Ģ��Av

NEW YORK - The Ģ��Av (“Ģ��Av”) today announced the appointment of two key senior hires to join the organization’s leadership team following broad national searches. Dr. Elizabeth Gray will join Ģ��Av as President and Chief Conservation Officer, reporting to CEO David Yarnold. Dr. Gray will be the first woman to hold the title of President in the organization’s 115-year history. Jamaal Nelson has been appointed Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer, and will also report to David Yarnold. These appointments will become effective March 8 and March 1, respectively. Ģ��Av has also announced the promotion of David Ringer to Chief Network and Communications Officer.

Ģ��Av Board Chair, Maggie Walker, said, “This is an exciting moment for Ģ��Av as we welcome two outstanding leaders – Elizabeth and Jamaal – to the organization’s executive team. Elizabeth’s exceptional credentials as a scientist, fundraiser and strategic leader will give Ģ��Av much-needed executive capacity as we continue to grow. While we did not originally set out in our search to hire for the role of President, meeting Elizabeth presented us with a golden opportunity to build on a doubling of our budget over the past decade and our vastly increased influence and capabilities. She and David will make a terrific team.”

Ms. Walker continued, “Ģ��Av and its Board and leaders are all deeply committed to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of what we do and how we operate every day. That is why we could not be more excited to welcome Jamaal to lead Ģ��Av on this journey. The organization will benefit greatly from his expertise in advancing social and environmental justice as we work together to put our values into practice.”

Dr. Elizabeth Gray

Dr. Elizabeth Gray is a renowned expert in the field of conservation and climate change. She was selected after an extensive search process involving both internal and external candidates, led by Isaacson Miller. During the search process and in recognition of the outstanding candidacy of Dr. Gray, Ģ��Av elected to split the roles of President and CEO. Dr. Gray will serve as President and Chief Conservation Officer, with responsibility for the organization’s conservation, policy, international, and science teams, as wells as the national network of chapter organizations. As CEO, Mr. Yarnold will continue to serve as the organization’s senior leader, strategist and fundraiser. Dr. Gray will report to him, as will the heads of development; equity, diversity and inclusion; operations; state offices; and marketing.

Trained as an ornithologist, Dr. Gray has spent more than three decades as a dedicated conservationist, spending considerable time in the field nationally and abroad. She joins Ģ��Av from The Nature Conservancy where she most recently held the role of Global Managing Director for Climate. Dr. Gray has a significant track record on climate change leadership at the national and global level including: serving as a global spokesperson for the Conservancy’s climate change work at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings; launching regional programs in climate adaptation and natural climate solutions across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean; and, publishing numerous scientific papers focused on her research in climate-impacted areas such as Latin America, East Africa, Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.

Dr. Gray served as one of five members of The Nature Conservancy’s Global Gender Equity Council, advising the CEO, President, and COO/General Counsel on gender issues across the organization. She founded the first urban conservation program in Washington, D.C., and has worked to empower the next generation of conservation leaders through a young professional’s network and youth advocacy program. Dr. Gray earned her Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Washington and holds an A.B. with highest honors in psychology from Harvard University. She will be based in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Yarnold, said, “When we embarked on the search for a Chief Conservation Officer, we could not have imagined a better candidate than Elizabeth. Her unmatched track record as a global leader on climate and conservation, together with her deep commitment to diversity and inclusion make her the ideal fit for our organization. Ģ��Av will benefit tremendously from her strategic and creative approach, not to mention her scientific and policy expertise. I am thrilled to welcome Elizabeth to our team as President and look forward to working alongside her to build an Ģ��Av for the future.”

Dr. Elizabeth Gray said, “Ģ��Av’s mission resonates deeply with me; my love of birds began as a college student when I studied how homing pigeons navigate. I am excited and honored to join the Ģ��Av team as President and CCO. I look forward to working with Ģ��Av’s wonderful talent to advance new and innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges facing birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow.”

Ģ��Av’s conservation priorities reflect the opportunity that a bipartisan membership base offers. From working across the aisle on climate and clean energy, to a “30x30” agenda for America’s lands and waters, to bedrock bird conservation policies, Ģ��Av brings 115 years of trust and an entrepreneurial approach to bear for birds and people and the places they need.

Jamaal Nelson

Jamaal Nelson will join Ģ��Av as Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer.  His appointment is the culmination of a national search process that included internal and external candidates and was led by Russell Reynolds.