MELISSA SHACKLETON DANN has 25 years of experience in international environmental policy and program strategy. She currently advises foundations, NGOs and the private sector on strategies to achieve transformative and effective change. For over 12 years she was in private philanthropy with the Wallace Global Fund, serving as its executive director for three of those years. She developed all aspects of the fund’s environmental portfolio, including early engagement on climate change, commodity certification and reform of international financial and trade institutions. She spearheaded the fund’s first program-related investment, raising the profile of using capital markets to drive environmental and social change. Dann began her environmental career at World Wildlife Fund and later directed programs for the US-Asia Environmental Partnership, a presidential initiative. She currently serves on the boards of Winrock International, Root Capital and Island Press. She formerly chaired the boards of Fauna & Flora International (US Office) and the Consultative Group on Biological Diversity and was on RARE’s board. Dann is a fellow with the Royal Geographic Society. She holds a master’s in political economy from Columbia University, where she was an international fellow. She and her husband, Tom, have four children.
(Photo credit to Nelson Chenault)
