She was small in stature, soft-spoken, and gentle in presence. Yet Dr. Jane Goodall was a giant in the world of conservation. Her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees transformed science, and her tireless advocacy for nature ignited a global movement. For countless young women, she was more than a legend: She was proof that curiosity, compassion, and courage could change the world.

Young women who work at Rainforest Trust shared how meeting Dr. Goodall, hearing her speak, or simply witnessing her lifelong dedication shaped their own paths, inspiring careers rooted in protecting the planet she so fiercely loved.

Megan Clemens
Conservation Grants Officer, Africa

I’m not sure any one person has impacted the trajectory of my life, or what I believed was possible for myself, more than Dr. Jane Goodall.

My future was set the day I first opened an original copy of In the Shadow of Man, gifted to me by my uncle. From that moment, I was sold. I dreamed of Africa and charted my course to follow in her footsteps. I chose a Primatology, Ecology and Wildlife Conservation Field School in 2012 while pursuing my BA in Anthropology at Colorado State University, run in partnership with the National Museums of Kenya, specifically because working there was her first job on the continent. And just as I’d hoped, I fell in love, completely, with Africa.

Years later, I was lucky enough to spend a few unforgettable hours talking with Dr. Goodall 1:1 over whiskey and green tea ice cream. In that conversation, she listened with her full, generous attention and, through her guidance, I was able to reaffirm my path and truly find my place in the field of conservation.

This was one of the most impactful pieces of wisdom (there were many) Dr. Goodall bestowed on me during our short time together: Never let anyone tell you what’s possible or not. If the path doesn’t exist, have the courage to create your own.

Dr. Goodall inspired many, and the profound impact of her life is simply immeasurable. She served as a living example for generations of women and girls, showing them that it is possible to chase their wildest dreams and to allow themselves to live their greatest potential, even if a field might not feel welcoming, at least not initially. She was an indomitable force for good, a beacon of hope, and a light that shone unequivocally bright.

Dr. Goodall changed the world through grace, gentle tenacity, courage, and relentless curiosity. She also changed mine.

Brynn Garner
Public Relations Manager

On a September morning in 2019, I skipped class for the first time. In lieu of attending my “Women in History,” “Environmental Studies Fundamentals,” and “Introduction to Public Relations” classes, I boarded a flight from North Carolina to Ottawa with the sole purpose of seeing Dr. Jane Goodall.

That evening, I sat in a crowded auditorium and listened to Dr. Goodall talk about her life, her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees, and her tireless advocacy for the planet we call home. At the end of the night, I had the opportunity to speak to her. As an up-and-coming environmental communications professional, you would think I had something thoughtful and poignant to say to a woman I had admired my entire life. You would be incorrect.

I stood in front of Dr. Jane Goodall, but could not find the words to say, well, really, anything. I started to cry and managed to choke out, “Thank you for everything.”

A lot has changed in my life and career since then. I’ve grown, learned, stumbled, and kept moving forward. But some things haven’t changed:

• I still sometimes struggle to find the right words to capture how deeply I feel about this work (an ironic truth for a communications professional).
• Dr. Jane Goodall remains one of the most remarkable humans I’ve ever met.
• I love this planet with my whole heart. That love continues to guide me as I dedicate my career to telling its stories and the stories of those fighting to protect it.

Hearing of Dr. Goodall’s passing, I am sad. But I also feel the same mix of awe and gratitude that I felt when I met her.

Thank you, Dr. Goodall, for changing how I see the world. Thank you for showing me that hope isn’t “naïve”. It’s fuel. It’s what drives people to do the hard, necessary work of protecting our planet. Thank you for challenging us to stay curious, stay courageous, and keep working for a better, wilder, more hopeful future.

Thank you for everything.

Holly Torres
Conservation Grants Officer

During my undergraduate studies at Franklin & Marshall College, I was fortunate to do an independent study on chimpanzee baseline health research in Gombe Stream National Park. This study was started by Dr. Jane Goodall. I worked with mud-stained, rained-on datasheets and collected data directly from the field, studying the Kasakeala chimpanzee community—Dr. Goodall’s chimpanzees. This was a dream come true and a real highlight of my career.

From there, I craved getting out into the field to experience the mud and rain. This led me to travel to the rainforest and, eventually, earn my master’s in primate conservation. I heard Dr. Goodall speak for the first time at the Primate Society of Great Britain’s 50th Anniversary Conference in London. She had just come from Argentina to be the keynote speaker and was swiftly off to her next engagement. Although fleeting, being in her presence made a massive impact on me. It’s like she was single-handedly connecting all of us in this web of hope, by sharing chimp calls, stories, and the idea that each of us could make a difference.

Dr. Jane Goodall was persistent in her career and made her own path despite the pushback, uncertainties, and increasing complexities of the world. She never gave up and never doubted what could be, and we shouldn’t either.

Juliana Rossi de Camargo
Social Safeguards Specialist

Dr. Jane Goodall has been one of my greatest inspirations since I was a young girl. Her work transformed not only how we understand wildlife, but how we see ourselves in relation to the living world.

What moved me most was her fierce dedication to hope: She held onto it with discipline and conviction, even in the darkest times, and inspired so many of us to do the same. She proved that compassion and resistance go hand-in-hand, and that hope is not naïve, but a disciplined act of defiance. Dr. Goodall regularly challenged authority: She defied those who dismissed women in science, confronted colonialist models of conservation that excluded local communities, and insisted on the emotional lives and dignity of nonhuman animals, long before the world was ready to listen.

Her legacy is a call to carry forward that same courage, empathy, and hope as we fight for a more just and interconnected planet.

Rainie Schulte
Conservation Grants Associate, Africa

Growing up in rural central Missouri, I wanted nothing more than to get as far from those corn fields as I could. From the moment that I first heard how, as a young woman, Dr. Jane Goodall lived in the forests of Tanzania with chimpanzees, I was committed to working in international conservation.

One of the most serendipitous moments of my career, so far, was when I arrived in Cambridge, England (where Dr. Goodall earned her PhD), for one of my first conservation job interviews. I was directed to the “Jane Goodall” room. That tiny little detail gave me an inspiring “I can do it too” feeling that I believe got me the job!

What I always found most inspiring about Dr. Goodall is that she was successful, not in spite of being a woman in the industry, but because she was a woman. Her compassion, empathy, and resilience were instrumental to both her scientific achievements with the chimps and her prosperity in a male-dominated field. There are now an immeasurable number of women in conservation as a direct result of Dr. Goodall’s example.

I hope she knew just how much she meant to us, and that we will make her proud. Her discoveries fundamentally changed so many scientific disciplines—from conservation to evolutionary biology and psychology. I can’t imagine how there could be someone with a greater impact or legacy in our field as Dr. Jane Goodall.

Though Dr. Jane Goodall is no longer with us, her spirit moves powerfully through all who were inspired by her. The passion she sparked, the curiosity she nurtured, and the courage she modeled will continue to shape global conservation in every young woman who steps forward to protect wild places. Her life was proof that one person can change the world. Her legacy ensures that many more will keep trying.