MEET THE STAFF

Collette Adkins Giese, Reptile and Amphibian Senior Attorney, is dedicated to protecting rare amphibians and reptiles across the country. She received her law degree from the University of Minnesota, where she also earned a master’s degree in wildlife conservation. Before joining the Center, Collette was in private practice, where her pro bono work focused on preservation of endangered species and their habitats. She also served as a law clerk to the Honorable John R. Tunheim in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Contact: Minneapolis, MN, 651.955.3821, cadkinsgiese@biologicaldiversity.org

Melissa Amarello, Population and Sustainability Communications Associate, provides communications support and manages social media for the Population and Sustainability program. Before joining the Center in 2014, she worked on a variety of projects on natural history and conservation of birds and reptiles in Kentucky, Arizona, California and Mexico. More recently she cofounded Advocates for Snake Preservation to change the way people view and treat snakes. She holds a bachelor's degree in wildlife, watershed, and rangeland resources from the University of Arizona and a master's degree in biology from Arizona State University.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 319, mamarello@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @SnakeAdvocate

Ileene Anderson, Senior Scientist and Public Lands Deserts Director, coordinates campaigns throughout the southwest deserts, while focusing on conservation projects in the deserts and urban wildlands of Southern California. Her project areas include all public lands in the California deserts and the Santa Ana River Watershed, western Riverside County, Tejon Ranch, and the Santa Clara River Watershed. She holds a master’s in biology from California State Northridge and is a research associate at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens.

Contact: Los Angeles, CA, 323.654.5943, ianderson@biologicaldiversity.org

Judy Anderson, Bookkeeper, was born and raised in North Dakota. She has a certificate in general business. She worked in retail and nonprofit accounting for 19 years before joining the Center in 2008. She works out of our Tucson office.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 300, janderson@biologicaldiversity.org

Justin Augustine, Senior Attorney, works on endangered species and forest issues. He graduated with a bachelor of science in earth systems from Stanford University and completed his law degree at Lewis and Clark Law School. Prior to law school, Justin was employed as a wildlife biologist and has worked on projects in the San Bernardino Mountains, Yellowstone National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and the John Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness Areas.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682, ext. 302, jaugustine@biologicaldiversity.org

Lisa Belenky, Senior Attorney, works on protecting rare and endangered species and their habitats under state and federal law. Lisa holds a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law and a bachelor’s in philosophy from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Before joining the Center in 2005, she was in private practice focusing on environmental law and employee-benefits litigation.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682, ext. 307, lbelenky@biologicaldiversity.org

Alexandra Berger, Development Associate, supports the work of the development team. Alex double-majored in environmental studies and studio art at Oberlin College in 2004. Prior to joining the Center in 2012, she worked as an artist, glassblower, educator and nonprofit administrator for many years, most recently as the program director at the Sonoran Glass School in Tucson.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 312, aberger@biologicaldiversity.org

Curt Bradley, Senior Scientist, GIS Specialist, assists Center campaigns with Geographic Information Systems analyses and cartography. He holds a master’s in watershed hydrology and a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Arizona. He was a GIS specialist at the Sky Island Alliance before joining the Center.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 310, cbradley@biologicaldiversity.org

Rose Braz, Climate Campaign Director, coordinates the Climate Law Institute’s climate campaign and communications work, as well as organizing our grassroots anti-fracking campaign. She is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law and has worked both in private practice and at the United Nations International Commission of Jurists in Geneva, Switzerland.  Prior to coming to the Center, Rose helped found and was the campaign and media director for Critical Resistance, a national grassroots organization working to end society's reliance on prisons as an answer to social problems.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 319, rbraz@biologicaldiversity.org

Marcy Brell, Chief Financial Officer, brought more than 30 years of experience in financial management to the Center, having worked for private and nonprofit organizations both large and small. Most recently she had been the CFO of a smaller not-for-profit group in Tucson where she was responsible for managing all grants, from federal down to local government, as well as for the analysis and selection of providers for all insurance coverage. She holds a bachelor’s in accounting from California State University.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 301, mbrell@biologicaldiversity.org

