May 2, 2022
Although it is fun to collect new plant species records for Belize, second or third records can be just as exciting and illuminating. They often deepen the mysteries of these species, the discovery creating more questions than answers. Some of Belize’s tree species...
Jan 30, 2019
The Bald Hills of the north-central Maya Mountains in Belize are sometimes viewed as a mystery. Their high-elevation features are nearly treeless, yet the adjacent hills are covered by pine-oak forests surrounded by broadleaved rainforests. The Bald Hills are uniquely...
Nov 7, 2018
Belize is growing and modernizing quickly, and threats to its trees and forests are intensifying. Botanical knowledge, however, makes management and protection efforts more effective. We are taking steps to protect Belize’s more than 1,100 tree species by developing a...
Conservation Director
Responsible for overall program design and partnerships, Adam has over 20 years’ experience working in international biodiversity conservation and natural resources management, with experience in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the United States. His areas of technical expertise include landscape-level conservation planning, project design, performance monitoring, protected area management, and watershed sciences. Adam has held senior positions with African Wildlife Foundation and FFI, Inc., and worked for the US National Park Service at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, where he engaged in forest restoration, wildlife monitoring, and wildland firefighting.He also served as an agriculture extension agent in the US Peace Corps in Central African Republic and Guinea. Adam holds an MSc in Watershed Sciences from Colorado State University and a BA in Anthropology.
Executive Director
With over three decades of experience, Katie is a recognized non-profit leader, field practitioner, and international conservationist. At the helm since 2003, and leading our re-branding in 2016, Katie focuses on delivering the Wild Earth Allies mission to protect vital areas of our natural world for the benefit of wildlife, habitats and people by inspiring collaborative action. Her grounded leadership style draws from years spent living in Rwanda as director of the International Gorilla Conservation Program and as program technical director for the African Wildlife Foundation. Her earlier career included grant-making with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, private sector natural resource management consulting, and land use planning.
Director of Finance & Administration
Sarai brings over 15 years of experience in finance and accounting management at various organizations to her role as Director of Finance and Administration. She has applied her experience in US government audit requirements for non-profits and uses her expertise in expense planning and control, financial analysis, audit preparation and budget management to support the organization’s global mission. Previously, Sarai was Finance Manager at The Arts and Technology Academy, Public Charter School, in Washington DC, where she led all financial aspects of the organization and oversaw its annual planning and budgeting, along with other management and compliance processes. Earlier in her career, she worked at the prestigious Withum Smith and Brown public accounting firm in Princeton, New Jersey. Sarai has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a minor in finance from Strayer University.
Director of Marine Partnerships
José Urteaga has been working in sea turtle and coastal habitat conservation in Central America for more than two decades. He uses interdisciplinary methods to find solutions that integrate human needs and conservation. In his role as Wild Earth Allies Director of Marine Partnerships, José focuses on improving the organization’s impact on the promotion of socially sound conservation interventions, the support of community-based conservation, and creative ways to cultivate local stewardship and conservation capacity.
Communications Director
As Communications Director at Wild Earth Allies, Laura Milton leads strategies that raise the visibility of our brand and partners, drive audience engagement, and inspire action to protect our natural world. She draws on more than 15 years of deep experience amplifying the impact of purpose-driven organizations.
Laura comes to Wild Earth Allies from African People & Wildlife, where she served as the Director of Marketing and Communications. Previously, she developed and managed the visual brand at the Clinton Global Initiative. Laura holds a master’s degree in international affairs from The New School and a bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Virginia Tech.
Botanist
Steven’s passion for plants was born in a boyhood exploring the outdoors of South Carolina and nurtured by a fascination with and love of nature. He brings over 30 years of experience in field botany and ecology from a wide variety of ecosystems, including more than two decades of experience in the rainforests of Belize, Central America. He has long been conducting threatened, endangered, sensitive, and invasive plant surveys in federal and state lands in the southeastern United States during the summer, and floristic research, botanical training, and collaborative ecological studies in Belize during the winter and spring. Steven leads our Trees of Belize Project and our botanic work with partner Delaware Wilds Lands in the Great Cypress Swamp. Steven has a master’s degree in Natural Resource Policy and Administration from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of California, Davis.
Development & Communications Associate
As the Development & Communications Associate at Wild Earth Allies, Maddy supports our growing philanthropic efforts and helps to increase the visibility of our partners and programs through effective communications. Previously, she worked as an Account Executive with Metis Communications, where she supported client account teams through public relations, communications, and digital marketing campaigns. In this role, she also gained insight into the value of informative, impact-driven messaging. Maddy completed a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications with a minor in psychology from Elon University.
Philanthropy Associate
As Wild Earth Allies’ Philanthropy Associate, Aaron supports the Philanthropy team in donor cultivation and stewardship. He has spent the past five years working on various development campaigns, planning local and national events, and taking an active role in managing relationships with supporters. Additionally, he previously served as the Deputy Finance Director of a Political Action Committee, developing and executing a national fundraising strategy. Aaron has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs with a minor in History from The George Washington University.
