Joel Paque

Joel Paque serves as Vice President, Conservation Action, Centers and Sanctuaries at the National Audubon Society, where he leads strategy and alignment for Audubon’s network of centers, sanctuaries, and related properties across the hemisphere. In this role, he works to position these places as engines for conservation impact—advancing habitat stewardship, community building, and policy engagement while strengthening partnerships and operational excellence. He focuses on ensuring that Audubon’s places not only protect birds and the places they need, but also inspire and mobilize people to take meaningful conservation action.

Joel brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of conservation strategy, partnerships, and innovation. Prior to joining Audubon, he held leadership roles at The Nature Conservancy, where he advanced large-scale conservation initiatives and cross-sector collaboration. He also led partnerships for Impact Observatory, working to scale cutting-edge geospatial data and monitoring tools that support conservation planning and measurable environmental outcomes. 

Joel holds a Master of Arts in Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University. Throughout his career, he has been committed to building durable partnerships, advancing science-based solutions, and designing conservation frameworks that connect people, places, and purpose.