Misty Neilson

Misty is Director of Strategy and Finance and a Board Director at the Forever Wild Initiative, an Australian conservation organisation working at the intersection of nature finance, applied ecological economics and on-ground ecological delivery.

In her role, Misty leads the strategic and financial direction across Forever Wild, its subsidiaries and various projects, including the Western Deserts Shared Earth Program, a landscape covering more than 600,000 hectares in Western Australia. The organisation operates across Australia, with emerging work in Southern Africa.

Misty’s career has evolved from conservation biology into conservation finance strategy. Since graduating, she has built expertise across natural resource management, ecological monitoring, endangered species conservation in agricultural landscapes, biodiversity and regenerative agriculture, carbon farming, reef community action and environmental accounting. Her more recent work focuses on nature finance, equitable benefit-sharing for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and supporting land managers, rights holders and conservation organisations to navigate emerging environmental markets.

She is an accredited environmental accounting expert, a previous Capacity Building Manager with Accounting for Nature and an Approved Carbon Farming Adviser.

Misty also brings a strong background in finance and accounting, with experience owning businesses across consulting, community services, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, youth at risk and childcare. She has worked in local government leading regional economic recovery after natural disasters, and has broad grants and funding experience, including as an assessment panel member.

Alongside her professional work, Misty has served on and advised not-for-profit boards, environmental reference groups and steering committees. She has also worked with research institutions and citizen science projects, and continues to volunteer with local community groups and university programs focused on conservation and biodiversity.

In recognition of her work and impact, Misty was named CQUniversity’s 2024 Alumni Award Winner (Early Career).