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Justin Stokes

Deputy Chief Conservation Officer

Justin serves as Audubon’s Deputy Chief Conservation Officer. In this role Justin supports the day-to-day management of the Conservation Department as well as oversees implementation of Audubon’s EDIB Conservative Principles and public funding strategy. Justin previously served as the Executive Director of Audubon South Carolina. In this role, he led a re-visioning of South Carolina’s conservation impact that delivered high-profile wins for Audubon. These victories include passage of comprehensive climate resiliency legislation and significant clean energy reforms in the state legislature, successfully completing the restoration of Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary, and securing Audubon’s first National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom designation for Beidler Forest Sanctuary. Justin joined Audubon in 2017 serving as its first Vice President for Political Affairs and led Audubon’s government relations team. Justin also served as the inaugural Executive Director of the Audubon Action Fund, the 501 (c)(4) affiliate to the National Audubon Society, where he led a cross-network team to ensure the successful launch of the Action Fund.

Prior to joining Audubon in 2017, Justin served as a Chief for Staff for a member of Congress, where he also worked on transportation and infrastructure issues. Justin worked for four members of Congress and the South Carolina Governor. He is a native of South Carolina, attended Clemson University and The Citadel, and completed the Wilson Fellowship in Strategic Management for Environmental Leadership at Harvard Business School.

Articles by Justin Stokes

Looking Ahead at Policy Priorities for Protecting Birds in 2022
February 07, 2022 — Over 6000 Audubon members and participants joined a virtual town hall to hear about last year's successes, and how we can work with elected leaders to protect birds and the places they need to survive in the coming year.