TOP | Melani Walton greets a young gardener at the dedication of the Rob and Melani Walton Urban Farm at St. Vincent de Paul. BOTTOM LEFT | Melani and Rob Walton with Liberty Wildlife executive director Megan Mosby prepare to release a great horned owl at the dedication of the Rob and Melani Walton Campus of Liberty Wildlife. BOTTOM RIGHT | Rob and Melani Walton on-site with Conservation International researchers and conservation leaders at the Bird’s Head Seascape in Raja Ampat, Indonesia — home to some of the richest biodiversity on the planet. 26 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | JANUARY 2019 26 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | JANUARY 2019

St. Vincent de Paul. That’s why we’re so proud to work hand-in-hand and side-by-side with them. We’re inspired by the way St. Vincent de Paul serves people with dignity and compassion. And we’re impressed with how they’re able to leverage resources through thousands of volunteers and through business partnerships. MELANI: The first time I visited St. Vincent de Paul it left a big impression on me because I was deeply moved by the commitment of the staff and volunteers. They provide people not only with food and shelter, but hope, dignity and respect. St. Vincent de Paul has created an opportunity to foster the relationship between people and planet through an investment in the human spirit and our capacity for change. Frontdoors: W hat about your work internationally? Can you talk about a few of the organizations the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation supports? MELANI: It doesn’t matter if you live in Arizona or Africa, we’re interconnected and our health depends on the planet’s health. So it’s important to us to support organizations working on issues of conservation, sustainability, health and healing overseas. The foundation has had a long-term relationship with Conservation International, which does excellent work in maintaining the great wild places of the world and finding ways in which people and the planet can live in harmony. In Indonesia, for example, we’ve worked with Conservation International and others to protect the Bird’s Head Seascape, which is 500 islands and reefs and one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on the planet. In Africa, the foundation is partnering with African Parks Foundation. They’re a nonprofit that’s done wonderful work improving the management of parks and protecting species at risk, like lions, black rhinos and elephants. In fact, Rob and I recently assisted African Parks on the ground with a project that translocated 500 elephants for safety and protection. In Rwanda, the foundation has supported Team Africa Rising, a competitive cycling team whose members — some of them children of the genocide — have become ambassadors for their nation. They’ve been a force for unity and good, promoting the importance of exercise, education and giving people opportunity. Frontdoors: Speaking of exercise, I read that Melani was a collegiate All-American in basketball and track & field. Would you tell us something about how growing up as an athlete shaped you? MELANI: Being an athlete has shaped every aspect of my life. Values learned through sports are the lens from which Rob and I both operate. Problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership and collaboration are essential to all working relationships. On our basketball team, we chanted, “T.E.A.M. — Together Everyone Achieves More.” That reflects the approach our foundation strives to take in connecting individual organizations to have broader impact as part of a larger team. My greatest joy as a philanthropist is working with amazing leaders within our community and across the globe who are creating impact in profound ways. Frontdoors: With all of your travel and philanthropy, how do you stay connected as a couple? MELANI: By finding things to do together — hot yoga, tandem cycling, pickleball and other racket sports, hiking, fly fishing, canoeing, paddle boarding, scuba diving, racing cars and car tours, spending time with friends and family, and just being in nature. Living a balanced life is a key to healthy living, and everyone benefits from fresh air and sunshine, eating healthy foods and a good night’s rest. Healthy living is about caring for your mind, body and soul, as well as caring for the world in which we live. Frontdoors: The environment is clearly important to you both. Can you talk a little more about that? MELANI: Growing up in Montana and the Badlands, JANUARY 2019 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA 27 COVER STORY CONTINUED