Melissa Berman was president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc. (RPA), for more than 20 years. RPA is an innovative nonprofit philanthropy service founded by the Rockefeller family. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors' mission is to help donors create thoughtful, effective philanthropy throughout the world. RPA develops strategic plans, conducts research, manages foundations and trusts, structures major gifts, coordinates donor collaboratives, and provides regranting and fiscal sponsorship services. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors annually manages or facilitates about $200 million in giving to more than 20 countries. It has offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
A frequent speaker, Ms. Berman has been profiled in the New York Times and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Her ideas and views are featured regularly in the Economist, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Business Week, Financial Times, USA Today, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. She has been interviewed on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, NPR, CNBC-TV, and Bloomberg TV. Ms. Berman is a director of the Foundation Center and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
She is an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, where she also serves on the advisory board for the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change. She is a member of the International Council of the New Israel Fund. Ms. Berman holds a BA from Harvard University and a PhD from Stanford University.