Brad Rutherford

Brad has more than 30 years of demonstrated leadership experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He spent the last seven years as chief operating officer of the Seattle Aquarium where he led the finance, facilities, technology, marketing and communications, life sciences, conservation, education, and people and culture teams. Working together with these teams, Seattle Aquarium doubled its earned revenue and greatly expanded the conservation programs. Prior to joining the Seattle Aquarium, Brad served as executive director of the Snow Leopard Trust from 2000 to 2016. Under Brad’s leadership, the Trust grew into a world leader in snow leopard conservation.

Brad received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in social change and development and a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Northwestern University. He supported global rural development programs for Winrock International in Washington, D.C., and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Central African Republic.