Erinn is one of 17 inaugural members of the IUCN Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The first of its kind, the YAC was launched in April 2024 to support the implementation of the IUCN Youth Strategy across the Union. The YAC is comprised of youth from across the globe, each bringing their own diverse experiences to support meaningful youth engagement in IUCN’s policies, processes and programmes. Get to know Erinn and other YAC members as we introduce them.
Hi everyone, my name is Erinn Drage! I am a conservation professional living on Treaty 7 territory in Canmore, Alberta, Canada, currently serving as Executive Officer to the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.
I have a background in environmental and social sciences and have spent my early career exploring protected areas governance and management to better understand opportunities to effectively protect nature. I’m an avid outdoor recreationist, and my time skiing, hiking, and guiding throughout mountain and polar regions has inspired much of my work in advocating for ecosystem conservation and restoration.
In addition to my work in protected areas conservation and outdoor guiding, I work in filmmaking as a director, writer, and editor for stories at the human-nature interface. I was named one of Canada’s top 25 under 25 Environmentalists, top 30 under 30 Sustainability Leaders, and top 30 under 30 Environmental Educators. I hold a BSc from Queen’s University and a MSc from Penn State University, where I conducted research with the Protected Areas Research Collaborative.