Natalye Paquin is the Chief Operating Officer of The Rockefeller Foundation, a global institution with a mission to promote the well-being of humanity around the world. As COO, Paquin oversees the Foundation’s Public Charity, RF Catalytic Capital, Inc., Foundation Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance, Connected Leaders, Bellagio Convening Center, Legal, and Grants Management teams as well as operations in the United States, Italy, Asia, and Africa.
Before joining the Foundation in 2022, Paquin served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Points of Light, a nonpartisan, global nonprofit founded by President George H.W. Bush that inspires, equips, and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world through volunteerism and civic engagement. Points of Light operates with a network of social impact organizations throughout the United States and in more than 37 countries, and partners with corporations and individuals to meet the critical needs of communities. Her experience in the nonprofit sector also includes serving as Chief Transformation Officer and leading the national office of strategy and advancement of Girl Scouts of the USA as well as serving as chief executive officer of the 10th largest Girl Scout council in the country.
Paquin’s expertise sits at the intersection of the public, nonprofit, and corporate sectors, leveraging more than 30 years of experience serving the community through professional roles and as an independent director on three corporate boards, including Bloomerang and Univest Financial and formerly National Penn Bancshares. A lifelong learner, Paquin was a National Fellow of the Eli Broad Urban Superintendents Academy and completed executive education programs at Harvard and Loyola University Business Schools.
After earning an undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University and JD at the DePaul University College of Law, Paquin began her career in litigation. She transitioned to the education sector and spent more than 15 years in legal and executive leadership roles focused on civil rights, school reform, and employment matters, working with the United States Government and the 3rd and 5th largest public-school districts in the country.
Paquin maintains her connections to her community through volunteerism and civic engagement. She is an avid traveler and is married with two young adult sons.
Authored Content
Jan 18 2024 Perspective Investing in the Rockefeller Model of Philanthropy In 1964, The Atlantic began a review of The Rockefeller Foundation’s impact on its 50th year of operations with a series of questions: “An evaluation of the Rockefeller Foundation, as of any institution, must grapple with these four questions: What is the purpose? How important is it? Has the purpose been achieved? What does this […]
Mar 30 2023 Perspective 5 Things We Can All Do Better to Advance Gender Equity Every day, women are helping women advance human rights, tackle climate change, drive economic growth, secure nourishing and sustainable food, and prioritize health, all around the world. As this Women’s History Month comes to a close, we carry the inspiration of their accomplishments forward throughout the year. While we applaud women supporting women, advancing gender […]
Mar 08 2023 Perspective Embracing Work That Advances Gender Equity There is no question about it: women must be accepted as equal partners with men if we are to successfully address the shared and existential challenges of our time, from climate change to economic resilience to global health and security. But despite how surely we know this, the data shows gender disparity is so entrenched […]