Elaine Walsh Carney
Founding Principal of Pathfinder Philanthropy Advisors, Elaine Walsh Carney has 35 years of service to the nonprofit, startup, and government sectors. Elaine specializes in philanthropy, facilitation, mediation, and negotiation. Ms. Carney’s passion is developing and supporting a “Culture of Philanthropy” in the organizations that she serves. Her areas of expertise include fund development, capital campaign planning, management and implementation, the facilitation of collaborative processes, creation, and implementation of strategic plans, in addition to volunteer training and coaching. Elaine’s experience as a consultant in the non-profit and conflict resolution fields and her previous work as an Instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) provide a strong foundation for her current work.
Ms. Carney has lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for thirty years, where she has been an active participant and leader in the vibrant regional nonprofit community. Elaine served on the Board of Directors of the Center for the Arts in Jackson, Wyoming from 2010 – 2012 where she led the efforts to raise $1 million in general operating funds annually. Elaine served as the Advisory Council Co-Chair of the National Outdoor Leadership School from 2003 - 2010. From 2010 to 2018 she served on State of Wyoming Agriculture and Natural Resources Mediation Board, appointed by Governor Dave Freudenthal and Governor Matt Mead.
Ms. Carney is currently focused on Democracy and Global Climate Change Mitigation for her personal board service. Elaine served from 2012 -2020 on the Board of Directors of Western Resource Advocates, a conservation organization based in Boulder, Colorado focused on fighting climate change to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. www.westernresourceadvocates.org. In 2017, Ms. Carney was appointed by Jackson Hole elected officials to serve on the Board of Energy Conservation Works, a joint powers Board and partnership between the Town of Jackson, Teton County, Lower Valley Energy, and a wide spectrum of organizations to implement and advocate for energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In 2020 Elaine was the first non-elected official to be appointed Chair of Energy Conservation Works. www.energyconservationworks.com.
In October of 2023 Elaine was appointed to the Board of Issue One www.issueone.org the leading crosspartisan political reform group in Washington, D.C., which unites Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the movement to fix our broken political system and build an inclusive democracy that works for everyone. She serves on the Board of the Northern Kenya Fund www.northernkenyafund.org which opens doors to education in the Chalbi Dessert, advancing livelihoods, local technologies, access to fresh water and food security.
Ms. Carney is a dedicated conservationist, an avid skier, hiker, and tennis player who enjoys traveling and spending time in the mountains with family and friends.