Don served for more than 20 years as the executive director of the Weeden Foundation, supporting a range of programs to preserve biodiversity, nationally and internationally. He played an instrumental role in launching private lands conservation efforts in Chilean Patagonia, eastern Bolivia, and the Altai Mountains in Russia. Don founded the Quick Response Fund for Nature to ensure that globally significant land deals have timely access to necessary funds. The fund has facilitated more than 50 land deals in 25 countries. In the U.S., the Weeden Foundation has played a key conservation role in the Klamath Siskiyou bioregion and Northern Rockies. Don’s career also spanned various field and management positions for Columbia University, International Planned Parenthood Federation, and other non-governmental organizations. He is an accomplished whitewater and sea kayaker with a keen interest in river and coastal conservation.