12/09/2025
Congratulations Mitchell! Well deserved and excellent news.
The Tejon Ranch Conservancy Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mitchell Coleman as the organization’s Executive Director, effective immediately. Mitchell stepped in earlier this year as Interim Executive Director, helping to guide the Conservancy through an important period of transition and renewed growth. His appointment reflects the Board’s strong confidence in his leadership, vision, and deep commitment to the Conservancy’s mission. We also congratulate Mitchell on his recent completion of his PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology from UC Riverside.
As Executive Director, Mitchell will lead the Conservancy alongside the Board into an exciting new chapter as we expand public access and education programs, strengthen partnerships across Kern County and the broader region, and advance innovative research and restoration initiatives on the Ranch. His combination of scientific expertise, institutional knowledge, and deep local roots uniquely positions him to guide the organization into its next phase with clarity and purpose.
Mitchell’s passion for Tejon Ranch and the Conservancy extends well beyond research. He is a committed ambassador for the land and the Conservancy’s mission, sharing the Ranch’s ecological and cultural richness with visitors, students, supporters, and community partners.
The Board looks forward to working closely with Mitchell as the Conservancy continues to protect, enhance, and restore the extraordinary biodiversity and ecological values of Tejon Ranch for the benefit of future generations.
For more background on Mitchell Coleman, see below.
Formerly the Conservancy’s Conservation Science Director, Mitchell has long been connected to Tejon Ranch. Mitchell is a Bakersfield native and first visited the Ranch in his youth through the Scouts BSA, experiences that fostered an early appreciation for the landscapes he now works to protect. In 2015, he conducted his master’s thesis research on the Ranch and also interned at the Conservancy, gaining firsthand insight into the significance of the Conservancy’s work. Shortly after completing his master’s thesis in 2017, Mitchell joined the Conservancy as a staff biologist and in 2019 became the Conservation Science Director.
Mitchell has introduced hundreds of people to the Ranch through the Conservancy’s programs, as well as overseeing science and stewardship programs, supervising research initiatives, and acting as the designated conservation easement monitor. His expertise in restoration strategies in ecosystems impacted by global change is very valuable for this special place. Mitchell holds a B.S. in Biology from Westmont College, an M.S. in Biology from CSU Bakersfield, and a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology from UC Riverside.
For more information, please contact:
Tejon Ranch Conservancy
[email protected]
www.tejonconservancy.org
