Dan Pallotta

Dan Pallotta is an entrepreneur, author, and humanitarian activist recognized for his impact on philanthropy and nonprofit innovation. Pallotta pioneered the multi-day charitable event industry with initiatives such as AIDSRides and Breast Cancer 3-Days, which mobilized nearly a quarter of a million participants and generated more than half a billion dollars for charitable causes. His approach was examined in an early Harvard Business School case study on social enterprise, highlighting how his model made four-figure fundraising accessible to individuals new to charitable giving. Pallotta also developed the Out of the Darkness suicide prevention events, which increased public awareness and advocacy for mental health.

Pallotta’s commitment to social change began as an undergraduate at Harvard, where he chaired the Hunger Action Committee and led 38 classmates on a 4,200-mile cross-country bicycle ride to raise funds for Oxfam and spotlight hunger issues. As founder of Pallotta TeamWorks, Pallotta has advocated for nonprofit organizations to operate with the same economic flexibility as for-profit businesses. His fundraising models have been adopted by numerous charities, collectively raising more than $1.5 billion for causes including pediatric leukemia, AIDS, and suicide prevention.

As an author and thought leader in nonprofit management and charitable giving, Pallotta has written extensively on philanthropy. His book, "Uncharitable," became the best-selling title in the history of Tufts University Press and was described by Stanford Social Innovation Review as a potential manifesto for the nonprofit sector. His follow-up book, "Charity Case," and "The Everyday Philanthropist: A Better Way to Make a Better World" further explore strategies for effective giving. Pallotta has contributed over 100 articles to Harvard Business Review online.

Pallotta’s TED Talk, "The way we think about charity is dead wrong," has been viewed by millions and is recognized as one of the most persuasive talks on the platform. His subsequent TED Talk on being has also reached a global audience. Pallotta was a founding partner of TED’s Audacious Project, which supports high-impact social change initiatives worldwide.

Pallotta has served as a William J. Clinton Distinguished Lecturer and has spoken at organizations and institutions including Google, eBay, KPMG, UBS, Stanford, Wharton, Brown, Harvard Business School, Harvard’s Hauser Center for Nonprofits, Harvard Kennedy School, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Council on Foundations, Philanthropy Roundtable, Gates Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, United Way, Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Children’s Miracle Network. His honors include the Liberty Hill Foundation Creative Vision Award, Triangle Humanitarian of the Year Award, Albany State University International Citizen of the Year Award, and Seven Fund’s Morality of Profit Essay Prize. Pallotta is president of Advertising for Humanity and president and founder of the Charity Defense Council.