This Week Clint and Dawson sit down with Camila Simon. Camilla is the Executive Director for HECHO. She is passionate about elevating Latino voices in local, state and national conservation efforts, especially when it comes to accessing public lands.
Since she joined HECHO in November 2014, she has worked to broaden the definition of a conservationist, and elevate the importance of Hispanic/Latino generational ties to the land and what that knowledge can add to public policy debates around access to the outdoors and conservation of land, water, and air for future generations. To support this, she has led many advocacy efforts that brought Hispanic/Latino perspectives to the forefront of national conservation campaigns. Camilla also has cultivated a prolific guest blog series featuring Hispanic/Latino stories of connection to the outdoors, stewardship of natural resources for future generations, and conservation leadership. In 2018, Camilla was instrumental in envisioning and forming a mutually beneficial partnership between HECHO and the National Wildlife Federation to collaborate authentically and intentionally lift up our aligned conservation missions and shared values in order to build an inclusive and equitable conservation movement—one that engages all communities in protecting the natural world for future generations. Through this partnership, Camilla is leading HECHO through the joint development and implementation of collaborative projects with the Federation family that bring financial resources, build capacity, and increase visibility for Hispanic/Latino conservation leaders across the nation.
Prior to joining HECHO, Camilla managed the distribution of over $20 million annually in conservation funds at a major foundation, aimed at increasing the capacity of local, regional, and national nonprofits. She also started the foundation’s first composting program to dramatically reduce landfill waste. She has also worked on a number of programs to connect children with nature.
Camilla graduated from Pacific University in Oregon with a degree in creative writing and literature; and then summa cum laude in environmental law and policy from Vermont Law School. From 2014-2021, she served as Treasurer of the board of the nonprofit Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, which provides trail maintenance jobs, teaches traditional tool skills to new generations of stewards, and assists the recreating public. In 2020, she was appointed to the Virginia Board of Conservation and Recreation. Camilla lives in Virginia with her husband and two daughters, and is enjoying getting to know the outdoors on the East Coast after living most of her life in the west.
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