Fran Dunwell
Fran Dunwell recently retired as the Hudson River Estuary Coordinator at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), a position she held from 1984-2022. In that role, she managed the development and implementation of the state’s multi-year Hudson River Estuary Action Agendas to conserve the tidal Hudson and its watershed, using programs founded in science and implemented through grants and partnerships. Key focus areas included: management of fish, wildlife, and their habitats; climate adaptation; environmental education; river access; land use & scenery; and water resources.
Prior to that, she was Executive Director of the Center for the Hudson River Valley, and then Associate Director of Scenic Hudson. She has a master’s degree from the Yale School of the Environment and a BA in anthropology from Kirkland College. She is also the author of two award-winning books — The Hudson River Highlands (1991) and The Hudson: America’s River (2008). She grew up in Poughkeepsie and now lives in New Paltz, NY, with her husband Wes. They have two beloved adult children, Davis and Lia. Fran enjoys singing with Bloom, a local choral ensemble, and growing tomatoes and planting daffodils.