(The Center Square) – The latest pick to head Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources is coming from the Biden Administration.
Gov. Tony Evers on Monday named Karen Hyun as DNR secretary.
“Dr. Hyun’s extensive science background and expertise working in fish and wildlife, shoreline restoration, and coastal management and resilience will make her a great asset to the Department of Natural Resources and to our administration,” the governor said. “Having spent most of her career working in environmental policy, Dr. Hyun brings a wealth of experience navigating many of the issues the department is charged with managing every day, and I’m so excited for her to get started.”
Hyun started her career in Washington, D.C. in 2009 when she worked for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources. She then moved to the Department of Commerce. She also spent time at the Department of the Interior and had two turns with NOAA. She was named chief of staff at NOAA in 2021.
She got her degrees from Stanford and the University of Rhode Island. She now lives in Madison with her husband and children.
“Wisconsin is known for its abundance of natural resources, wildlife, and outdoor recreation opportunities, and I have spent much of my life dedicated to understanding, conserving, and promoting the natural resources and spaces that we all know and love,” Hyun said. “I look forward to working alongside the dedicated DNR staff to ensure that Wisconsin’s ecosystems, wildlife, natural spaces, and resources remain accessible, safe, and available for generations of Wisconsinites to come.”
Wisconsin hasn’t had a DNR secretary since November 2023. That’s when Evers-appointee Adam Payne quit the department.
Hyun will need to be confirmed by the Republican-led Wisconsin Senate. There’s no word when that vote may happen or if it will happen.
Republican lawmakers in Madison have been reluctant to approve many of Evers’ DNR appointments.
The legislature has been at odds with the governor since his first days in office in 2019. Many Republicans see Evers’ DNR picks as too environmentally radical. The Wisconsin Senate has voted out four of Evers’ members on the DNR board in October.
Hyun can serve as secretary-designee without a confirmation vote.
She said she hopes to jump into the DNR as soon as she gets her feet set.
