Carlos Fernández, State Director for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Colorado, has been named a finalist for the 2026 9NEWS Nonprofit Leader of the Year award. This recognition is part of Leading Colorado’s annual honors, which celebrate individuals making significant contributions to the state’s future across business, nonprofit, and public sectors.
The Nonprofit Leader of the Year award acknowledges executives who lead with purpose and form strong partnerships to address complex social and environmental challenges in Colorado. Fernández oversees more than 60 staff members and a board of 22 trustees at TNC. Under his leadership, the organization has advanced projects aimed at supporting both people and nature.
Fernández has worked with TNC for over two decades. He played a key role in establishing the Yampa River Fund in 2019, which raised $5 million to support river health and restoration initiatives. He also contributed to the creation of Fishers Peak State Park—a project that benefits outdoor recreation, conservation efforts, and local communities as part of TNC’s Southern High Plains Initiative. Additionally, he supported the launch of the Catalyst Fund within TNC to encourage innovation and rapid learning among staff.
Recently, Fernández has collaborated with leaders throughout the western United States on TNC’s Western Dry Forests Program. The initiative aims to improve resilience across 50 million acres of dry forests by 2030.
To guide conservation work in Colorado, Fernández led his team in developing a strategic plan focused on climate change mitigation, sustaining biodiversity, and promoting equity. “Carlos is leading the chapter to create a better future for Colorado’s lands, waters, forests, cities and climate,” according to information provided by Leading Colorado. His approach includes building relationships with diverse communities—including Tribal Nations—to ensure inclusive planning for sustainability.
Fernández regularly works with media partners to promote conservation awareness. He co-hosted “Conservando Nuestro Estado” with Telemundo’s Niurma Sanchez and has been featured by outlets such as Telemundo, Univision, and The Colorado Sun. His service extends beyond TNC through board positions or memberships with organizations including Keep it Colorado; Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Institute for Science & Policy; Salazar Center for North America Conservation at Colorado State University; University of Colorado’s Master of the Environment Advisory Council; State of Colorado’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council; Great Outdoors Colorado; and others involved in state outdoor strategy.
Before joining TNC’s Colorado Chapter, Fernández managed conservation programs in Argentina as part of TNC’s Southern Andes Conservation Program Strategies team based in Bariloche. There he led efforts around grasslands preservation and sustainable ranching practices. He previously served as Senior Foreign Legal Advisor for South America from TNC’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
Originally from Argentina, Fernández holds law degrees from Mendoza University and Georgetown University. Prior to his conservation career he practiced corporate law in Buenos Aires and Washington D.C., specializing in financial transactions.
Fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, Fernández is an avid outdoorsman whose interests include hiking, biking, and fly fishing—a pastime he enjoys both locally in the Rockies and abroad in Argentina. He shares these activities with his wife and daughter.
