Neal Sharma joined the Wildlife Conservation Network in 2021 to lead the California Wildlife Program, which strives to protect and restore ecological connectivity throughout the state. His work incorporates experience with science and planning, protected areas, land stewardship, linear infrastructure, and policy. Prior to his work with WCN, he was with Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), where he focused on the organization’s efforts to establish a protected network of resilient ecosystems that enable wildlife to persist and adapt in a changing landscape and climate. In addition to conservation work, he enjoys writing and playing music, reading, cooking, gardening, and getting in motion. He holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Cal Poly Pomona, with a focus in landscape ecology and regional planning, and a BA in social ecology from UC Irvine. He was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.