Miguel Hernández Public Affairs Officer • June 20, 2026

Now Hiring! The Salton Sea Conservancy is Seeking an Executive Officer

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Experienced, collaborative, mission-driven professional wanted

We are seeking an experienced, collaborative, mission-driven professional to lead the newly established Salton Sea Conservancy. As the Conservancy’s inaugural leader, the Executive Officer will play a pivotal role in growing the Conservancy team, building durable partnerships, and shaping strategy to successfully operate and maintain completed restoration projects at the Salton Sea.


Under the policy direction of the Salton Sea Conservancy Board and with administrative oversight from the California Natural Resources Agency, the Executive Officer will serve as the organization’s chief executive. The Executive Officer will provide leadership in operations and maintenance for completed restoration projects built by the State’s Salton Sea Program, community engagement, interagency collaboration, project implementation, and financial oversight to ensure the ecological restoration and environmental health of the Salton Sea region in alignment with California Senate Bill 583.


This position is remote-centered and will be headquartered in the Salton Sea region once office facilities are established, with the Executive Officer expected to report onsite as needed.


Click here to read more about the Executive Officer position. Application deadline is August 8, 2026.


Salton Sea Conservancy Board of Directors and First Meeting


Currently appointed voting members:


Janeth Corona, Public Member Appointed by the Governor


Silvia Paz, Public Member Appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules


Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, Riverside County Board of Supervisors

Designee: Juan Perez


Supervisor Ryan Kelley, Imperial County Board of Supervisors


Director Castulo Estrada, Coachella Valley Water District


Director Gina Dockstader, Imperial Irrigation District


Chair Joseph Mirelez, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians


Designee: Vice Chair RoseMarie Morreo, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians


President Jonathan Koteen, Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe (Appointed by Secretary Crowfoot)


Camila Bautista (Appointed by Secretary Crowfoot)


Director Joe Stephenshaw, California Department of Finance

Designee: Michele Perrault


Secretary Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Agency (Chair of the Conservancy’s Board of Directors) 

Designee: Joe Shea


Director Meghan Hertel, California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Designee: Tonya Marshall


Director Karla Nemeth, California Department of Water Resources

Designee: Evon Willhoff


Director Armando Quintero, California Department of Parks and Recreation

Designee: Ray Lennox


Currently appointed ex-officio nonvoting members:


Secretary Yana Garcia, California Environmental Protection Agency

Designees: Executive Director Michael Placencia (Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board) and Maurice Lyles


Chair Joaquin Esquivel, California State Water Resources Control Board

Designee: Board Member Laurel Firestone, California State Water Resources Control Board


Chair Lauren Sanchez, California Air Resources Board

Designee: Jane Sadler


Jennifer Mata, United States Bureau of Land Management


Genevieve Johnson, United States Bureau of Reclamation


Jonathan Shore, United States Fish and Wildlife Service





Please sign up for the Salton Sea Program’s listserv here for additional updates, or reach out to mario.llanos@resources.ca.gov.



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