Onsite Rapporteur
3.1: FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE PLANET
Doug O’Brien is the president & CEO of NCBA CLUSA, where he works with the cooperative community, both in the U.S. and internationally, to deepen its impact on individuals and communities. NCBA CLUSA is the apex association for cooperatives in the United States that seeks to help people use cooperatives to build a more inclusive economy. NCBA CLUSA also does extensive cooperative development work in developing regions across the world. Doug has been with NCBA CLUSA since 2016, where he has served as the Executive Vice President of Programs before becoming president and CEO in January 2018.
Before coming to NCBA CLUSA, Doug led the work of the White House Rural Council and served in top positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including leading the Rural Development agency, a community economic development agency with over 40 programs and 5000 employees that annually financed more than 30 billion dollars. Doug has also worked in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House and for two Governors. O’Brien’s experience in academia includes teaching, researching and writing at the University of Arkansas Agricultural and Food Masters in Law Program and Drake University Law School.