Meet Tommy Hough

"Species diversity, biodiversity, habitat and effective environmental policies like NEPA and the ESA are under assault. If we lose these tools, we lose our nation's conservation heritage. The natural world as we know it may vanish in our lifetimes. I'm determined to prevent that."

Neighbor and Advocate

Presenting an award to Sen. Alex Padilla.
Presenting an award to Sen. Alex Padilla.
Speaking with our local PBS affiliate on my 2018 campaign.
Speaking with our local PBS affiliate on my 2018 campaign.
Testifying in support of a single-use plastic bag ban.
Testifying in support of a single-use plastic bag ban.

My name is Tommy Hough (pronounced "how").

I'm a seasoned, results-driven executive and communicator with extensive political, broadcast, and conservation experience with environmental nonprofit organizations, and a lengthy record of developing and executing strategic plans, managing teams and campaigns, expanding media footprints and press coverage, and building organizations from the ground-up.

I'm committed to preserving our native habitats, species, old-growth and mature forests, watersheds, expanding Wilderness and protecting the sanctity of our public lands. As part of my current work with WaterWatch of Oregon I'm leveraging my capabilities in the service of river flows, groundwater resources, instream water rights, and removing derelict dams and other human-designed impediments to native fish and healthy, biodiverse river ecosystems.

  • As a San Diego County planning commissioner I demonstrated a strong, consistent adherence to my conservation values in conjunction with enforcement of CEQA, NEPA and the ESA, sometimes in the face of withering political pressure.
  • As the founding president of San Diego County Democrats for Environmental Action I grew our organization into one of the largest and most influential bodies in our local Democratic Party.
  • Working with the NPCA our conservation team leveraged political access and sound conservation science to prevent the destruction of an ancient aquifer beneath Mojave Trails National Monument.
  • As part of the Save Trestles effort I collaborated with the Surfrider Foundation and utilized my radio show to help prevent construction of a six-lane freeway through the last intact watershed south of Los Angeles.
  • At Oregon Wild I helped popularize the journey of lone wolf OR-7 and his species' reclamation of habitat west of the Cascade range – where it turned out OR-7 wasn't so lone a wolf after all.
  • As a community activist and environmental advocate I've stood up for the sanctity of city nature preserves and the permanence of federal National Monuments.

I treasure my collaborative work with teams, allied partners and organizations. I lead, organize, communicate – and when necessary fight for the preservation of our natural world and conservation legacy.

As the lead consultant on the ReWild Mission Bay campaign, I championed restorative opportunities for one of the region's great ecological assets, and helped reconnect those spaces to residents and tribal communities. I also organized and executed efforts with staff and volunteers as part of my work with ReWild in making the campaign one of the largest grassroots environmental efforts in San Diego and Southern California.

I similarly researched the impact of sea level rise on San Diego-area estuaries and watersheds as part of a contract project with the Environmental Center of San Diego and with primary funding from the San Diego Foundation.

As a veteran of two hard-fought political campaigns for a major city office, I managed all facets of my efforts, including communications, strategy, staff, and participated in numerous high-pressure public forums and debates often under intense media and public scrutiny. I've worked with, walked for, and consulted a select few campaigns I believe in, and will continue to do so.

I'm an exceptional communicator and vision-driven leader with strong media, interpersonal and spokesperson ability. I bring a wealth of experience in fundraising, building relationships and working with stakeholders, board members, staff, volunteers and coalition partners. I'm determined to better our environment and communities, and I'm committed to creating and promoting a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment.

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