Jan Glendening
Executive Vice President, North America, Caribbean and Micronesia
Des Moines, Iowa
Jan Glendening Jan Glendening headshot. © TNC
Areas of Expertise
sustainable food production, renewable energy, protecting land & water
Biography
As The Nature Conservancy’s Executive Vice President of North America, Caribbean and Micronesia, Jan provides strategic leadership for an area of the world spanning from the boreal forests of Canada to the beaches of the Caribbean, including all 50 United States and a wide swath of the Pacific Ocean.
Jan is a dedicated conservationist with nearly 25 years of experience. Over her career she has helped TNC build strong, reciprocal relationships with local communities, Indigenous Peoples and Nations, federal, state and local governments and private corporations.
Leading a team of nearly 3,000 people with an annual operating budget close to $700 million, Jan promotes collaboration across boundaries and business units to ensure maximum alignment and effectiveness. She also directly advances conservation outcomes, fundraising, advocacy and strategic partnerships in service of TNC’s 2030 goals.
As a member of TNC’s Executive Leadership Team, Jan works closely with trustees and donors to secure increased support for TNC’s conservation and policy priorities—for example, Jan is honored to be a member of the Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration Steering Committee.
Jan’s career at TNC began in 2021 with the Iowa chapter as Director of Philanthropy before serving as Iowa State Director for seven years. Prior to her current position, Jan fulfilled the role of Great Plains Division Director, overseeing work on the Mississippi River, grassland and forest systems, as well as food and water issues encountered in working landscapes and cities across the nine Great Plains states.
Jan’s commitment to conservation stems from her childhood growing up on a farm in Iowa, where she experienced firsthand the integral connection between people, clean water and healthy lands.