Education
 

MS:  Master of Science, Applied Ecology & Conservation    |    University of East Anglia, UK, 2004

BS:  Bachelor of Science, Biology    |    University of California Santa Cruz, 1998
TRE® Certified Provider | TRE California |2022

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Professional Experience

Women for Wildlife    |    Founder    |    2016 - Present
Leads an international community with 11,000+ members globally and regional chapters in Africa, Oceania, Europe,  Latin America, India, San Francisco/Bay Area, Northeast (NY/DC), and Rocky Mountains. Devoted to connecting women who are passionate about wildlife conservation. 

• Created a place for women from diverse and varied backgrounds to learn from one another though courage, vision and authenticity. Launched field-based expeditions that support women-led conservation initiatives.

• Built an international network of support to inspire, accelerate and strengthen women leaders, programs, and communities. Developed leadership and mentorship programs for young professional women. 

• Manage website development, content creation, media, partnerships, budget and fundraising. 

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Women's Earth Alliance   |    Executive Assistant    |    2021 - Present
Manages executive leadership team of Co-Founders and Co-Directors. Supports a global team of women leaders devoted to protecting the environment, helping end the climate crisis, and ensuring a just, thriving world by empowering women's leadership.

• Assists with organizational operations, program strategy/timelines, and team support.

• Donor outreach, event planning, travel logistics and social media engagement.

 

George Wright Society    |    Director    |    2016 - 2018

Provided direction through a period of planned expansion and transition for a non-profit dedicated to 

the preservation and management of precious parks, protected areas, and cultural sites.

• Managed all operational aspects including: budget, data management, communications/media, membership, community engagement, project planning, conferences/workshops/retreats, website development, board engagement and editing the George Wright Society Forum publication.

• Launched successful fundraising campaigns, created organizational partnerships, and diversified funding sources.

• Co-produced three multi-media awareness videos. Actively increased social media following by 500%. 

 

Biosphere Foundation | Global Leadership Adventures | Where There Be Dragons | Ocean Revolution 

Expedition + Education Lead  |  Indonesia — China — Mexico |   2012 - 2019

Designed and led field-based conservation projects for multiple organizations dedicated to immersive, culturally diverse experiences that build greater awareness of key global issues.

• Planned and taught in-country courses on conservation, climate change, global citizenship, and cultural immersion. 

• Managed budgets, logistics, risk management, curriculum design, and partnerships. 

• Coordinated collaborations with local schools, universities, nonprofits, and community based organizations.

 

Climate Reality Leadership Corps    |    Program Support  |   2015 - 2016

Coordinated international Climate Reality Leadership Events devoted to the activation and training of community-based climate change leaders.

• Streamlined organizational outreach efforts and collaborated on project implementations 

• Acted as liaison between organizational Director and multi-agency partners regarding high-level

  meetings and events with former Vice President Al Gore.  

 

Earth Vision Institute | Exposure Labs    |    Media & Education Director / Impact Tour Producer    |   2012 - 2015

Handled media, education, and impact tour for the Emmy-Award winning film Chasing Ice.

• Launched online multi-media climate education platform and produced an Impact Tour to compliment the film and facilitate discussions on climate education and awareness.

• Created national media campaign and multi-media tools, identified and established 100+ new education partnerships. Planned and executed 80 special events during an intensive 80-day film tour, and established collaborations with 80 new alliance partners.

• Awarded BRITDOC Impact Award for the use of a film to shift the hearts and minds of audiences globally.
   

Kinship Conservation Fellowship    |    Fellow    |   2010 - 2011

Developed innovative conservation solutions and joined a community of  global leaders dedicated to collaborative approaches to environmental issues with an emphasis on market-based principles. 

• Designed tools to implement effective market-based solutions to environmental problems.

• Strengthened skills in maximizing conservation impact and accelerating positive change. 

 

IUCN:  International Union for Conservation of Nature    |    Global Marine Program Officer    |   2007 - 2010

Led global member and partnerships initiatives for the organization, consisting of 1300+ agencies worldwide.

• Built the Global Marine Community to connect thousands of international influencers (4,000+ members) including    governments, nonprofits, foundations, businesses, and academia.

• Developed and implemented 75+ ocean-focused events, international meetings, workshops, and conferences.

• Acted as strategic and technical advisor for Dr. Sylvia Earle, her TED Prize and the TEDxOcean Event.

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Travel + Conservation + Wildlife Research (1999-2022)
Designed and led a wide-range of conservation initiatives and expeditions with leaders and change makers worldwide. Strengthened skills in project design, collaboration, community engagement, adaptive management, conflict resolution, communication, risk/safety, fundraising, and budgeting. Partnerships included: travel companies, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, communications and media specialists, local community members, tribes and governments, and a network of sponsors and donors.
 

• South Africa — EcoTraining Wildlife Safari Guide and Training: Women’s Empowerment

• Botswana/Namibia/Zimbabwe/South Africa — Rise of the Matriarch: Human/Wildlife Conflict

• Tanzania — FZS Serengeti Wildlife Conservation Expedition: Community and Conservation 

• Kenya — Wildlife and Tourism: Engaging the Travel Industry in Conservation

• Seychelles — Wilderness and Livelihoods Inc.: Marine Conservation and Project Development

• Thailand/Cambodia/Laos — Culture and Conservation: Impacts of Plastic Pollution 

• Papua New Guinea — Rainforest Ecology and Marine Conservation

• Baja, Mexico BCS — Whale Behavior/Population Assessment and Leatherback Sea Turtle Research

• Costa Rica — Ecology Project International: Sea Turtle Conservation and EcoTourism: Student Program

• Indonesia — Where There Be Dragons: Climate Change, Community and Culture: Student Program

• South Pacific — Galapagos Islands/Marquises/Kiribati — Ocean Alliance Voyage of the Odyssey:  Global Research  Expedition on Ocean Toxicology, Whale BioAcoustics, and Marine Protected Areas.

