The State Coastal Conservancy’s vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future generations of Californians. We act with others to protect and restore, and increase public access to, California’s coast, ocean, coastal watersheds, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Coastal Conservancy strives to benefit all Californians through our projects. There are underserved populations in California (such as disadvantaged communities, people of color, persons with disabilities, tribes, and others) that disproportionally confront barriers to health and wellbeing and face increased vulnerability to environmental issues. The Coastal Conservancy’s work to restore habitats and watersheds, provide public access and recreational opportunities, and increase resilience to climate change should promote environmental equity and justice.
Sam Schuchat became Executive Officer of the Coastal Conservancy in July 2001. He currently sits on the boards of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. He served from 2005 to 2013 as the Secretary to the California Ocean Protection Council and from 1999 to 2004 on the California Fish and Game Commission, including two years as Vice-President. He was the first Chairman of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority from 2009 to 2014.
Mr. Schuchat has an extensive background in fund-raising and management of not-for-profit organizations. He was the Executive Director of the Federation of State Conservation Voter Leagues from 1998 to 2001 and from 1992 to 1998 he was the Executive Director of the California League of Conservation Voters. He has worked as a community and union organizer, has raised money for community art projects, and was the deputy director of Sacramento AIDS foundation in the late 1980s. He is the immediate past President of Temple Sinai in Oakland.
He received his BA in Political Science at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1983 and his MA in Public Administration at San Francisco State University in 1989. He is an avid cyclist and birdwatcher, plays the harmonica and the saxophone, and has backpacked all over the Eastern and Western United States. He resides in Oakland with his wife and cat.