Shine Global mourns the loss of our longtime Board member and former Chair, Don Melnick. His service to humanity was reflected in many ways, including his leadership and commitment to using the power of film to tell the stories of children and families facing life’s greatest challenges. His unique vision will be deeply missed.

From the obituary in the New York Times:

MELNICK–Dr. Don J., the Thomas Hunt Morgan Professor of Conservation Biology at Columbia University, was an extraordinary man whose passing is a great loss to his family, friends, colleagues and students. A groundbreaking scientist, educator and leader in conservation biology and evolutionary genetics, Don was also a deeply loved and loving husband and father, delighted grandfather, devoted sibling, friend and teacher. His deep humanity and love of the natural world touched all who had the good fortune to know him. He loved nothing more than time with family, a long trek in a deep forest and to walk with his dog on the beach in Cape Cod. Don is survived by his wife, Mary C. Pearl, his son Seth Melnick, his daughter Meredith Melnick, son-in-law James Breitinger and grandson Ezra Breitinger; his brothers Michael, Ralph, and William Melnick, sister Barbara Melnick White and their spouses along with many nieces and nephews. His family will receive visitors on April 21-23, 2019 from 2pm to 7pm at their home. A memorial service will be held on May 8, 2019 at 2:30pm at the Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York City. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Macaulay Honors College, CUNY and to Shine Global.

Read a tribute to Don Melnick from Columbia University here and from the Wildlife Conservation Society here.

You can also read his op-ed published in the New York Times last year on wildfires and climate change here.

Lastly, Don himself wrote in 2017 about why he had joined the board of directors of Shine Global and how his expertise fit in with our work.