Virginia Keesee
Virginia Keesee is a sustainability and conservation leader with nearly 20 years of experience advancing partnerships and solutions at the intersection of business and nature.
As Senior Director of Global Fashion and Nature Initiatives at Conservation International, she leads efforts to transform fashion supply chains through nature-positive and regenerative production systems.
She works with fashion and fiber companies, governments, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities to advance solutions that protect biodiversity, restore landscapes, strengthen livelihoods, and build more resilient sourcing regions. Keesee oversees Conservation International's global portfolio across key fashion raw materials, including cotton, wool, cashmere, and leather, with programs spanning Africa, Asia, South America, Europe, and Oceania.
Through partnerships with leading brands and industry coalitions, her work has helped elevate nature and biodiversity within the global fashion agenda while advancing regenerative agriculture, landscape restoration, water resilience, and responsible sourcing. She also leads initiatives that connect corporate investment with measurable conservation and community outcomes, including the Regenerative Fund for Nature and landscape-scale programs supporting farmers, ranchers, and communities.
Prior to joining Conservation International, Keesee spent a decade at Nike leading global sustainability partnerships. She was recognized as a Vogue Business 100 Innovator for her contributions to sustainable fashion and systems change. Her academic background includes an MBA from Portland State University and executive education in sustainability leadership from Harvard and Stanford. She was also among the first recipients of Michigan State University's Demmer Scholars Program, which develops future leaders dedicated to public service, environmental stewardship, and civic engagement.