• China — GLA Cross-Cultural Views on Conservation and Climate Change: Student Program 

• Australia — LaTrobe University: NZ Fur Seal Population Assessments and Fisheries Management 

• SE Alaska — University of Alaska: Humpback Whale and Pinniped Research 

• Scotland — St. Andrews University: Sea Mammal Research Unit

• Hawaii — National Marine Fisheries Service: Hawaiian Monk Seal Population Assessment

• Cuba — Ocean Foundation: Media and Research - Shark, Coral Reef and Marine Protected Areas

• Dominican Republic/ Turks and Caicos — Multimedia Expedition on Impacts of Plastic Pollution

• Canada — San Francisco State University: Whale Ecology, Behavior and Bioacoustics in St. Lawrence

• California — UC Santa Cruz: Pinniped Cognition and Sensory Systems Lab, The Costa Lab -Northern Elephant Seal Field Research, Dr. Barry Sinervo Lab - Animal Behavior

 

   Global Impact Events (2008-2022)
   Planned and facilitated over 175 environmental impact workshops and events worldwide.
 

• We Are Africa | Conservation Labs | Fuse — Cape Town, South Africa

• Women in Conservation Leadership Workshop — Denver, CO

• Women’s Outdoor Summit for Empowerment — San Francisco,  CA

• Goldman Environmental Prize Ceremony and Student Program — San Francisco, CA

• Park Break Student Program: Healthy Parks, Healthy People: Zion National Park — Utah

• TEDxOcean with Dr. Sylvia Earle — Galapagos Islands — Ecuador

• IUCN — World Conservation Congress — Spain

• IUCN — European Union Strategies to Counter Climate Change — La Reunion

• IUCN — Marine Conservation Community — Planned and facilitated 75+ conservation events — DC

• Jane Goodall Foundation — MC for Roots and Shoots Youth Event — San Francisco, CA

• Common Wealth Club — Climate One — San Francisco, CA

• George Wright Society Conference: Parks, Protected Areas and Cultural Sites — Virginia

• Climate Reality Leadership Program — Coordinated leadership global training events with Al Gore

• Exposure Labs/Chasing Ice — Planned and implemented 80+ national screen events

• WILD Foundation — World Wilderness Congress — Spain

• La Paz Marine Conservation and Education Summit — Baja, BSC

• Tri-National Collaboration Marine Research Summit — Mexico, Cuba, and US

• Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Congress — Florida

• Society for Conservation Biology — San Francisco, CA

• Girls in Science Summits — Colorado, California, Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland

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AWARDS    |    Earth Science Women’s Network Spotlight, BRITDOC Impact Award, Kinship Conservation Fellowship, Adjust Your Focus: 

Inspiring Women,  World Minded Ambassador, UEA International Scholarship, SheSays Boulder Scholarship. 

 

PUBLIC SPEAKING     |    We Are Africa: Women in Conservation, Conservation Lab, FUSE Travel Summit, Commonwealth Club: Mindful Travel in the Age of Climate Change, Women’s Summit for Outdoor Empowerment, Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots, Ignite Boulder, National Wildlife Federation, Smithsonian Institute for Conservation Biology, International Sea Turtle Summit, Society for Conservation Biology, Climate One, International Youth Summit, National Park Service, Natural Resources Advisory Group, Ocean Institute,  San Francisco Green Film Festival, Zoos & Aquariums Committing to Conservation (ZACC), One Earth One People, Conservation Optimism.

 

WILDLIFE EXPEDITIONS    |   Championed wildlife and ocean conservation expeditions and experiences in 45 countries handling project planning, expeditions, management of teams and events, fundraising, budgeting, field based wildlife research, conservation education, multi-stakeholder and community engagements across:  Africa, Europe, North America, SE Asia, Oceania, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

LEADERSHIP + EDUCATION PROGRAMS    |     Facilitated and taught leadership and education programs for National Wildlife Federation, Denver Zoo, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Park Service, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC Berkeley, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, Ecology Project International, Ocean Alliance, St. Andrews University, Blue Sky Society Trust, Marine Conservation Institute, Biosphere Foundation, EcoTraining, Long Marine Lab and Ocean Institute.

 

CONSULTANT   |    Invited to advise and consult on special projects, implementation, fundraising, partner building, grant management, community engagement, educational programs, public relations, and event planning. Organizations include: Project Drawdown, Society for Conservation Biology, Jane Goodall Institute, WILD Foundation, Goldman Environmental Prize Ceremony, The Ocean Foundation, Naropa University, Teens4Oceans, One More Generation, Girls in Ocean Science, Wildlife and Livelihoods LLC.

 

PUBLICATIONS    |     Published main stream and online news articles, blogs, podcasts, proposals, reports and content focused on conservation, women in science, climate change, travel, and connection to nature. Click to see samples: Media

WELLNESS   |     TRE® Certified Provider. Mindfulness + Wellness Coach. Women's Nature + Wellness Retreats. Yoga. Mediation. Dance.