Nav Bhattarai is deeply committed to locally-led development and conservation, where individuals and communities have a real voice and a personal stake in the decisions that shape their lives and the environment around them. He believes those closest to the issues are also closest to the solutions. That conviction shapes how he approaches his work: the infrastructure behind conservation matters as much as the work itself, and a protected area is only as durable as the agreement behind it and the capacity of local partners to sustain it over time. He is committed to building systems that are rigorous enough to manage institutional risk while remaining flexible enough to support partners doing critical work in complex environments around the world.

Nav joined Rainforest Trust in July 2026 as Contracts & Compliance Manager. He brings over 16 years of experience in operations, contracts, compliance, and program management, including environment-focused USAID programs across 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and regranting program design for mission-driven organizations.

He holds a B.S. in Environmental Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Born in Nepal, a country whose extraordinary biodiversity and mountain ecosystems shaped his path into conservation, Nav is based in Severna Park, Maryland, along the Chesapeake Bay. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time on the water with his family, traveling, hiking, and tending to his garden.