U.S. Dept. of the Interior Appoints Todd Willens to Board

​​​​Presidio of San Francisco (November 20, 2017) – The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced the appointment of Assistant Deputy Secretary Todd Willens as their agency representative on the Presidio Trust Board of Directors.

Willens, a native Californian, was named Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Interior by U.S. Secretary Zinke in July of 2017. Previously, he was Chief of Staff to Rep. Steve Pearce of New Mexico. Willens served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior from 2006 to 2008, and as Senior Policy Director for the United States House of Representatives’ Natural Resources Committee from 2003 to 2006.

“I am honored to represent Secretary Zinke and the Department on the Presidio Trust Board of Directors,” said Todd Willens. “Being the son of a third generation native San Franciscan, I grew up spending much of my childhood in the City and those experiences have positively shaped my life, particularly my work in public policy and natural resources management. I look forward to my board appointment and working with the Presidio Trust in support of the national park, its visitors and the community.”

Willens replaces John Reynolds, who was appointed as the Department of the Interior designee to the Trust board in July 2009.

“On behalf of the entire board, I want to thank John Reynolds for his service and welcome Todd Willens,” says John Keker, Presidio Board Chair. “Our board is collectively committed to serving the mission of the Presidio Trust, and we look forward to working with Mr. Willens to ensure the Presidio continues to thrive as an incredible national park at the Golden Gate.”

Of the Trusts’ seven member board, six members are appointed by the President of the United States. The seventh member is the U.S. Secretary of the Interior or his designee.

The Presidio Trust board members also include chair John Keker, vice chair Janet Reilly, Lynne Benioff, Paula R. Collins, Mark Pincus, and William Ellison Grayson. Board terms are four years, and may be renewed once.

About the Presidio Trust: The Presidio Trust, a federal agency, operates and maintains the Presidio as a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in partnership with the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The Presidio Trust is unique in that it receives no federal funds, supporting the park’s 24 miles of walking trails, its natural areas, and the free events in the park by rehabilitating and then renting the historic Army buildings in the Presidio. To learn more about the Presidio, visit www.presidio.gov.