May 5, 2026
Lauren Wenzel led the National Marine Protected Areas Center at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from 2012-2025. As a member of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas, she co-leads the Climate Change Specialist Group, continuing her work connecting and strengthening diverse protected and conserved areas and building their resilience to climate change through capacity building, information and tools. Her focus is on building partnerships among marine and coastal programs, Indigenous Peoples, communities and stakeholders to demonstrate and communicate the value of protecting the ocean’s most important places.