Elizabeth Fleming

Areas of Expertise: Florida panther, Florida black bear, Florida manatee, sea turtles, state imperiled species policies, habitat conservation planning, coexisting with wildlife, wildlife trade

Elizabeth is responsible for promoting and expanding the field conservation program and operations for the Florida office. She develops conservation objectives and strategies and works with partners to protect and restore Florida’s imperiled wildlife, their habitat and establish a state ecological network. Elizabeth works to conserve core and connective habitat for wide-ranging species and advocates for incorporating wildlife conservation into transportation and land-use planning.  She has served as a member of the Florida Panther Recovery Team, Florida Panther Outreach Team, Florida Manatee Recovery Team and Florida Manatee Conflict Resolution Forum. She also coordinates programs that foster tolerance for living with panthers, bears and other wildlife.  

Before joining Defenders of Wildlife, Elizabeth worked for 11 years with TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring program of World Wildlife Fund and The World Conservation Union, in Greece, Belgium and Washington, D.C., where she oversaw the development and implementation of several large research projects. She also conducted investigations and market surveys in over 20 countries.

She chairs the Advocacy Committee of the Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge where she has served as a board member since 2008.

Elizabeth earned a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Biology (magna cum laude) from Tufts University.