors and executive search firm DSG|Koya. Lewis will assume leadership at the beginning of 2026 after current CEO Ashley Boren retires at the end of 2025 after more than 28 years at the organization.
Lewis brings a specialized blend of leadership experience spanning government, academia, corporations, and nonprofits — the very sectors Sustainable Conservation unites to advance practical, collaborative solutions for California’s toughest natural resource challenges. She currently serves as Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at the Almond Board of California, where she oversaw its water stewardship programs and spearheaded the California Pollinator Coalition, a first-of-its-kind partnership among agriculture, conservation organizations, and government agencies to protect threatened pollinator species.
With a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from UCLA, Lewis has spent her career working at the intersections of science, policy, and sustainability. Her past leadership roles include senior positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), UC Davis, and the Environmental Defense Fund. Across each, she has focused on turning research into action, bridging divides, and building lasting partnerships to deliver ground-up impact.
Meanwhile, Boren’s nearly three decades of leadership transformed Sustainable Conservation into one of California’s most effective conservation nonprofits. Under her leadership, the organization advanced practical, lasting solutions to some of the state’s most complex climate and natural resource challenges, including legislation to phase copper out of brake pads, expedited pathways to accelerate habitat restoration, innovations to improve soil health and protect water quality, and piloting and scaling on-farm groundwater recharge. Boren will work closely with staff, Board members, and Lewis to ensure continuity during the transition period before stepping down for retirement at the end of 2025.
Testimonials
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am thrilled to welcome Josette Lewis as Sustainable Conservation’s next CEO,” said Jeff Loomans, Sustainable Conservation’s CEO Search Committee Chair and incoming Board Chair. “With her proven ability to create lasting change across government, science, agriculture, and conservation, we are confident she will strengthen our legacy of practical, science-based collaboration while pursuing new solutions for California’s toughest resource challenges.”
“This moment feels exactly right to transition the CEO role,” said outgoing CEO Ashley Boren. “The organization is in a strong position — with a talented and dedicated staff, an experienced and engaged Board, solid finances, and a clear strategic direction. I’m excited to welcome Josette, who will build on our accomplishments while bringing fresh energy and vision to our work.”
“Finding Ashley’s successor after 28 years of unparalleled leadership was a daunting task for all of us who know what she means to Sustainable Conservation,” said Board Chair Dan Dooley. “However, after an incredibly thorough search process, I am completely assured that the future of Sustainable Conservation is in excellent hands with Josette at the helm. She is undoubtedly the right person at the right moment for the organization.”
“I have long admired the way in which Sustainable Conservation honestly brokers lasting solutions for our state’s most urgent and complex natural resource challenges,” said incoming CEO Josette Lewis. “California’s future depends on bold, collaborative action, and I’m endlessly excited to join an organization who has built a name on meeting that challenge for over three decades.”