David Nygaard to Succeed Daniel Taylor as President

Franklin, WV-  Future Generations announces the transition of Daniel Taylor as president. Effective March 22, David Nygaard will take over as president of Future Generations and also Future Generations Graduate School.
 
After eighteen years of leadership, Daniel Taylor steps down to focus on research and remain active with the organization as a professor in the graduate school and on several of the boards of trustees worldwide. During his leadership, Future Generations grew into a collaboration of organizations worldwide that research, demonstrate, and teach integrated community-led development and conservation.
 
David Nygaard has been active in international development for more than 40 years, including living and working abroad for 25 of those years. After 11 years with the Aga Khan Foundation in Geneva Switzerland, he recently stepped down as the Director of Rural Development Programmes, where he provided oversight of programs in 11 countries in South and Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
 
“Future Generations and its Graduate School,” says Dr. Nygaard, “is one of the most creative, unique and committed to community-led development organizations that I have seen. It has learned the value of listening and communicating with villagers and the poor, and these characteristics are what attracted me to accept an offer to join this organization. I am convinced that this is the kind of approach required to achieve long-term sustainable development. ”

Over the last eighteen years, Future Generations has evolved an approach of community-based change that allows large impact in promoting the well-being of people and the protection of nature. Partner programs are now in six countries (Afghanistan, Canada, China, India, Peru and the USA), and students in the graduate school have come from 25 countries.

The worldwide team of Future Generations is excited by this continued growth. Daniel remarks that, “David brings a deep understanding of international development, understanding the core institutional value of community empowerment. It is with great pleasure that I turn over to him the leadership of the organizations. I am looking forward to watching Future Generations continue to grow and have impact around the world.”