Hilary Franz

President and CEO, American Forests

Hilary Franz is the President and CEO of American Forests, the nation's oldest nonprofit dedicated to forest stewardship and conservation, where she leads bold initiatives across 45 states to restore forests, end the wildfire crisis and ensure tree canopy for every community. Before joining American Forests, she served two terms as Washington State's Commissioner of Public Lands where she managed over 6 million acres of land, developed the state's first Wildfire Strategic Plan and Forest Health Plan, restored over one million acres of forestland and secured more than $500 million in wildfire, forest restoration and community resilience funding. During her tenure, 95% of wildfires were kept to 10 acres or less – a landmark achievement. With nearly three decades of experience spanning natural resources conservation, public service and nonprofit leadership, Franz is a nationally recognized champion for forest restoration, climate resilience and healthier communities.