Kevin J. Lilly

The Honorable Kevin J. Lilly currently serves as the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 7, 2026, and sworn in on August 21, Assistant Secretary Lilly provides senior leadership and strategic direction over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service and the Office of Everglades Restoration Initiatives, institutions entrusted with safeguarding America’s natural, cultural and historic heritage. 

Prior to joining the Administration, Secretary Lilly served as Vice Chairman of Corient, the nation’s largest independently owned investment and wealth management firm. He previously co-founded Avalon Advisors in 2001 and helped establish it as the largest independent wealth management firm in Texas before its 2023 merger with CI Financial, now known as Corient. Prior to founding Avalon, Lilly spent 11 years in investment banking, beginning in Sales and Trading at Goldman Sachs and later serving at Morgan Stanley. In 2009, Governor Rick Perry appointed Lilly to the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System, where he served through 2015. In 2017, Governor Gregg Abbott appointed Lilly Chairman of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, where he focused on regulatory reform, border issues, human trafficking and combating the distribution of fentanyl through licensed establishments.  

Secretary Lilly earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army, serving in the Armor/Cavalry branch. He served as a Tank Platoon Leader and Tank Company Executive Officer, with his final assignment as an Assistant Operations Officer in the 12th Cavalry Regiment. Following an overseas deployment, he concluded his military service as a Captain. 

Lilly continued his commitment to military and public service through the Texas State Guard, ultimately attaining the rank of Colonel and commanding the 8th Civil Affairs Regiment during Hurricane Harvey. Throughout his career, he has also served on the boards of The National WWII Museum, the Houston Methodist Hospital Academic Research Board, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Houston Symphony, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and Southwestern University. 

Secretary Lilly has published articles on project finance and military tactics and maintains a longstanding interest in military history, hunting and fishing and exploring America’s great federal lands. Lilly is married and has three children, including two Eagle Scouts. He brings to his role at the Department of the Interior decades of experience in institutional leadership, public service, military affairs and civic engagement, united by a longstanding commitment to stewardship and service to the nation.