• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management
  • Degrees and Programs
    • Undergraduate Programs
      • B.S. in Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management
        • Aquaculture and Fisheries Management Track
        • Natural Resources Management and Policy Track
        • Outdoor Enterprise Management Track
        • Rangeland Management Track
        • Wildlife Management Track
      • Dual Undergrad/Grad Programs
        • Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management 4+1 Fast Track
        • Wildlife Conservation and Policy 3+2 Program
      • Park and Natural Resource Management Minor
      • Rangeland Management Minor
      • Wildlife and Fisheries Management Minor
    • Graduate Programs
      • M.S. in Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management
      • Master of Natural Resources (Non-Thesis)
      • Ph.D. in Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management
      • Military Land Sustainability Certificate
    • Academic Advising
    • Experiential Learning
    • Academic Resources
      • Department Forms
    • Course Guide
  • Admissions and Aid
    • Scholarships and Financial Aid
    • Student Life
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Transfer Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Readmission
  • Research and Extension
    • Research
    • Extension
    • Centers and Labs
    • Properties
  • Get Connected
    • Department Calendar
    • Giving to Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management
  • About
    • Department Directory
    • Department Leadership
    • News and Media
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Contact Us
  • Job Board
Search

← All People

Wilkins, Neal

Neal Wilkins

President and CEO, East Foundation; member of the RWFM External Advisory Committee

Education

Undergraduate Education
B.S. Forestry, Stephen F. Austin State University
Graduate Education
M.S. Wildlife and Fisheries, Texas A&M University
Ph.D. Wildlife Ecology, University of Florida

Professional Summary

Neal Wilkins is president and chief executive officer of the East Foundation. Wilkins is responsible for leading the foundation’s mission of promoting land stewardship through ranching, science and education. With headquarters in San Antonio, the East Foundation owns and operates roughly 217,000 acres of South Texas ranchland where scientists and managers work together to integrate rangeland management, wildlife conservation and livestock production systems.

Wilkins has more than 30 years of experience in research and conservation across the private lands of Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Washington, New Zealand and Oregon. His primary focus has been habitat management and conservation of land, water and wildlife resources on native rangelands and commercial forestland. His work integrates science, management, policy and economics.

Before joining the East Foundation in 2012, Neal was a professor and director of the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources and the Texas Water Resources Institute. In these roles he led the work of more than 45 scientists and professional staff. Prior to 2006, Wilkins was a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide program leader for wildlife and fisheries. Prior to joining the Texas A&M faculty in 1998, he directed wildlife and fisheries programs for Port Blakely, a 150,000-acre family-owned forestry company headquartered in the Pacific Northwest.

Wilkins is a director and former vice-president of the Texas Wildlife Association. He is on the board of Texan-by-Nature, the management council for the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management and is a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club. He and his wife, Sandra, have two grown children, Ashley and Matt.

A member of
Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Texas A&M Forest Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab | College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

  • About
  • AgriLife Intranet
  • Contact Us
  • Degrees and Programs
  • Department Directory
  • Giving
  • Tools
495 Horticulture Road, College Station, TX 77843
(979) 314-8451
Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management

© 2025 Texas A&M University. All rights reserved.

  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information