David Ganz

David is Executive Director of RECOFT, and joined the institution at a key moment in its history when there is growing recognition that forest land rights of local communities are central to peace, economic development, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. David is a strong advocate for community forestry in the region and for path-breaking private sector models that respect local rights and deliver lasting and tangible benefits from millions of hectares of community forests in the Asia-Pacific region.
David joins RECOFTC from SERVIR-Mekong, a joint USAID NASA Initiative, where he has been its Chief of Party since 2014. Prior to this he was Chief of Party for Winrock International’s Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (USAID LEAF) Program. David also held global roles as Director with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and as technical officer with the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and Yale University.