Donald K. Ross was born on June 29, 1942 on Fordham Road in the Bronx, New York City. He attended Fordham Prep for boys and Fordham College, where he revived the school’s football team and got a bachelor’s degree in English. After graduating in 1965, he taught for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria and served as principal of the local school. He attended NYU Law School upon his return and graduated in 1970. That year, he went to Washington, DC to work for Ralph Nader and spent the next three years setting up Public Interest Research Groups around the United States, including NYPIRG, of which he was the founding director. Under his leadership, NYPIRG created a large-scale nonprofit fuel buying service, established non-student affiliates and launched a canvass. His book, A Public Citizen’s Action Manual, was published in 1973 and has been described as a ‘cookbook’ for activists. After the Three Mile Island meltdown in 1979, Ross worked to coordinate the May 6 march on Washington. Later that year, he organized the NO NUKES Rally at Battery Park City. From NYPIRG, he moved on to direct the Rockefeller Family Fund where he worked for fourteen years. As director, he established several public interest organizations including the Environmental Support Center, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and the Environmental Grantmakers Association. Presently, Ross serves as partner in his lobbying law firm, Malkin & Ross, as CEO in his government affairs firm, M&R Strategic Services, and as a private philanthropic advisor to several foundations and donors. He serves pro bono on the boards of directors for the League of Conservation Voters, the National Environmental Trust and Greenpeace, USA. He lives in New York City with his wife Helen, his daughters, Margaret and Katherine, and his cat Eliza.