Areas of Expertise: Congress, Executive Branch, National Wildlife Refuge System, Private Land Conservation, Campaign Management, Non-Profit Advocacy & Governance.

Desirée Sorenson-Groves joined Defenders in September 2023. She oversees Defenders’ public and private lands programs to ensure long-term conservation and sustainable management of private and federal public lands and waters for imperiled species and their wildlife. Her work focuses on the National Wildlife Refuge System, National Forest System, Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands, Department of Defense Lands, and private lands conservation initiatives.

Desirée has been working to conserve wildlife for over two decades, first as a grassroots organizer at the National Audubon Society and then as the Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Desiree came to Defenders after leading the Arctic Refuge Defense Campaign. She has a B.A. in Geography from George Washington University.