Jamie Bechtel

CEO, Kito Impact Foundation

Jamie is a highly regarded leader in international conservation whose work has led to strategic advances in conservation, sustainable finance and biology. Jamie has worked with world leaders, CEOs, and esteemed scholars to tackle conservation issues. Yet, it’s her engagement with people in the field that has fundamentally shaped Jamie’s ethic and approach to conservation and development.

Through her research and field experience, Jamie realized the importance of including women in conservation and development strategies—strategies that typically exclude women. After seven years with Conservation International, she left to establish a nonprofit called New Course, focused on gender equity, conservation, and poverty alleviation. When New Course evolved into Planet Women in July 2020, she became the Vice Chair of Planet Women’s Board of Directors and provided critical wisdom and guidance to Planet Women’s start-up team as they navigated launching a new organization. 

Jamie is currently an advisor to EarthLab and chair of SenesTech (SNES). She was an adviser to Clinton Global Initiative, was honored in Fast Company as one of 60 women heroes, and lectured at University of Washington’s School of Law. Jamie has a Ph.D. from BU and a law degree from Boston College. She lives in Seattle with her husband, children, dog, chickens, and ducks (not necessarily listed in order of importance).