Andrew Bowman is president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, a national non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. Based in Washington, D.C., Defenders represents nearly 2.1 million members and supporters throughout the United States.
Bowman’s career has been focused on advancing bedrock conservation laws and protecting places for wildlife to thrive. He has led major efforts resulting in significant victories for the conservation community including markedly increased federal conservation funding and legislation that ensures the integrity of the federal tax incentive for conservation easement donations.
In his previous role, as president and CEO of the Land Trust Alliance, Bowman spearheaded programmatic offerings to help land trusts tackle today’s pressing issues and societal needs, including climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion. During his tenure, land trusts added approximately 10 million acres to the nation’s conservation estate.
Before joining the Alliance in February 2016, Andrew served as the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s program director for the environment. In that capacity, he oversaw all environmental grant-making for the foundation. During his 11 years at the foundation, Andrew developed and obtained approval of more than $100 million in grants and program-related investments to protect critical habitats and species in places such as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Southern Appalachia and the Northern Forest. He also served as director of the foundation’s Climate Change Initiative, a five-year grants program focused on climate change mitigation.
Prior to his work at the foundation, Andrew practiced law in Oregon for Defenders and at the law firm Perkins Coie LLP. He remains an active member of the Oregon State Bar.
In 1995, Andrew earned a master's degree in city and regional planning from the University of California at Berkeley as well as a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in San Francisco. In 2003, he received a Master of Law degree in environmental and natural resources law from the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. His undergraduate education was at the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a Truman Scholar.
