Biography

Daniel Katz is an internationally recognized conservationist and social innovator. At the age of 24 he co-founded the Rainforest Alliance, now considered one of the world’s premier conservation organizations. The Rainforest Alliance is active in over 70 countries, and was one of the first organizations to work with businesses to change management practices. Today it is the world’s largest nonprofit certifier, working on products that range from Gibson guitars to Lipton tea. After running the Rainforest Alliance for fourteen years, Daniel remains chairman of its board of directors. He is also the Senior Program Director in the Environment at The Overbrook Foundation, where he directs grant funding in biodiversity, sustainability and climate change. He is an expert in non profit management, has an MBA from the Stern School of Business, New York University, and serves on numerous boards and advisory boards. Daniel is frequently asked to speak about how individuals and organizations can change their behaviors to make a tangible difference on the planet. Daniel has been involved with a series of social internet start ups, including CatalogChoice.org, an organization he created at The Overbrook Foundation in 2006. For its nearly 1.2 million users, Catalog Choice offers a quick and easy way to stop the flow of unwanted catalogs that clog mailboxes. He is the editor of two volumes: Why Freedom Matters: The Spirit of the Declaration of Independence in Prose, Poetry and Song (2003, Workman) and Tales from the Jungle: A Rainforest Reader (1995, Crown). He lives in New York City with his wife and two children.