The Hewlett Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Cordan as Program Officer in Environment. Beginning April 8, Cordan will lead the Foundation’s western conservation grantmaking strategy, focusing on preserving landscapes and waterways across the Western United States to safeguard the health and well-being of both people and wildlife.
Cordan brings a wealth of experience in environmental policy and conservation, having worked on a diverse range of issues, including salmon restoration, clean water advocacy, energy policy, and climate change. She is committed to the belief that nature provides essential resources—air, water, and food—that are critical to the health and well-being of this and future generations.
“I am honored to join the Hewlett Foundation and contribute to its important conservation work and climate efforts,” said Nicole Cordan. “I’ve been a long-time admirer of Hewlett’s community-led approach and its work to support Indigenous-led conservation. This role gives me a tremendous opportunity to support meaningful, lasting progress at the intersection of policy, law, and environmental conservation.”
Prior to joining Hewlett, Cordan served as the Director of Freshwater Policy at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). There, she led policy development and strategic analysis on freshwater resource issues, playing a critical role in shaping national policy on drought management, salmon recovery, tribal drinking water, and contaminants such as lead and PFAS in drinking water. She also organized landmark events such as the Water Tech Roundtable and the Lead Pipes Summit and helped launch the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge, an initiative to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and wetlands.
Cordan’s career also includes roles at The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she managed the U.S. Public Lands & Rivers Conservation Project, and at Save Our Wild Salmon, where she directed policy and legal strategies for restoring salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia and Snake River Basin. She has held leadership positions at the National Wildlife Federation, Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center, and the Center for Clean Air Policy, focusing on environmental protection and natural resource conservation.
“I am excited to welcome Nicole to the foundation and immensely grateful for the strong foundation that Andrea Keller Helsel leaves behind,” said Jonathan Pershing, Environment program director at the Hewlett Foundation. “Nicole’s extensive experience, innovative and collaborative approach, and leadership in environmental conservation will continue the strategy’s tradition of finding common ground and developing shared solutions among a wide range of stakeholders across the U.S. West.”
A graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, Cordan holds a Juris Doctor degree and a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law. She was named the Distinguished Environmental Law Graduate in 2009.