Kristine Tompkins

Kristine McDivitt Tompkins is the president and co-founder of Tompkins Conservation, an American conservationist, and former CEO of Patagonia Inc. Tompkins began her career working for Yvon Chouinard, assisting in the transformation of a small piton business into Patagonia Inc., eventually becoming the company's first CEO, a position she held for two decades. During her tenure, Tompkins led the company to become a model for environmentally conscious business within the outdoor industry, supporting sustainable business practices and helping to establish the One Percent for the Planet initiative.

After retiring from Patagonia, Tompkins married Doug Tompkins, founder of The North Face and co-founder of Esprit. Together, they shifted their focus from business to biodiversity conservation, moving to Chile and establishing several nonprofit organizations, including Conservation Land Trust, The Foundation For Deep Ecology, and Conservación Patagónica, which later consolidated under Tompkins Conservation. Tompkins and her husband concentrated their efforts on national parks, recognizing their ecological, cultural, and economic significance for long-term conservation.

Through Tompkins Conservation and its affiliated organizations, Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile, Tompkins has contributed to the creation or expansion of 15 national parks in Argentina and Chile, including two marine national parks. Her work includes reintroducing species such as the jaguar, red-and-green macaw, and giant river otters in Northeast Argentina, as well as Darwin's rheas and the endangered huemul deer in Chile. Tompkins and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed decrees to create five new national parks in Chile and expand three others, resulting in the addition of 10.3 million acres of new national parklands. Collectively, Tompkins and her late husband Douglas Tompkins protected approximately 14.8 million acres of parklands in Chile and Argentina, establishing a significant legacy in conservation philanthropy.

Following the death of Doug Tompkins in a kayaking accident, Tompkins continued their conservation mission. Her work and story are featured in the National Geographic documentary "Wild Life," directed by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, which chronicles decades of entrepreneurial and conservation efforts leading to the largest private land donation in history.

Tompkins served as Patron for Protected Areas for the United Nations Environmental Programme and was the first conservationist to receive the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. She has delivered two TED talks, including "Let's Make the World Wild Again," which has received over 2 million views. Her recognitions include the Lifetime Contribution to the Chilean Wilderness award from the Chilean-North American Business Bureau, the David R. Brower Award from the American Alpine Club, and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Outdoor Retailer Outdoor Inspiration Awards. Tompkins is recognized for her leadership in conservation, rewilding, and sustainable business, and her contributions continue to influence global environmental efforts.