Wilke Nelson
Deputy Vice President

Department: Resource Development

Area of Focus: Wilke works with people who love rivers to secure support of all kinds to insure future generations inherit a legacy of wild and restored rivers for the benefit of wildlife and the human communities that depend on them.

Background: Wilke started with American Rivers in 2004, prior to that he worked for the National Park Foundation as Senior Director of Planned Giving and Major Gifts and in other positions from 12 years where he worked on fundraising, government relations and land conservation, before that he was Assistant Director of the Maryland Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and also worked in The Nature Conservancy's headquarters working on fundraising, land conservation projects and government relations.

Education: B.A. in History and English from Hampshire College, and M.P.A. in Public Administration/Non-Profit Administration from The George Washington University

Favorite River: Meadow Creek