A love of the outdoors and a personal commitment to conservation of natural resources led Lea Harvey to a career in nonprofit management—with a particular bent toward environmental policy.
Recently named vice president of development at Resources for the Future (RFF), Harvey brings to that role years of experience as a fundraising executive for leading environmental and nonprofit governing organizations.
RFF President Phil Sharp noted that Harvey’s proven abilities in solicitation and stewardship of financial resources for nonprofit groups were exemplary qualifications for her new position. “Lea affords us a demonstrated enthusiasm for nonprofit development and a solid background in environmental issues,” said Sharp. “She understands our mission and will add significant value to our management team and to our fundraising operation.”
Growing up in a small town in coastal South Carolina, Harvey spent much of her time outdoors and, in her words, “was enthralled with the natural world.” She continues to set aside time for bicycling, hiking in the mountains, canoeing in wilderness areas, and finding the best fly-fishing spots.
After graduating from Sweet Briar College in Virginia with a degree in art history and minor in nonprofit management, Harvey came to Washington assuming she would explore work in museums. “I soon learned that my heart was in organizations that made a positive difference in the quality of people’s lives,” she says. “Before long, I was ensconced in the world of nonprofits and the environment.”
From 1998 to 2005, she worked in several key positions at the World Wildlife Fund, an international conservation organization. As director of foundation and corporate relations, she led a staff of six to build a $14.5 million foundation and corporate fundraising program. She also focused on building partnerships with foundation and corporate grantmakers to advance conservation and sustainability initiatives in the United States, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Most recently, until she joined RFF, Harvey was vice president of development at BoardSource, a Washington-based publishing and consulting organization dedicated to strengthening nonprofits of all sizes and mission types by strengthening the boards that lead them.
“Our mandate was to help nonprofit boards of directors and chief executives to become the most strategic and effective leaders they could be,” she says. “That involves an intense focus on mission, candid evaluation of successes and failures, and strategic planning that pays off in better results. It gave me invaluable insights into how good nonprofits work, and how others may falter.”
Kathryn Fuller, a member of the RFF Board of Directors and former president and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund, noted that Harvey’s skills in nonprofit management and development would be major assets in her new position. “Lea has a wonderful personal style and a keen intelligence, and she attracts genuine respect from her colleagues,” says Fuller. “And to be sure, she’s a producer of good results.”
