Tammy Palmer

Tammy Palmer knew from a young age that her career would take her all over the world, across continents and cultures and everything in between. Going back even to her undergraduate days, Tammy realizes that she was incredibly lucky to know where her professional passions lay. And in her own words, her passions were focused on ‘the socio-economic advancement of marginalized communities, primarily across the African diaspora.’

According to Tammy, this was the single ‘common thread’ connecting all her academic pursuits as well as professional ones, taking her throughout the developing world. Her career saw her harness her skills in multiple areas including strategic planning, international development, and conservation, as both a diplomat and executive manager. Living and working in eight countries including Peru, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, Tammy was continually drawn to the conservation field and noticed early on her talent for generating long-term impact. 

Tammy’s deep-rooted passion brought her to the internationally-renowned Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) as the Vice President of Africa Programs, serving as both thought leader and lead practitioner of the organization’s 10-year strategic plan. Committed to uniting community economic development and environmental conservation under one umbrella across sub-Saharan Africa, Tammy later served as the organization’s Chief Operations Officer and Interim Executive Director.

In previous career phases, Tammy served as a diplomat and economics governance officer with USAID, the United States Agency for International Development. Empowering her to work across complex institutional environments, she facilitated bringing groups into economically viable livelihoods throughout the globe.

Tammy holds a Master’s degree in Development from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs and Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Williams College.