Barbara J. Bramble leads the National Wildlife Federation’s advocacy to improve U.S. international policy on climate change and builds business consensus to sever the connection between agricultural expansion and loss of wildlife habitat. She brings the National Wildlife Federation’s massive membership to bear in convincing manufacturers and major retail brands to avoid purchasing products originating from recently cleared tropical forests and other critical habitats.
She serves on the board of the Forest Stewardship Council—the global eco-label for wood/paper products from sustainably managed forests—and is the former board chair of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, which certifies biomass, biofuels, and bioplastics that meet global social and environmental standards.
Over three decades at the Federation, she's developed innovative approaches to reform the environmental and social policies of financial institutions such as the World Bank; reduce the negative environmental impacts of international trade agreements; establish voluntary certification systems to promote sustainable forest and agriculture products; and increase U.S. contributions to international voluntary family planning, reproductive health, and education for girls and women. Bramble was a key organizer of the International NGO Forum at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. She worked closely with Mexican NGOs for several years to enhance their advocacy and environmental education skills.
Before joining the Federation, she served as legal advisor to the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and as an environmental lawyer in private practice. Her JD is from George Washington University, and her B.A. is from George Mason University. Bramble lived in Latin America for almost five years and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese.
