Jack Hurd announced as Chief Operationg Officer

Woodwell Climate announces the appointment of Jack Hurd as Chief Operating Officer. Hurd has decades of experience working on environmental conservation, climate change mitigation, and community development for major nonprofits and NGOs across the globe, and will bring his deep expertise in blending international programmatic experience with world-class operational leadership to the Center.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jack to the Woodwell leadership team at this pivotal moment for our work and organization,” said Max Holmes, President and CEO of Woodwell. “Jack’s proven track record of building and mentoring successful teams, managing complex operations across continents, and establishing financial sustainability in top-tier environmental organizations makes him the ideal leader to drive our operations and scale our global scientific impact.”

Hurd’s role will include overseeing daily operations, executing Woodwell’s strategic priorities, stewarding the operating budget, exploring new opportunities to diversify revenue through strategic partnerships, and leading Woodwell’s team of scientists, helping to ensure Woodwell’s research drives measurable change.

“The Woodwell Climate Research Center occupies a uniquely vital position in the climate space by ensuring that rigorous scientific exploration has a clear line of sight to its eventual application—whether in policy, corporate strategy, or public literacy,” said Hurd. “I am incredibly eager to collaborate with Woodwell’s world-renowned scientists and staff to complement this outstanding scientific foundation with operational excellence, maximizing our impact at a time when actionable climate solutions are urgently needed.”

Hurd joins Woodwell from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he served as Head of the Earth Systems Agenda, and previously held leadership roles at Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy. He assumed the Chief Operating Officer role on August 31, 2026.