The Mountain Institute mourns the passing of Jane Pratt -- a staunch advocate for mountain communities and environments around the world.
Jane Pratt passed away on Monday, August 12, 2013, after a remarkable career benefitting mountain communities and environments. From 1994 to 2002 Dr. Pratt was President and CEO of The Mountain Institute where she led a leadership transition, focused the Institute’s mission, and pioneered new programs and partnerships in Asia, Latin America and around the world. Among her many accomplishments, she reoriented the Institute’s development and conservation work using the appreciative inquiry approach, which aims interventions to build more on success rather than respond to problems. She also started the Sacred Mountains Program. During her tenure, Dr. Pratt contributed globally to the cause of mountain sustainable development as a key founder of the Mountain Forum, and through helping coordinate the United Nation’s International Year of the Mountains in 2002. In 2010 she rejoined the Institute as a board member where she was extraordinarily effective and energetic despite failing health.
Between 1979 and 1994, Dr. Pratt served in various executive positions at the World Bank, including as Chief of Environmental Operations and Strategy. She also headed World Bank’s office for the UN Conference on Environment and Development (The Earth Summit – Rio ‘92). While at the Bank, she pushed for transparency and open information access to the public, and promoted critical examination of major infrastructure projects, particularly dams, in terms of their potential environmental and social impacts.
Throughout her career, she published and spoke frequently on environment and development issues. She was a particular advocate for challenges and opportunities related to gender, including serving as an organizer and contributor to the Women of the Mountains conference series hosted by the Utah Valley University and the International University of Kyrgyzstan. Other institutions she has supported, often at board level, include Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the United in Diversity Forum (an Indonesian based non-profit), Aspen International Mountain Foundation, EcoLogicaLLC, and others focused on advancing economic and ecological sustainability.
Above all, Dr. Pratt was an enthusiastic mentor and supporter of people. She shared her knowledge and experience generously, and was deeply loyal to friends and colleagues. In addition, she was a great advocate for education. Dr. Pratt was an important, and proud, supporter of The Mountain Institute’s work in Appalachia at the Spruce Knob Mountain Center, where children from underserved communities are provided with a top notch environmental education experience.
Dr. Pratt held a Ph.D. in political science and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and was in one their first cohorts of women admitted into a doctoral program. She also held a certificate in Southeast Asia Area Studies from Yale University, and a BSc in Zoology from University of Michigan. She also received numerous awards and was a member of many professional associations and commissions.
Dr. Pratt is survived by her husband John D. Shilling, and their two daughters, Kaile and Kaitlin; as well as two grandchildren.
The Mountain Institute is committed to continuing Dr. Pratt's pioneering work on behalf of everyone who benefits from healthy mountain systems around the world. We will miss her warmth, mentorship and tenacious support for mountain issues. Her family is in our thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time.
Grant W. Kurtz
I met Jane in kindergarten and she was my first love. We renewed our friendship a number of years ago and emailed back and forth a few times every week. She was the sweetest, kindest, smartest woman I ever knew. I along with many, many of her friends and relatives will really miss her. Grant
Paula Moltzau (Lepak)
Thank you for the posting. I met Jane at Pierce Junior High. Jane was cute, fun and smart. Those were the days of "slumber Parties" and she had the Best.
May her family and friends know that she was cherished by many . Paula Moltzau Lepak
Peggy Jeffs (Fahnestock)
I am shocked to learn of Jane's passing. It seems like just a few months ago (but was probably more than that) that Jack and I had brunch with Jane and Jed. They were in San Francisco to visit their daughter Anne. Jane and I were great buddies at Pierce and later at GPHS. I was looking forward to re-connecting with her again.
Janet George (Jones)
Jane was one of my very best friends at GPHS. She, Carol Carbone and I called ourselves The Daughters of Bath, a name that came out of our Honors English class with Mr. Fox, junior year. Oh, the fun we had. I will miss her very much. My love and condolences to Jed and her daughters.
Judith Bashara (Pleva)
I mourn Janie's passing though I haven't seen her since High School. I believe that she and I may have been first friends. The Pratts home and ours were just a block away. My sister Barbara and her sister Laurie must have gotten together at Trombley ergo the four of us were constant playmates. I remember being impressed with her mother; she was the first woman that I knew who worked. How times have changed! I have only warm memories and sweet thoughts of Janie and will be thinking of her family's loss.
Julie A. Wade (Krieg)
Janie and I go back to Trombly school with memories of a person who was so full of life, talking me into everything from riding on Belle Isle ( where I was thrown and she rode well, )
I attended Jed and her wedding where we spoke for a short time , then the 25th reunion when we spent an hour together followed by the 50th reunion when we had quality weekend sharing the 50 years journey we both had from kids to schools and work. It was Janie who suggested New Orleans for our next venture and I know she would have shared every moment with all of us.
Anyone who knew Janie will truly miss this kind, unassuming neat lady.
Jere
Penelope L. Distin (VanGinderdeuren)
She was alway fun and smiling...and so sweet. We had a lot of fun sailing and just being together.
Larry N. Starr
Yes, I well remember "Janie" Pratt and yes, I'm sorry she died. I read with exreme interest the path she followed through life never dreaming she might have been associated with Gabe Campbell, but apparently they were happy and productive "Tree Huggers" and remained far removed from the local upheavals and dismay suffered by the masses in the United States as only the Elite should and have during the past 5 decades! Why save a child when we have so many " Mountains" at risk!
My condolances to the family, she was fun in HS!