Peter A. Seligmann (born September 30, 1950) is an American conservationist and nonprofit founder. Seligmann is chairman of
Conservation International
Conservation International (CI) is an American nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia.
CI's work focuses on science, policy and partnership with businesses, governments and communities. The or ...
, an Arlington, Virginia-based environmental nonprofit organization, and from 1987 to 2017 served as its founding chief executive officer. He is also the founding CEO of Nia Tero, a global collaborative whose name translates in
Esperanto
Esperanto ( or ) is the world's most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Created by the Warsaw-based ophthalmologist L. L. Zamenhof in 1887, it was intended to be a universal second language for international communi ...
to "our Earth."
Seligmann is a member of the
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is a nonprofit organization that is independent and nonpartisan. CFR is based in New York Ci ...
; the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at
The New School
The New School is a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive thinkers. ...
Mulago Foundation
The Mulago Foundation is a private foundation focused on high impact philanthropy: investing in charities and philanthropic opportunities that have the highest impact. The foundation was originally envisioned by Rainer Arnhold, a San Francisco pe ...
. He has served as a member of The Coca-Cola Company's International Public Policy Advisory Board.
On July 20, 2000, President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (Birth name, né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 ...
appointed Seligmann to the Enterprise for the Americas Board.
Early life and education
Seligmann was born Sept. 30,1950, in New York City to Esther Arnhold Seligmann, a dance teacher and sister of
Henry H. Arnhold
Heinrich-Hartmut Richard Gustav "Henry" Arnhold (September 15, 1921 – August 23, 2018) was an American banker and philanthropist. He was born in Dresden, the fourth child of Lisa and Heinrich Arnhold. The Arnhold family owned Arnhold Brother ...
, and Otto Seligmann, an accountant and treasurer of Arnhold Ceramics. He grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey.
Seligmann graduated from high school at the Wardlaw Country Day School in
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a City (New Jersey), city in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, known by its nickname as "The Queen City."glassybaby founder Lee Rhodes, and the two reside in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
, Washington. Peter has three daughters from his marriage to Susan Monaghan Seligmann: Melissa Kathryn Seligmann Gokhvat, Jennifer Seligmann, and Leah Seligmann. He also has three stepchildren from his marriage to Lee Rhodes: Mericos Hector Rhodes, Evelyn Sale Rhodes, and Cedric Saunders Rhodes.
Seligmann is an avid world traveler, fisherman, and diver
Career
After graduating from
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
, Seligmann took a job with
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US.
Founded in 1951, The Natu ...
, stewarding the organization's preserves in 13 states in the Western United States. Later, he helmed the California Nature Conservancy and the Nature Conservancy’s International program.
In 1987, Seligmann became the co-founder and CEO of Conservation International. Seligmann has said his vision is to support an environmentally healthy world that provides economic opportunities and security, and he fulfills it by bringing together everyone from business and religious leaders to bureaucrats and scientists to local and indigenous people.
He served as CEO until July 1, 2017, when he was succeeded by the conservation scientist M. Sanjayan. Now he is CEO of Nia Tero.
Seligmann remains chairman of Conservation International alongside board members including former Walmart Chairman
S. Robson Walton
Samuel Robson “Rob” Walton (born October 28, 1944) is an American billionaire heir to the fortune of Walmart, the world's largest retailer. He is the eldest son of Helen Walton and Sam Walton, and was chairman of Walmart from 1992 to 2015. ...
, chairman of the executive committee; actor
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...
, vice chairman of the board;
Laurene Powell Jobs
Laurene Powell Jobs ( Powell; born November 6, 1963)United States birth records is an American billionaire businesswoman and executive. She is the founder and chair of Emerson Collective and XQ Institute. Powell Jobs resides in Palo Alto, Calif ...
, founder of
Emerson Collective
Emerson Collective is a for-profit corporation focused on education, immigration reform, the environment, media and journalism, and health. Founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, this limited liability company (LLC) uses philanthropy, impact investing ...
; President
Ian Khama
Seretse Khama Ian Khama (born 27 February 1953) is a Botswana politician and former military officer who was the fourth President of the Republic of Botswana from 1 April 2008 to 1 April 2018. After serving as Commander of the Botswana Defence ...
of
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...
; Northrop Grumman Corp. CEO Wesley G. Bush; Ann Friedman, and others.