New York, NY — February 3, 2026 — The Rainforest Alliance, a global nonprofit working to protect forests and support farming communities, announced two new appointments to its Executive Leadership Team. Harper McConnell will join as Chief Impact and Growth Officer, effective February 3, 2026, and Daryl Mintz as Chief Financial Officer, effective February 23, 2026.
“These appointments reflect a continued investment in strong, mission-driven leadership as the Rainforest Alliance deepens its impact and strengthens its global operations,” said Santiago Gowland, Chief Executive Officer of the Rainforest Alliance. “Harper and Daryl bring complementary experience across sustainability, strategy, and financial stewardship that will be critical as we continue to evolve and scale our work worldwide.”
Harper McConnell, Chief Impact and Growth Officer
Harper McConnell brings extensive leadership experience in sustainable agricultural supply chains and impact programs. Most recently, she served as Global Vice President of Sustainability at Mars, where she led large-scale sustainability initiatives across agricultural supply chains. She previously held global leadership roles at Starbucks focused on coffee and cocoa strategy, product development, and sustainability. Earlier in her career, McConnell worked directly with smallholder farmers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, supporting supply chain development and expanding access to global markets.
At the Rainforest Alliance, McConnell will lead efforts to strengthen and scale the organization’s global impact programs, working across teams and partners to deepen environmental and social impact in farming communities and forest landscapes. She holds an Executive MBA in International Business from Georgetown University.
“I’m honored to join the Rainforest Alliance, an organization with a deep legacy of creating lasting change for farmers, communities, and forests,” said McConnell. “I’m energized by the opportunity to work alongside the team to deepen our impact with the producers and landscapes we serve.”
Daryl Mintz, Chief Financial Officer
Daryl Mintz is a seasoned financial executive with decades of experience leading finance and administrative functions within mission-driven organizations. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Prior to that, Mintz spent more than twenty years at Sesame Workshop, where he ultimately served as Chief Financial Officer. He has also held senior leadership roles at the Robin Hood Foundation and The Second City. Mintz began his career in public accounting and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Rutgers University.
As Chief Financial Officer, Mintz will oversee financial strategy, planning, and operations to support the Rainforest Alliance’s long-term sustainability and strategic priorities.
About the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization working to restore the balance between people and nature. Active in 62 countries, the organization brings together farm and forest communities, companies, governments, civil society, and millions of individuals to drive positive change across some of the world’s most critical landscapes and global supply chains. The Rainforest Alliance implements landscape- and community-level projects, advances policy and advocacy efforts, and works to improve markets to protect forests, improve livelihoods, and strengthen resilience across global supply chains. In 2024, the Rainforest Alliance worked with nearly 8 million farmers and workers and more than 7,850 companies, with its seal appearing on over 40,000 products worldwide. It aims to expand this reach to 100 million farmers and workers by 2030.
Media Contact
Christopher Kiernan
Senior Manager, Global Media Relations
Rainforest Alliance
ckiernan@ra.org