Conservation Advisor
As Conservation Advisor, Joe Heffernan supports Wild Earth Allies to identify, evaluate and apply high-integrity nature finance to locally defined conservation priorities. Joe has been developing and managing wildlife conservation projects globally for 25 years in a range of field, legal, and governance roles. He and his family have recently relocated to Perth from Australia’s remote Kimberley region, where Joe was assisting Indigenous organizations with legal advice and in developing economic opportunities to protect nature and cultural heritage.
Senior Program Officer
As Senior Program Officer, Kelly supports our conservation programs and partnerships on strategy, implementation, and impact monitoring. She also manages Wild Earth Allies’ portfolio of marine conservation programs in close collaboration with field teams and partners, with an emphasis on Cambodia and El Salvador. Kelly has conducted biological research and implemented environmental education programs, and she has experience in biodiversity conservation in the US, Latin America, and Asia. Kelly received a MSc in Biological Sciences from Clemson University, with specialized skills in aquatic research and fish biology. She completed a BSc in Integrative Biology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, including a semester of marine biology course work in Ecuador.
Strategy & Program Design Manager
As Strategy & Program Design Manager at Wild Earth Allies, Kim manages strategic planning and program design work for the organization, using Open Standards and other participatory methodologies to increase effectiveness and impact. She plays a key role in multi-year organizational planning and the Conservation Fellows program. Kim has more than 10 years of experience with non-profits, spanning various sectors and geographic regions. She holds an M.A. in communications from Johns Hopkins, with studies centered on behavior change and environmental communications. She completed her B.A. in political science and international studies from the University of Wisconsin, including a year of coursework at the Hebrew University in Israel.
Program Manager, Rwanda
Joelle Rutagarama serves as Wild Earth Allies’ Program Manager in Rwanda. In this role, she manages the expansion of our community-based partnerships and programs in Rwanda. Joelle brings diverse marketing, business development, and communications experience to the team. She has a strong track record of working with organizations to grow brand awareness, increase revenue, and build strategic partnerships.
Growing up in Rwanda, Joelle developed a passion for nature at an early age. She is excited to be making a positive impact on people and wildlife through conservation. Joelle received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Edith Cowan University in Australia.
Conservation Advisor
Eugène has over 25 years of experience working in conservation in the Great Lakes region of Africa and is a leader in the transboundary conservation of the critically endangered mountain gorilla. He is a committed and respected conservation professional. In 1996, with park staff in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Eugène received the J. Paul Getty Conservation Prize in recognition of outstanding contributions in times of conflict. In 2001, he was individually recognized as the Africa recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize. In 2007, Eugène was recognized as a CNN Hero. As the Director of the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP), he worked on all aspects of regional program design, management, and technical support for the conservation of mountain gorillas and their habitat in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Eugène has also held senior positions with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Karisoke Research Center, and Rwanda’s national parks agency following the war and genocide in 1994. In this government capacity, he was instrumental in restoring and restructuring the parks department and restarting gorilla-based tourism in Volcanoes National Park. Eugène holds an MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation from the University of East Anglia, UK, and a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Burundi, Bujumbura.
Vathana is internationally recognized for his Asian elephant conservation efforts. He has received the Goldman Environmental Prize (2010) and is a National Geographic Explorer (2011), a member of the Green Asian Forum, and a member of the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group. He builds on 20+ years of researching elephant populations and successfully mitigating human-elephant conflict. He has introduced innovative low-cost solutions to help farmers defend their fields while improving their farming practices and has pioneered community outreach to teach children in remote villages about elephants and other wildlife. His work has brought hope and empowerment to local communities and has improved the prospects of endangered Asian elephants. His commitment to conservation in Cambodia is demonstrated by his other leadership roles, which include: Chairman of the Cambodian Rural Development Team, Vice Chair of a local NGO, Natural Life, and member of the Technical Working Group for Forest Reform in Cambodia. Vathana holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry from Belarus Government University of Technology.
As the Operations Manager with Wild Earth Allies’ Cambodia program, Chea Phallin leads organizational planning and implementation, capacity development, community and livelihood development, environmental education initiatives, and communications campaigns. His more than 17 years of environmental and natural resource experience includes the development and management of protected areas, the implementation and management of the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tools (SMART) system, and biodiversity monitoring. Phallin holds a master’s degree in development studies and a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the Royal University of Phnom Penh. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in project management and development from Build Bright University.
E En is the Community Officer with Wild Earth Allies’ Cambodia program, where he supports our community livelihood program and conducts field research on Asian elephants and pileated gibbons. His focus areas include deploying and monitoring motion-triggered cameras, managing database entry, and site map production using GIS. Previously, he worked with local authorities and communities to establish community forests and protected areas. En holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
As the Marine Project Coordinator with the Wild Earth Allies Cambodia program, Ith Srey Oun focuses on marine species assessment, seagrass conservation efforts, and socioeconomic surveys of Cambodia’s coastal areas. Previously, she led coral reef research, training, and monitoring to support the creation of the Koh Sdach Marine Fisheries Management Area in Koh Kong Province.
