Our Organization
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Defenders of Wildlife do?
How long has Defenders been in existence?
See all FAQs >>
Katie Theoharides
Climate Change Associate
Areas of Expertise: Climate change adaptation, wildlife and global warming, state wildlife action plans, invasive species, climate change, habitat fragmentation, farm bill conservation programs, conservation planning, green infrastructure, connectivity.
As the Climate Change Associate, Katie plays a key role in implementing Defenders of Wildlife’s programs to safeguard wildlife from the impacts of climate change. Katie works with the climate change team to develop and implement on-the-ground land and wildlife planning and management strategies to address the impacts of climate change. She conducts research and analysis associated with climate change and wildlife conservation, engages in federal land management agency administrative actions, meets and fosters relationships with agency and Congressional staff and coordinates with staff in Defenders’ program areas. Katie is also compiling geographic datasets that can be used to begin the process of identifying a national network of conservation lands.
Prior to her position in the Climate Change Department Katie served as the Conservation Planning Associate at Defenders. In this role she provided capacity and technical support to state agencies and land trusts to increase strategic protection of biodiversity. She particularly focused on developing planning tools and strategies for climate change adaptation.
Before joining Defenders in 2008, Katie worked at the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, helping to advance strong conservation policy proposed for the 2007/2008 farm bill. Katie received her B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Dartmouth College and completed a M.S. in Environmental Biology at the University of Massachusetts-Boston with a focus on climate change and invasive plants.
Contact Information
Phone: (202) 772-0229
Email: Katie.Theoharides@defenders.org
