Washington, D.C. — The Center for American Progress announced today that Angelo Villagomez has joined the Energy and Environment Department as a senior fellow. At CAP, Villagomez will provide expertise in Indigenous-led conservation efforts and ocean conservation. Villagomez comes to the organization from The Pew Charitable Trusts, where he served as campaigns manager for the Blue Nature Alliance, a global partnership working to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. He has written extensively about creating durable conservation outcomes by including Indigenous voices in the process.
“Villagomez is a powerful voice for the need to center Indigenous people—who have millennia of experience and stand to be affected most by the climate and conservation crises—in conservation policy,” said Christy Goldfuss, senior vice president for Energy and Environment Policy at CAP. “He is also an expert in ocean conservation, with particular expertise in marine protected areas. He was central to the designation of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, among other accomplishments. We are excited for him to bring his experience and perspective to CAP’s Conservation Policy team.”
Villagomez has also worked for the League of Conservation Voters, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance. He attained bachelor’s degrees in biology from the University of Richmond and environmental policy from Rollins College.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Ari Drennen [email protected].