Donn Zea, President & CEO

Donn Zea recently joined the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) as its President & Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining the NCWA team, Donn spent 18 years working in the forestry sector in California as Vice President, Industry Affairs for the California Forestry Association and President of the California Forest Products Commission, leading efforts to build strategic coalitions, implement scientific initiatives and communicate the many benefits of California forestry and California grown wood products. Those efforts helped bring dramatic change in public opinion towards managing forests through educational efforts to link increases in catastrophic fire and to the lack of active forest management

Donn started his career in policy and legislative district positions in the California legislature, including service to former 3rd district Assemblyman Chris Chandler in Yuba City. Donn has also provided strategic consultation and managed numerous candidate and ballot initiative campaigns. Donn has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Cal Poly, Pomona.

Donn and his wife Lisa have been married for 19 years and have three children, Madeline, Hannah and Harry. They have lived in Grass Valley since 1987. Donn enjoys coaching his kid’s sports teams. He is also an avid endurance trail runner and is scheduled to participate in three 100-mile mountain runs this year.