Jack Kittinger

John “Jack” Kittinger, Ph.D. is the inaugural Director of the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures at Arizona State University. A globally recognized conservation scientist and leader, he brings more than two decades of experience advancing biodiversity protection, climate resilience and regenerative economic solutions worldwide.

Before joining ASU, Kittinger served as Senior Vice President at Conservation International, where he led international initiatives spanning sustainable fisheries, regenerative agriculture, and island resilience. In this role, he led an landmark effort to secure $107 million from the Green Climate Fund to support climate adaptation in Pacific Island communities, established the Hawaii Green Fee, which generates $100M annually for conservation and climate resilience, and helped secure over $40M from corporates to support nature-based solutions.

At ASU, he is building a next-generation model for conservation education that integrates applied research, cross-sector partnerships and hands-on training to prepare students and working professionals for impactful careers in conservation practice.