Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
Harris Sherman, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture
Harris Sherman is the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA. As Under Secretary, he oversees the United States Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Before joining USDA, Sherman served from 2007 until 2009, as the Executive Director of Colorados Department of Natural Resources, under Governor Bill Ritter where he oversaw Colorados water, energy, wildlife, parks, forestry, and state lands programs. Previously, at an earlier point in his career, he was Colorados DNR Director under Governor Richard Lamm. Sherman has also served as Chairman of the Colorado Oil & Gas Commission, Commissioner of Mines, Chair of the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, and Chair of the Denver Regional Air Quality Council.
Between his two stints as Department of Natural Resources Director, Sherman was the Managing Partner of the Denver Office of Arnold & Porter, an international law firm, where he specialized in natural resources, water, energy, public lands, and American Indian law. He has served on a wide variety of public and non-profit boards including the Denver Water Board, the National Advisory Board for Trust for Public Land, the Nature Conservancy, and Colorado College.
Throughout his career, Sherman has dedicated himself to conserving and improving our Nations natural resources. He received his B.A. degree from Colorado College and his law degree from Columbia University Law School.