"National Forests are important to me because growing up in Mexico, being one with nature was part of my culture."
BIO
Cindy Villegas joined the NFF in March 2023 as the California Development Coordinator. In this role, Cindy is enthusiastic about raising funds to support conservation, restoration, and preservation projects across California for the NFF through strategic partnerships and community engagement.
Prior to working at the NFF, Cindy worked for the California State Assembly, Elizabeth Warren’s Presidential campaign, Florida State House races, and various nonprofit organizations, including TreePeople, the oldest and largest environmental movement in Southern California.
She joined the Board of Directors of the Latino of Los Angeles in 2019 and at age 22, Cindy became the youngest person and second Latina to serve as Board President of the organization. Her dedication to social impact has been recognized by organizations like the National Latina Business Woman Association and Career Girls.
Cindy brings her community organizing, fundraising, and cross-sector experience to the NFF. Her passion for the environment grew most when living among redwoods while obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Politics from the University of California Santa Cruz. She currently lives in Los Angeles, enjoys new experiences and working on her personal development podcast.