Respected within the philanthropy world for her intellectualism, Melissa Berman’s legacy as a pioneer for philanthropic advisors and women leaders will loom large after she steps down after two decades of heading Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a leading firm that steers funds toward global development.
As RPA’s founding chief, Berman helped define how foundations have operated since the turn of the last century, bringing an impact-driven approach to the field. Under her leadership, RPA has increasingly pushed wealthy donors to consider how they can meaningfully contribute to global efforts to fight climate change and promote equity and human rights, among other areas that often require broad, systemic changes.
“I feel that we have made a contribution to how people think about philanthropy, that we have not only helped individuals and companies and big, independent foundations but that we have shared a lot of lessons and insights and models,” Berman told Devex in an expansive interview.