Bruce Lowry

Biography

Bruce’s work at Skoll focuses primarily on collective impact issues, many carried over from the Skoll Global Threats Fund (SGTF). A former diplomat, Bruce brings a policy lens to questions of scale, a key focus for all Skoll philanthropic activities. His current remit includes COVID-19 response, climate change, U.S. democracy, and nuclear nonproliferation.

Bruce originally joined the Skoll Foundation in 2008 as communications director, then helped inaugural president Larry Brilliant launch SGTF in 2010, taking on a policy and advocacy role. Bruce ran the nuclear nonproliferation program and oversaw SGTF’s MidEast conflict work, while also playing a leading role in the launch of the Climate Advocacy Lab, SGTF’s primary climate effort which went independent in 2017.

Bruce helped conceptualize and launch two funder collaboratives, Climate Nexus, on climate communication, and N Square, an initiative to bring new players into the nuclear nonproliferation sphere. While SGTF sunset at the end of 2017, Bruce is still on the advisory boards of all three efforts. Bruce also served for a period of time at SGTF’s interim president.

Prior to joining Skoll, Bruce spent nearly a decade in the technology sphere with Oracle and Novell, largely in communications roles. He had a 14-year stint as a diplomat in the U.S. State Department, serving overseas in Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, and Italy, and in various economic roles in Washington, D.C., working on, among other issues, the G-7 process, Middle East peace, European regional issues, Ukraine, and nuclear safety.

Bruce holds a B.A. in International Relations from Pomona College and a M.A. in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Bruce chairs the board of Cazadero Music Camp. A recovering French Horn player, he is now learning the Scottish smallpipes. He also enjoys playing low-key pickup soccer.