Chris Holtz leads WWF’s Earth for Life initiative, an effort to engage partners around an idea that could have a profound impact on the effectiveness and durability of the world’s protected areas. Chris has nearly 20 years of experience working on biodiversity conservation programs around the world, particularly in Asia. Much of his career has focused on safeguarding systems of conservation areas – parks and protected areas and other indigenous and community-managed reserves.
Chris spent the past 9 years at the MacArthur Foundation. As Director of the Foundation’s conservation program he supervised a global conservation and climate change grant portfolio with programs in Asia and the Pacific, South America, and Africa. Prior to MacArthur, Chris worked at the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF) at Conservation International where he was the Asia Grant Director. He has experience supervising the development of investment strategies, building partnerships among donors, and managing grant portfolio in the Caucasus, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, and the Philippines. Chris served on the Board of IUCN-US from 2012-2016.
While his professional conservation interests encompass forests, rivers, and the oceans, Chris’ personal passion for nature is focused underwater as an enthusiastic amateur photographer of tropical marine life. Chris holds a Masters in public policy and administration from Baylor University in Waco, TX, and a BA in political science from Haverford College in Haverford, PA.
