New York, NY — American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading global Jewish human rights organization, has announced Payal Patel as its new Director of Land, Water and Climate Justice (LWCJ). In her new role, Patel will lead a $5 million grantmaking portfolio supporting grassroots movements defending land, water, forest, and livelihood rights. She also will oversee the development and implementation of program strategy and will represent AJWS in philanthropic networks and global climate justice spaces.
“In her time at AJWS, Payal has led with clarity, compassion and strategic insight,” said Shari Turitz, AJWS’s Vice President of Programs. “As AJWS navigates this critical moment for global climate action and equity, I know that Payal will continue to bring a bold vision, collaborative spirit and deep commitment to justice to her new role.”
Patel joined AJWS in 2014 as a program officer for Liberia, Kenya and Uganda. She brings two decades of expertise in human rights, climate justice, feminist research and movement-building. She previously worked in international development and human rights advocacy with the International Center for Research on Women, CARE and other organizations focused on economic justice, women’s rights, and grassroots-led change across the Global South.
In her 11 years at AJWS, Patel has played a vital role in shaping the organization’s LWCJ strategy and deepening support for feminist and women-led environmental movements in pursuit of systemic change. She has represented AJWS on the Funders for Civil Society advisory board and was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Rockwood Institute’s Equity in Philanthropy Fellowship, a leadership development program focused on shifting power and deepening equity in philanthropic practice.
“I have always been driven by the goal of collective liberation and the belief in the inherent dignity and human rights of all people, values that I share with AJWS,” said Patel. “I feel humbled and privileged to step into a role where I can continue to be an ally and work in solidarity with AJWS’s partners. The activists and movements we support are driving transformative, sustainable solutions for climate justice, and I am grateful for the opportunity to amplify their powerful work.”
Payal Patel earned her master’s degree in international development studies from George Washington University and her bachelor’s degree in international relations and economics from Wellesley College. She and her family are originally from Kenya. She now lives in Brooklyn. Patel is fluent in Gujarati and Spanish. She enjoys spending time in the natural world, hiking, engaging in local environmental activism, practicing yoga and reading.
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