Doug Kern brings more than three decades of conservation leadership to his role as Executive Director of the Gaviota Coast Conservancy. With a deep commitment to land stewardship and a collaborative approach to conservation, Doug feels honored to help safeguard one of California’s most iconic coastal landscapes.
Before joining GCC, Doug served as Director of Conservation for the Mendocino Land Trust, where he led projects to restore salmon-bearing streams, manage old-growth redwood forests, and improve public access across hundreds of acres of protected land. He worked hand-in-hand with landowners and local communities to conserve working lands, monitor conservation easements, and implement regenerative land management practices.
Earlier in his career, Doug served as Executive Director of the Urban Watershed Project at the Presidio of San Francisco, where he integrated ecological restoration with public education and access in a major urban national park.
Today, Doug is leading GCC through a pivotal moment in its history, guiding the transformation of Rancho Tajiguas—a newly protected 3,272-acre property—into a model for conservation, education, and community-based stewardship. Grateful for the opportunity to serve this extraordinary coastline, Doug remains focused on fostering partnerships, restoring ecosystems, and protecting the Gaviota Coast for generations to come.
