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Staff
Defenders’ staff is as diverse and unique as they are dedicated and experienced. Drawing top wildlife biologists, government policy experts, media relations specialists, membership service representatives, lawyers and many more, Defenders of Wildlife puts all of their individual talents to use to achieve our organization’s common goals.
Aerial Hunting |
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| Tom Banks | Alaska Field Representative |
| Karla M. Dutton | Alaska Program Director |
| Cindy Hoffman | Vice President of Communications |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Michael T. Leahy | Rocky Mountain Region Director |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Jason C. Rylander | Staff Attorney |
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Biodiversity Partners |
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| Kassandra Kelly | Media Production Specialist |
| Sara O'Brien | Private Lands Conservation Associate |
| Bruce Taylor | Oregon Biodiversity Program Director |
| Sara Vickerman | Senior Director, Biodiversity Partnerships |
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Compensation Programs |
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| Nina Fascione | Vice President for Field Conservation |
| Gina Schrader | Conservation Associate |
| Suzanne Asha Stone | Northern Rockies Representative |
| Jesse Timberlake | Northern Rockies Associate |
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Conservation Economics |
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| Pelayo Alvarez | California Rangeland Conservation Coalition Program Director |
| Frank Casey | Director, Conservation Economics Program |
| Timm Kroeger | Natural Resources and Environmental Economist |
| Anna McMurray | Conservation Economics Associate |
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Conservation Law |
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| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Robert Dreher | Vice President for Conservation Law |
| Kara Gillon | Senior Staff Attorney |
| Andrew M. Hawley | Staff Attorney |
| Wm. Robert Irvin | Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs |
| Michael T. Leahy | Rocky Mountain Region Director |
| Erin Lieberman | Walter Kuhlmann Legal Fellow |
| Erin McCallum | Communications Specialist |
| Jason C. Rylander | Staff Attorney |
| Brian P. Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Sierra B. Weaver | Staff Attorney |
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Conservation Planning Resources |
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| Pelayo Alvarez | California Rangeland Conservation Coalition Program Director |
| Gina L. LaRocco | Conservation Program Associate |
| Jeffrey A. Lerner | Director of Conservation Planning |
| Bruce Taylor | Oregon Biodiversity Program Director |
| Katie Theoharides | Conservation Planning Associate |
| Sara Vickerman | Senior Director, Biodiversity Partnerships |
| Aimee Weldon | Living Lands Project Manager |
| Patricia A. White | Director, Habitat & Highways Campaign |
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Conservation Science |
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| Pelayo Alvarez | California Rangeland Conservation Coalition Program Director |
| Rick Brown | Senior Resource Specialist |
| J. Christopher Haney | Chief Scientist and Vice-President of the Conservation Science and Economics Department |
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Endangered Species Act |
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| Mary Elizabeth Beetham | Director of Legislative Affairs |
| Jamie Rappaport Clark | Executive Vice President |
| Robert P. Davison | Senior Scientist, Endangered Species and Wildlife Conservation |
| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Kara Gillon | Senior Staff Attorney |
| Andrew M. Hawley | Staff Attorney |
| Wm. Robert Irvin | Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs |
| Peter T. Jenkins | Director of International Conservation |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Michael T. Leahy | Rocky Mountain Region Director |
| Jason C. Rylander | Staff Attorney |
| Brian P. Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
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Energy |
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| Sara Chieffo | Government Relations Associate |
| Aimee Delach | Senior Associate for Conservation Science |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Brianne Smith | Federal Lands Associate |
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Farm Bill |
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| Mary Elizabeth Beetham | Director of Legislative Affairs |
| Frank Casey | Director, Conservation Economics Program |
| Sara Chieffo | Government Relations Associate |
| Aimee Delach | Senior Associate for Conservation Science |
| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Katie Theoharides | Conservation Planning Associate |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
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Federal Budget |
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| Mary Elizabeth Beetham | Director of Legislative Affairs |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
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Fresh Water Conservation |
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| Joshua Basofin | California Representative |
| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Kara Gillon | Senior Staff Attorney |
| Andrew M. Hawley | Staff Attorney |
| Wm. Robert Irvin | Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Jason C. Rylander | Staff Attorney |
| Brian P. Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
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Global Warming |
