Camila Bautista is the Salton Sea and desert program manager with Audubon California, where she leads conservation initiatives, youth education and community engagement efforts to protect the unique ecosystems and wildlife of the Salton Sea and surrounding desert areas.

Beginning with Audubon as an intern with the Salton Sea Program in 2020, Camila was eventually promoted to program manager in April 2024. Throughout her career at Audubon California, Camila has demonstrated leadership in key projects, including the Bombay Beach Wetland Project, and has significantly contributed to community engagement and development.

Camila, who grew up in the city of Coachella only 30 minutes north of the Salton Sea, holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from UCLA and a master’s degree in environmental science from California State University, Los Angeles.

She joined the Water Education Foundation board in 2026 as a representative of the 2025 Water Leaders cohort.