Crystal Cove Conservancy leader will take the helm Sept. 8, 2026, as the Catalina Island Conservancy transitions to its next chapter of conservation, education, and recreation.
CATALINA ISLAND — The Catalina Island Conservancy has named Kate Wheeler as its next president and CEO, bringing an experienced Southern California conservation leader to an organization responsible for protecting approximately 42,000 acres of Catalina Island.
The Conservancy’s Board of Directors and Benefactor Members selected Wheeler for the position, and she is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, 2026.
Wheeler comes to Catalina after serving since 2019 as president and CEO of Crystal Cove Conservancy in Newport Beach, where she has overseen conservation, education, hospitality and visitor services as well as the nonprofit’s business operations.
Her appointment brings experience from another prominent Southern California coastal destination where environmental stewardship must coexist with recreation and public access, issues that also have significant implications for Catalina Island’s residents and visitors, including the thousands of recreational boaters who arrive on the island each year.
“Kate’s appointment is an exciting moment for the Conservancy,” Maureen Ramer, chair of the Conservancy’s Board of Directors, said in announcing the selection. “Her experience leading a complex conservation organization and bringing people together makes her exceptionally well suited to build on our momentum and guide the Conservancy into its next era.”
During her time at Crystal Cove Conservancy, Wheeler led organizational growth and worked to expand conservation and education programs. She also strengthened the organization’s partnership with California State Parks and helped secure philanthropic and public funding for preservation and restoration efforts within Crystal Cove State Park’s historic district.
Wheeler said Catalina Island’s environmental and community complexities were among the factors that attracted her to the position.
“Catalina is unlike anywhere else in California and it becomes even more remarkable the closer you look,” Wheeler said. “Its complexity is part of what drew me to this role. I look forward to learning from Conservancy staff, the Island community and the people who have cared for this place for generations.”
The leadership change comes during an active period for the Conservancy, whose work encompasses habitat restoration, wildlife and plant conservation, education and recreational access across much of the island’s interior.
One of the most closely watched issues Wheeler will inherit is Operation Protect Catalina Island, the Conservancy’s long-term ecosystem restoration initiative. The organization recently received state approval for a permit associated with the project. The broader effort has generated considerable public discussion surrounding management of Catalina’s ecosystem and wildlife, including differing views over how the island’s nonnative mule deer population should be addressed.
The Conservancy also reported increased participation in its recreation programs and expanded educational opportunities for youth and adult learners during the tenure of interim President and CEO David Solomon. The organization also held what it described as the most successful Conservancy Ball in its history.
Solomon will remain interim president and CEO through Oct. 9 to assist with the transition. He is then expected to join the Conservancy’s Board of Directors and serve as chair of its Real Estate and Facilities Committee.
Before joining Crystal Cove Conservancy, Wheeler served as director of philanthropy for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and held other leadership positions involving development, finance and nonprofit management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s degree in leadership studies from the University of San Diego.
When Wheeler arrives on Catalina in September, the Conservancy said her first several months will be focused largely on listening and learning. She plans to meet with staff, island residents, community partners and supporters while becoming familiar with the Conservancy’s work throughout the approximately 42,000 acres under its stewardship.
For Southern California boaters, Catalina’s protected interior is part of what makes the island more than simply a harbor destination. Visitors arriving by boat in Avalon and Two Harbors can access hiking trails, campgrounds and other recreational opportunities within the island’s interior, placing the Conservancy at the intersection of environmental protection and the visitor experience.
Wheeler’s appointment therefore places a new leader at the helm of an organization whose decisions can help shape how Catalina Island’s natural resources are protected and experienced for years to come.