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| Jean Brennan | Senior Climate Change Scientist |
| Rick Brown | Senior Resource Specialist |
| Sara Chieffo | Government Relations Associate |
| Robert P. Davison | Senior Scientist, Endangered Species and Wildlife Conservation |
| Aimee Delach | Senior Associate for Conservation Science |
| J. Christopher Haney | Chief Scientist and Vice-President of the Conservation Science and Economics Department |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Erin McCallum | Communications Specialist |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Brianne Smith | Federal Lands Associate |
| Sierra B. Weaver | Staff Attorney |
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Habitat and Highways |
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| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
| Patricia A. White | Director, Habitat & Highways Campaign |
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International Program |
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| Juan Carlos Cantú | Manager, Mexico Programs |
| Alejandra Goyenechea | International Counsel |
| Peter T. Jenkins | Director of International Conservation |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Heidi Ruffler | International Associate |
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Mexico Program |
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| Juan Carlos Cantú | Manager, Mexico Programs |
| Alejandra Goyenechea | International Counsel |
| Peter T. Jenkins | Director of International Conservation |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
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National Forests |
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| Rick Brown | Senior Resource Specialist |
| Michael T. Leahy | Rocky Mountain Region Director |
| Noah Matson | Vice President for Land Conservation |
| Peter Nelson | Director, Federal Lands Program |
| Brian P. Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Brianne Smith | Federal Lands Associate |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
| Sierra B. Weaver | Staff Attorney |
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National Wildlife Refuges |
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| Mary Elizabeth Beetham | Director of Legislative Affairs |
| Noah Kahn | Federal Lands Associate |
| Noah Matson | Vice President for Land Conservation |
| Peter Nelson | Director, Federal Lands Program |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Brian P. Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
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Ocean and Marine Habitat |
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| Joshua Basofin | California Representative |
| Juan Carlos Cantú | Manager, Mexico Programs |
| Jim Curland | Marine Program Associate |
| Elizabeth Fleming | Florida Representative |
| Andrew M. Hawley | Staff Attorney |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
| Sierra B. Weaver | Staff Attorney |
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Other Public Lands |
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| Matt Clark | Southwest Representative |
| Robert Dreher | Vice President for Conservation Law |
| Noah Kahn | Federal Lands Associate |
| Gina L. LaRocco | Conservation Program Associate |
| Michael T. Leahy | Rocky Mountain Region Director |
| Noah Matson | Vice President for Land Conservation |
| Peter Nelson | Director, Federal Lands Program |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Brian P. Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Brianne Smith | Federal Lands Associate |
| Joe Vickless | Communications Associate |
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Private Lands |
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| Frank Casey | Director, Conservation Economics Program |
| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Jeffrey A. Lerner | Director of Conservation Planning |
| Noah Matson | Vice President for Land Conservation |
| Sara O'Brien | Private Lands Conservation Associate |
| Bruce Taylor | Oregon Biodiversity Program Director |
| Jeremy Terhune | San Joaquin Valley Representative |
| Sara Vickerman | Senior Director, Biodiversity Partnerships |
| Aimee Weldon | Living Lands Project Manager |
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State and Municipal-Based Conservation |
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| Phaedra Booth | California Outreach Representative |
| Rick Brown | Senior Resource Specialist |
| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Elizabeth Fleming | Florida Representative |
| Lisa Hummon | New Mexico Outreach Representative |
| M. Scott Johnson | Arizona Senior Outreach Representative |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Marcia Lesky | Director of National Outreach |
| Sara Vickerman | Senior Director, Biodiversity Partnerships |
| Patricia A. White | Director, Habitat & Highways Campaign |
| Richard Whiteford | Pennsylvania & New Jersey Outreach Representative |
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State Wildlife Plans |
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| Joshua Basofin | California Representative |
| Jeffrey A. Lerner | Director of Conservation Planning |
| Katie Theoharides | Conservation Planning Associate |
| Sara Vickerman | Senior Director, Biodiversity Partnerships |
| Aimee Weldon | Living Lands Project Manager |
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Threats to Wildlife |
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| Jean Brennan | Senior Climate Change Scientist |
| Aimee Delach | Senior Associate for Conservation Science |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Heidi Ruffler | International Associate |
| Katie Theoharides | Conservation Planning Associate |
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