WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ben Kota will serve as the National Wildlife Federation’s Chief Operating Officer to support the organization’s ongoing growth and continued work in support of wildlife conservation, climate action, and environmental justice. Kota, who previously served as general counsel and secretary to the Board of Directors, will coordinate across human resources, program operations, operations and technology, communications, and equity and justice teams to enact collaborative solutions that meet the Federation’s growing needs. Kota will also continue managing the governance functions of the board of directors.

“As the National Wildlife Federation’s work continues to expand across regions and issues, Ben has been integral to meeting the challenges of a rapidly growing organization in capacity and strategy,” said  Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Ben’s experience and leadership in working across teams to develop and enact solutions will ensure that the National Wildlife Federation can continue to lead efforts to address the climate and wildlife crises.”

“For the past 10 years, I have been proud to work with my colleagues at the Federation as general counsel,” said Kota. “As the organization grows, I look forward ensuring the Federation has the support and capacity in place to advance our work on climate, wildlife, and environmental justice.”

Kota joined the National Wildlife Federation in 2013 and has more than 20 years of legal expertise in nonprofit advocacy, fundraising, and corporate governance. Actively engaged in all aspects of the organization, one of his top priorities is to collaborate across the Federation to facilitate policy and program delivery to ultimately help achieve of the goals of the newly developed strategic plan.

Kota is a registered attorney, holds a B.S. in biology from St. Bonaventure University and a J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago Law School.