Jody Olson Email & Phone Number

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Work with the Executive Director and senior leadership to develop and guide implementation of operational strategies that support our conservation mission, with a focus on growing funding for nature-based solution that protect communities and enhance habitats for future generations.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

I work with NFWF and agency staff to develop and fund conservation partnerships. • Overseen 13 years of growth in federal funds going from $40 million to over $700 million in annual funding.• Developed partnerships with non-traditional partners including the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, while expanding traditional partnerships down to Regional and State offices.• Develop new and unique funding models and agreements to support our partnerships.• Serve as the lead for all new agency partnerships.I build support for NFWF’s programs with agency partners and ensure that agency priorities are reflected in NFWF’s programs.• Serve as liaison to the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Defense, Bureau of Reclamation, and USAID while supervising staff who coordinate with NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.• Establish relationships with staff at all levels including political appointees, senior career staff, and the field in order to advance partnerships.In 2023, I supported the development of over $500 million in partnership agreements and directly managed $50-$60 million in federal partnership funding.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

I led the development of a $102 million agreement with the Department of the Interior following Super Storm Sandy. I developed NFWF’s first challenge cost share agreement with USFS and negotiated our first $10+ million partnership with the agency. I established NFWF’s first discretionary agreements with DOD and BLM. I was also able to break through two decades of legal rulings that prevented NFWF from awarding grants to NOAA while helping NFWF achieve its first institutional partner status designation. Other achievements include managing NFWF’s threatened and endangered species recovery program with BLM, creating NFWF’s youth conservation corps grant program, and securing federal funds for new programs around post fire restoration, urban waters, and monarch butterflies.

I managed nearly $100 million in direct Congressionally appropriated partnership funds from the U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This included working with the agencies and NFWF staff on developing annual priorities, selecting projects, tracking projects, and reporting on project outcomes. I worked closely with both career and political staff at both the agency and Department level and was responsible for all troubleshooting and due diligence associated with these funds. I worked with NFWF’s program staff to shift the organization’s funding strategy towards discretionary funding agreements with federal agencies. I developed the majority of these new agreements and helped the organization double the amount of federal funds received outside of the direct appropriation process. I also managed several multi-million dollar federal agency directed grant programs including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Damage Assessment Response and Remediation Program, the Bureau of Land Management’s Endangered Species Recovery Fund, and several smaller programs with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

I was the primary manager for NFWF’s partnerships with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Reclamation, and Corps of Engineers. I oversaw an annual $3 million appropriation from the Natural Resources Conservation Service which included working with NFWF’s staff on the obligation of the funds, meeting regularly with agency staff to coordinate partnership efforts, and holding an annual meeting with the agency’s Chief. I also served as the primary manger for the Corps of Engineers’ Lake Isabella project, which was NFWF’s mitigation program at the time, and I helped implement a portion of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Southwest willow flycatcher mitigation activities. As part of the Lake Isabella program, I developed NFWF’s first long-term management agreement to support the annual operation and maintenance costs of the restored property.I assisted the Director of Government Relations in preparing Congressional testimony, developing Congressional site visits, and responding to Congressional inquiries. I also assisted in preparing reports and meeting material for meetings with political and career federal agency staff.

I was responsible for drafting speeches, statements, and press releases for events in Washington, DC and Southwest Virginia on issues ranging from high tech policy to local economic development. I wrote a weekly commentary on current issues for publication in local papers. I also advised the Congressman on legislative matters relating to environment, science and technology, and the military.

I wrote opening statements, assisted with drafting amendments, and advised the Congressman on energy, environment, science and technology, labor, and military issues. I was also responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising the Virginia Tech Congressional Fellow.

I created the Congressman’s website which was used from 2000-2004. I had no previous HTML training and had to learn website development when tasked with this assignment.

Wildlife Science

Activities and Societies: President, Student Government Association 1998-1999 Omicron Delta Kappa National Student Leadership Honor Society

Masters Of Public Administration, State And Local Government

Activities and Societies: Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society4.0/4.0

Master Of Public Administration - Mpa