Erik Schmidt

Erik Schmidt is a Regulatory Permitting Specialist at WRA Environmental Consultants, with over 20 years of experience in conservation and ecological restoration, specifically in aquatic and riparian habitats across California. Prior to WRA, Erik served as a Senior Conservation Strategist at Sustainable Conservation, where efforts focused on accelerating habitat restoration and improving water quality through regulatory approval and outreach. Experience also includes working as a Natural Resources Specialist at NOAA, analyzing project impacts on Pacific salmon habitats and leading habitat restoration grant programs. Earlier career highlights feature roles as an Assistant Editor at VeloNews, Head Coach for the University of Colorado Cycling Team, and a competitive athlete with notable achievements in triathlons and cycling. Erik holds a Master of Arts in Public and Environmental Policy from the University of Colorado Boulder and dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Cultural Anthropology from UC San Diego.