Ellen Giordano

Ellen Giordano is Vice President of Partnerships, responsible for the development of partnerships and funding collaborations with the US government. A member of WWF’s Policy and Government affairs team since 2018, she leads the Partnerships team which works collaboratively with conservation experts and operations managers to develop and oversee complex, multi-million-dollar proposals and funded conservation projects in the US and worldwide. Ellen has over 25 years of experience developing strategic partnerships, designing and managing large-scale publicly and privately funded programs.

Prior to joining WWF, she served as vice president at ANERA, a Middle East focused relief and development organization where she worked with in-country staff to design projects, develop partnerships and secure public, multilateral, and private funding to support the organization’s mission. As vice president, she was a core part of the management team, supporting ongoing and emergency response operations. From 2006 to 2012, Ellen managed new business development in various roles at Creative Associates International, a multi-sector development contractor working primarily in conflict-affected countries. Her background includes field experience as a country director for Save the Children and program manager overseeing emergency humanitarian assistance, participatory community development, agriculture, health, education, and livelihoods programs, and US-based work focused on community land trusts and affordable housing. Ellen’s educational background is in international relations, economics and Russian Area studies.

Education

• BA, Mount Holyoke College

Areas of Expertise

• US Government relations and partnership development
• Program design and management
• Development of large scale funding proposals for US Agency for International Development, Department of State and other federal agencies.