Nicole Cordan
Nicole Cordan is a Program Officer in Environment at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, where she leads the western conservation grantmaking strategy. This strategy focuses on preserving landscapes and waterways across the Western United States for the health and well-being of both people and wildlife. Nicole has worked on a wide range of environmental issues, from salmon restoration and clean water advocacy to energy policy and climate change. She is driven by a deep belief that nature provides us with the air, water, and food essential for survival and thriving, and that it is our responsibility and honor to protect and enhance it for current and future generations. She accomplishes this by collaborating with communities to create meaningful change at the intersection of policy, law, and environmental conservation.
Nicole previously served as the Director of Freshwater Policy at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), where she led policy development and strategic analysis on freshwater resource issues. She played a pivotal role in shaping national policy on issues such as drought, salmon recovery, tribal drinking water, and contaminants like lead and PFAS in drinking water. Her work included organizing landmark White House events like the Water Tech Roundtable, Lead Pipes Summit, and the 2024 White House Water Summit. Nicole also helped establish the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge, a groundbreaking initiative to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and wetlands.
Before her time at the White House, Nicole worked with The Pew Charitable Trusts, managing the US Public Lands & Rivers Conservation Project, where she focused on river protection and reconnection efforts across the country. She also spent over a decade at Save Our Wild Salmon, directing the policy and legal strategy for the organization’s efforts to restore salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia and Snake River Basin. Nicole has held leadership roles at the National Wildlife Federation, Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center, and the Center for Clean Air Policy, where she focused on environmental protection and natural resource conservation.
A graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, Nicole has been recognized for her dedication to environmental law and policy, including receiving the Distinguished Environmental Law Graduate award in 2009. She holds a Juris Doctor degree with a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law.
When Nicole isn’t at work, she’s most likely to be found paddling white-water with her partner, daughter, and two dogs; cooking delicious meals for her friends and family; trail running through ancient forests and other public lands; cross-country skiing through snow-covered mountains; or traveling to learn from and experience other cultures.
