Our Organization
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Defenders of Wildlife do?
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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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| 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 |
| William Lutz | Senior Communications Specialist |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Jason C. Rylander | Staff Attorney |
| Wade Willis | Alaska Representative |
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Biodiversity Partners |
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| Kassandra Kelly | Media Production Specialist |
| Gina L. LaRocco | Conservation Program Associate |
| 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 |
| Wade Willis | Alaska Representative |
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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 |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| Robert Dreher | Vice President for Conservation Law |
| Kara Gillon | Senior 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 |
| Erin Lieberman | Walter Kuhlmann Legal Fellow |
| James Navarro | Communications Associate |
| Jason C. Rylander | Staff Attorney |
| Gina Schrader | Conservation Associate |
| Brian Segee | Staff Attorney |
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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 |
| James Navarro | Communications Associate |
| Katie Theoharides | Conservation Planning Associate |
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Federal Budget |
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| Mary Elizabeth Beetham | Director of Legislative Affairs |
| Jessica Brand | Communications Associate |
| Noah Kahn | Federal Lands Associate |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| James Navarro | 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 |
| Wm. Robert Irvin | Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| James Navarro | Communications Associate |
| Jason C. Rylander | Staff Attorney |
| Brian Segee | Staff Attorney |
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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 |
| Karla M. Dutton | Alaska Program Director |
| J. Christopher Haney | Chief Scientist and Vice-President of the Conservation Science and Economics Department |
| Noah Kahn | Federal Lands Associate |
| Cat Lazaroff | Director of Communications |
| Erin McCallum | Communications Specialist |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Brian Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Brianne Smith | Federal Lands Associate |
| Sierra B. Weaver | Staff Attorney |
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Habitat and Highways |
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| James Navarro | Communications Associate |
| Brian Segee | Staff Attorney |
| 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 |
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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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| Mary Elizabeth Beetham | Director of Legislative Affairs |
| Rick Brown | Senior Resource Specialist |
| Robert Dewey | Vice President for Government Relations |
| Michael T. Leahy | Rocky Mountain Region Director |
| Noah Matson | Vice President for Land Conservation |
| James Navarro | Communications Associate |
| Peter Nelson | Director, Federal Lands Program |
| Brian Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Brianne Smith | Federal Lands 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 |
| James Navarro | Communications Associate |
| Peter Nelson | Director, Federal Lands Program |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Brian Segee | Staff Attorney |
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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 |
| Karla M. Dutton | Alaska Program Director |
| Elizabeth Fleming | Florida Representative |
| James Navarro | 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 |
| James Navarro | Communications Associate |
| Peter Nelson | Director, Federal Lands Program |
| Sandra Young Purohit | Government Relations Associate |
| Brian Segee | Staff Attorney |
| Brianne Smith | Federal Lands Associate |
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Private Lands |
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| Frank Casey | Director, Conservation Economics Program |
| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Gina L. LaRocco | Conservation Program Associate |
| Noah Matson | Vice President for Land Conservation |
| Sara O'Brien | Private Lands Conservation Associate |
| Pine Roehrs | Living Lands Project Coordinator |
| 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 Local Conservation |
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| Rick Brown | Senior Resource Specialist |
| Kimberley Delfino | California Program Director |
| Elizabeth Fleming | Florida Representative |
| M. Scott Johnson | Arizona Senior Outreach Representative |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Marcia Lesky | Director of National Outreach |
| Gina Schrader | Conservation Associate |
| Sara Vickerman | Senior Director, Biodiversity Partnerships |
| Patricia A. White | Director, Habitat & Highways Campaign |
| Wade Willis | Alaska Representative |
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State Wildlife Plans |
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| Joshua Basofin | California Representative |
| Katie Theoharides | Conservation Planning Associate |
| Sara Vickerman | Senior Director, Biodiversity Partnerships |
| Aimee Weldon | Living Lands Project Manager |
| Wade Willis | Alaska Representative |
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Threats to Wildlife |
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| Jean Brennan | Senior Climate Change Scientist |
| Aimee Delach | Senior Associate for Conservation Science |
| Noah Kahn | Federal Lands Associate |
| Caroline Kennedy | Senior Director of Field Conservation |
| Katie Theoharides | Conservation Planning Associate |
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