To increase marine research capacity in Cambodia, Srey Oun serves as co-advisor for master’s students assessing fish diversity in coral reef and seagrass habitats. She holds a master’s degree in biodiversity conservation from The Centre for Biodiversity Conservation at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, where she completed research on coral reef community structure and health in the Kep archipelago.
Development & Communications Consultant
Ben Valentine is a Development and Communications Consultant with Wild Earth Allies in Cambodia. In this role, he crafts stories about our work and secures funding for our conservation programs.
A strategic thinker and innovator, Ben has over 13 years of experience helping nonprofits scale their impact through partnerships, increased financial support, and volunteers. He is driven to protect our planet’s biodiversity for future generations. Based in Kampot, Cambodia, Ben speaks and reads Khmer and loves birding, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
Community & Livelihood Manager
As the Community & Livelihood Manager with Wild Earth Allies’ Cambodia program, Meas Viphou improves community livelihoods through sustainable agriculture and other conservation-compatible options. His efforts help people and wildlife coexist in support of forest and marine conservation. With more than 17 years of experience in community livelihood development, Viphou enjoys working toward a shared personal and organizational mission to improve household economics, human health, and environmental well-being. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Maharishi Vedic University (MVU), currently called Chea Sim University of Kamchaymear.
Marine Project Officer
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Conservation Manager
Neang Thy brings 20 years of conservation and biological research experience to his role as Conservation Manager with Wild Earth Allies’ Cambodia program. In this role, he leads field research and project implementation. As a leading herpetologist, Thy has described new species to science and first-country records of reptile and amphibian species in Cambodia. Thy is also a wildlife generalist with skills ranging from taxonomy, biological ecosystems assessment, ecology, and research on at-risk native wildlife species such as Asian elephants, Sunda pangolins, and pileated gibbons. He has designed, implemented, and managed multiple field projects and teams, trained rangers and local community members in survey and monitoring techniques and tools, and delivered a broad range of wildlife research methodologies and techniques to field teams and students alike.
Thy has authored and co-authored over 40 peer-reviewed journal papers and supervised students in their master’s thesis topics. He holds a master’s degree in forestry from the Voronezh State Academy of Forestry Engineering in Russia.
Field Research Officer
Samorn Vireak is the Field Research Officer with Wild Earth Allies’ Cambodia program. In this role, he supports our biomonitoring program and conducts surveys on at-risk species, including Asian elephants, pileated gibbons, and Sunda pangolin. Previously, Vireak volunteered with several NGOs and worked with BirdLife International and Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden.
Vireak earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the Royal University of Phnom Penh. He holds a master’s degree in biodiversity conservation from the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation. While earning his master’s, Vireak volunteered with Cambodia’s Department of Biodiversity and the Ministry of Environment. He conducted his thesis research on species diversity and the distribution of the gliding lizard (genus Draco) in Cambodia.
Community & Awareness Officer
Sem Srey Thai serves as the Community & Awareness Officer with the Wild Earth Allies Cambodia program. In this role, she supports community-based marine conservation along coastal areas of Cambodia. Her experience in environmental and marine conservation includes sea turtle rescue, seagrass surveys, anti-trawling structure deployment, and community-led mangrove restoration. Srey Thai is passionate about protecting marine wildlife in ways that benefit coastal communities. She is currently earning her bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences and engineering from Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia.
Marine Project Assistant
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Field Research Officer
Song Det’s expertise in botany advances our efforts to protect and restore vital habitats for Asian elephants, pileated gibbons, and other key wildlife species. Det loves collecting, photographing, and identifying plants, especially in the Zingiberaceae, Orchidaceae, and Apocynaceae families. His conservation experience began with biodiversity assessments and habitat restoration of mangrove forests for the Cambodian Fishing Cat Project. Det graduated with a master’s degree in biodiversity from the Royal University of Phnom Penh in 2019.
Development & Communications Consultant
Ben Valentine is a Development & Communications Consultant with Wild Earth Allies in Cambodia. In this role, he crafts stories about our work and secures funding for our conservation programs.
A strategic thinker and innovator, Ben has over 13 years of experience helping nonprofits scale their impact through partnerships, increased financial support, and volunteers. He is driven to protect our planet’s biodiversity for future generations. Based in Kampot, Cambodia, Ben speaks and reads Khmer and loves birding, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
Marine Research Officer
Vong Vutthy implements research projects on marine biodiversity and engages communities in marine conservation and sustainable development. Vutthy’s previous experience includes working in biodiversity conservation in coastal areas such as the wetlands of Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and Mekong River ecosystems. He has co-authored four papers on biodiversity conservation and the effects of climate change on wetlands. Vutthy received a master’s degree in biology from Prince of Songkhla University, Thailand, and a bachelor’s in biology from the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia.