Katie Umekubo, JD, Managing Director, Lands, Nature at the NRDC’s (National Resources Defense Council) San Francisco office, advocates for policies that encourage the environmentally responsible development of renewable energy on western public lands as well as sustainable land-use planning and wildlife preservation in Southern California. Her recent work has focused on avian protection policies and collaborative research efforts to address wildlife interactions at renewable energy projects. Prior to joining NRDC, she worked as a legislative specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, starting as a Presidential Management Fellow and detailing with the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.