Secretary Cindy Dunn | Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
About Speaker
"Governor Tom Wolf has appointed Cindy Adams Dunn to be the sixth secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), returning to the agency where she worked under three governors in multiple positions over the last two decades. The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously confirmed Dunn as secretary of DCNR on June 2, 2015. Since November 2013, Dunn had served as the president and chief executive officer of PennFuture, a statewide environmental advocacy organization. Prior to her time at PennFuture, Dunn served as DCNR’s Deputy Secretary of Conservation and Technical Services from 2007-2013, where she led DCNR's conservation landscape program and oversaw the community conservation partnerships grant program, which provides $30-$60 million annually for conservation and recreation throughout the commonwealth. Dunn's other leadership posts at DCNR include director of the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, as well as director of the Office of Education, Communications and Partnerships. For two years in the mid ‘90s, Dunn joined DCNR for the first time as director of community relations and environmental education. Dunn's other leadership roles include serving as the executive director of Audubon Pennsylvania from 1997-2003 and as the Pennsylvania program director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay for 10 years. Over the years, Dunn has been recognized with numerous awards for her leadership in conservation including: The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Frances E. Flanigan Environmental Leadership Award Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year Cumberland County Conservation District Conservationist of the Year The Appalachian Audubon Society Conservationist of the Year Dunn holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology from Shippensburg University. She and her husband, Craig, reside in Cumberland County. When not championing the efforts of DCNR, Dunn enjoys the natural and recreation resources the agency works hard to protect and promote through hobbies that include birding, canoeing, fishing, and hiking."