Gov. Tony Evers on Monday announced that he is appointing Dr. Karen Hyun to serve as the secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Hyun has extensive experience working on natural resources, stewardship, and conservation issues. She has served as the chief of staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since 2021 and has more than a decade of experience in policy and environmental work.
Hyun began her career in 2009, staffing the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources. In 2012, Hyun served as a senior policy advisor for the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the Secretary and also the chief of staff position for the Department’s Office of the Deputy Secretary in 2013. Hyun became the senior advisor for NOAA in June 2014 before becoming the deputy assistant secretary for fish, wildlife, and parks at the Department of the Interior in 2015.
Additionally, she led and coordinated initiatives focused on coastal resilience, Gulf of Mexico restoration, marine conservation, and coastal stewardship at the National Audubon Society, serving as the director of water and coastal policy before becoming the vice president of coastal conservation in 2018.
Hyun earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Earth Systems from Stanford University in California and a doctorate in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island. Hyun’s appointment is effective Jan. 27, 2025.
