Joyce Coffee

Joyce Coffee is Managing Director of the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index (ND-GAIN), functioning as the executive lead for the ND-GAIN Index and related adaptation research, outreach and implementation. In this position, Coffee works with ND-GAIN faculty and staff while engaging the private sector, policy makers and the non-governmental community to forward the impact and usefulness of the Index. Coffee brings 20 years of experience in environmental leadership, risk management, performance measurement and sustainability execution to her role as Managing Director. Prior to coming to Notre Dame, she was a vice president at Edelman where she provided strategic counsel to global companies on corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Coffee has also directed the City of Chicago’s Climate Action Plan, driving both climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. Coffee started her career as an urban environmental consultant with the World Bank and the USAID U.S.-Asia Environmental Partnership. Because of her diverse and extensive experience – particularly with corporate organizations, government agencies, and the NGO community - Coffee brings an essential understanding of the end-goals of all of these stakeholders and how ND-GAIN can advance their missions. Coffee was a founding board member of the Alliance for Water Efficiency and a Great Lakes delegate to the Brookings International Young Leaders Climate Change Summit. She has been named a Chicago Council on Global Affairs Emerging Leader. Coffee is the author of the Climate Adaptation Exchange Blog.