Skip to content

A Special Announcement from our Board President

October 9, 2013

Dear friends and colleagues,

On behalf of the board and staff of the Goldman Environmental Foundation, it is my distinct pleasure to announce that David Gordon, a long-time environmental leader with extensive expertise in international grassroots activism, will become our next executive director on November 4, 2013.

As we head into our 25th anniversary year, all of us are thrilled to have someone with David’s background, abilities, and passion join our team and lead us in our ongoing mission to honor and inspire grassroots environmental activism!

As many of you probably know, David is no stranger to the Goldman Environmental Prize, having served as a nominator during his tenure as executive director at Pacific Environment. His organization contributed several nominations, including those of two Goldman Prize recipients: Marina Rikhvanova (2008, Russia) and Dmitry Lisitsyn (2011, Russia).

David graduated from Reed College with a degree in history, as well as Russian language and literature. He joined Pacific Environment in 1992, overseeing millions in grants to environmental protection efforts in Siberia, the Russian Far East, and China. In 2003, he was appointed executive director and grew the organization’s impact to include environmental initiatives in the Arctic, Russia, Alaska, China, and California. He most recently served in the environment program at the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, where he managed grantmaking to support local communities around the world to sustain healthy ecosystems and biodiversity.

Please join us in warmly welcoming David to the Goldman Prize. With David at the helm, we look forward to continuing our important work with you.

Best wishes,

Douglas E. Goldman

President, Goldman Environmental Foundation

Recent Posts

Five Environmental Terms Explained


August 4, 2026

Read on to discover five key terms shaping the environmental movement of 2026.

Read more

The Green Transition Cannot Be Built on Poisoned Rivers 


June 15, 2026 – By Pianporn (Pai) Deetes

Goldman Prize winners participated in a six-day march in Thailand to raise awareness about polluted rivers. The issue is complex, as the contamination is linked to mining for metals that are essential to renewable energy production.

Read more

How Women Past and Present Drive the Environmental Movement


June 9, 2026

Women are increasingly leading grassroots environmental campaigns around the world. Discover why this is no coincidence.

Read more