David F. Hales

David F. Hales was selected president and CEO of Second Nature. Prior to his new role, Hales was the fifth president of College of the Atlantic, where under his leadership, the school was recognized as a net-zero emitter of greenhouse gases.

Hales has held numerous positions promoting sustainability nationally and internationally. He directed environmental policy and sustainability programs for the United States Agency for International Development and served as deputy assistant secretary at the United States Department of the Interior. Additionally, he was the director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. For seven years, Hales held the Samuel Trask Dana Chair of Natural Resources at the University of Michigan.

Hales served on the steering committee of the American College and University President Climate Commitment, chaired the Higher Education Committee for the American Council on Renewable Energy, and is currently vice-chair of the Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century. He holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hardin-Simmons University.