John DeFillipo, Award-Winning Texas Conservation Advocate, to Lead National Wildlife Federation’s South Central Regional Center

AUSTIN, Texas - The National Wildlife Federation named naturalist, educator, and environmental advocate John DeFillipo as executive director of its South Central Regional Center.

"The South Central region's unique and interconnected ecosystems - from forests and grasslands to wetlands, rivers and coastlines - are all facing compounding threats in a rapidly changing world," said Ben Kota, chief operating officer for the National Wildlife Federation. "John's decades of local conservation work will be critical to restoring these treasured places and the people and wildlife that depend upon them. We're thrilled to welcome him to the team, and we look forward to leveraging his talents and expertise as we work to conserve and restore the region's waters, wildlife, and way of life."

"As a lifelong Southerner and conservationist, I have an intimate familiarity with the wildlife in the region and the issues they face," DeFillipo said. "The National Wildlife Federation's mission aligns deeply with my core passion for promoting stewardship of the natural places we all cherish. I'm excited to work alongside staff and affiliates on policies and programs that support wildlife and prioritize environmental justice for long-overlooked communities throughout the region."

DeFillipo most recently served as executive director of Texas Conservation Alliance, the National Wildlife Federation's Texas affiliate, where his team successfully championed new state regulations prohibiting canned hunting of mountain lions, advocated for protection of free flowing rivers, and helped establish a coalition that works to reduce collisions between migratory birds and buildings. He previously ran the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center, an educational center focused around a 2,000-acre restored wetland for water reuse. He received a Texas Leopold Conservation Award and a Star Wetland Centre Award for this work.

A graduate of the Mississippi University for Women, DeFillipo started his career as a National Park Service ranger and as a youth environmental educator for organizations such as the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the Crow's Neck Environmental Education Center. Outside of work, Outside of work, he enjoys time with family, backpacking, and exploring national parks. DeFillipo lives in Dallas with his husband Ben.