We are excited to announce that Sean Southey is joining the Canadian Wildlife Federation as our new CEO.
His arrival marks the start of an exciting new chapter for CWF, following the retirement of Rick Bates, who served 16 years at CWF. Rick leaves behind a remarkable legacy of growth and achievement, and we are deeply grateful for his dedicated leadership.
Sean brings over 30 years of experience in the field of conservation. Here’s a little about his impressive background:
- Five years with a provincial environment ministry
- 10 years as President of PCI Media, a conservation NGO based in New York City
- 12 years with a United Nations environment team
International Experience
![](https://blog.cwf-fcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/sean-vert-530x380.jpg)
In addition to these roles, Sean was elected Chair of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) since 2016. He’ll continue to serve as chair for the next year, until his term is completed.
Throughout his career, Sean has worked tirelessly to drive behavioral and social change, always placing conservation first. At CWF, he aims to foster a true culture of conservation across Canada, inspiring collective action and lasting impact.
We are thrilled to welcome Sean to the CWF family, effective September 16, 2024. With Sean at the helm, and you by our side, we know we will continue to achieve great things together.