Niyanta Spelman is the founder and executive director of Rainforest Partnership, an Austin, Texas based nonprofit focused on reducing deforestation in South America as it relates to climate change. Until 2007, she was the owner and principal consultant for PPPMC, Inc., a public sector-oriented management consultancy she formed in 2000.

Prior to that, Niyanta worked for the Texas Legislative Budget Board, Texas Legislature and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; initiated an environmental needs assessment working for the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe located in Budapest, Hungary; and worked for the first lobbying firm in London, England.

Niyanta has extensive past and current community involvement: chair, Austin Asian-American Chamber of Commerce; co-president, Hyde Park Neighborhood Association; founding member, Texas Federation of Asian American Chambers of Commerce and the Austin focused Liveable City; member, Austin's Zoning and Platting and Planning Commissions; board member, Affordable Housing Visions; council member, Texas- Exes, University of Texas alumni association; Austin steering committee member, Annie's List.

Niyanta lived in Tanzania, India and England for the first part of her life and has called Texas home for over 20 years. She lives in Austin with her husband Bill Spelman, and their two sons, Jasiel and Ronan.