Kevin Bundy, Senior Attorney, works with the Climate Law Institute. Before joining the Center, Kevin represented public-interest and citizen groups in environmental and land-use cases as an associate with Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP. He also served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Procter R. Hug, Jr., of the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and the Honorable David W. Hagen of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. Between graduating from Oberlin College and attending the University of California’s Boalt Hall School of Law, he spent several years advocating for ancient forests and endangered species on California’s North Coast.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 313, kbundy@biologicaldiversity.org

Lori Ann Burd, Endangered Species Campaign Director, works to defend the Endangered Species Act. She earned her B.A. at Colorado College and her J.D. at Lewis and Clark Law School. Before joining the Center she worked as a staff attorney and campaign manager for the Portland-based nonprofit Bark to protect forests, rivers and wildlife, then as a contract attorney for National Wildlife Federation, focusing on mountaintop-removal coal mining and tar sands pipelines, and the Center for Food Safety, where she focused on pesticides and genetic engineering. She sits on the boards of NEDC and the Crag Law Center.

Contact: Portland, OR, 971.717.6405, laburd@biologicaldiversity.org

John Buse, Legal Director, Interim General Counsel, coordinates the Center's legal work and handles cases involving endangered species conservation and land use. Before joining the Center in 2005, John worked for the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. John received a law degree from the University of California Davis School of Law, a master’s in biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in the history, philosophy, and social studies of science and medicine from the University of Chicago.

Contact: 323.533.4416, jbuse@biologicaldiversity.org

Caressa Chester, Major Gifts Assistant, works in the Tucson office. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 2012 with a degree in international development and a minor in art history; she previously worked with the International Rescue Committee, Chax Press and Words Without Borders.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 309, cchester@biologicaldiversity.org

Brendan Cummings, Senior Counsel, Strategic Litigation Group Director, joined the Center in 1998. A graduate of Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law, Brendan has litigated dozens of Endangered Species Act cases, as well as cases under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Clean Water Act and numerous other state and federal statutes. Prior to working for the Center, Brendan was in private practice specializing in environmental and civil-rights litigation.

Contact: Joshua Tree, CA, 760.366.2232 ext. 304, bcummings@biologicaldiversity.org

Tierra Curry, Senior Scientist, focuses on the listing and recovery of endangered species and works nationally with individuals and groups in support of the conservation of species and the Endangered Species Act. Prior to joining the Center in 2007 she worked as an amphibian field biologist, conservation corps crew leader, and community organizer against mountaintop-removal coal mining. She holds a bachelor’s in English from Berea College and a master’s in biology from Portland State University.

Contact: Portland, OR, 928.522.3681, tcurry@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @TierraMussel

Roman Czebiniak, Conservation Director, oversees the Center’s six major programs and works to develop strategies to protect all creatures great and small.  Before joining us he led Greenpeace’s global forest political team and served as the organization’s senior advisor on climate change and forest issues; with Defenders of Wildlife, he helped build successful coalitions in support of land-use and climate change policies; and he has been a UCLA School of Law Frankel fellow in environmental law and policy as well as an Environmental Law Institute fellow. Roman received his JD from New York University School of Law and a philosophy and political science degree from the University of Florida. 

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 332, rczebiniak@biologicaldiversity.org

Katherine Davis, Public Lands Campaigner, is focused on all aspects of forest protection and restoration including coordinating outreach to build support for Southwest forests and wildlife. She graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2013 with a certificate of completion in environmental and natural resource law; she received her undergraduate degree in biology from Vanderbilt University in 2010. Before joining the Center, Katherine interned with the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, the Oregon Environmental Council and the Tennessee Environmental Council, among others.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520. 623.5252 ext. 308, kdavis@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @KDavis_CBD

Tara Easter, Scientist, works to protect endangered species through petitions, comments and advocacy; tracks the status of already-protected species; and assists with the research and administrative needs of the Endangered Species program. Before joining the Center, she assisted with studies on the evolution of tidal fish and the behavior of rattlesnakes; she worked with conservation programs in Africa aimed at reducing elephant and cropland conflict in Kenya. She holds a B.S. in ecology, evolution and conservation biology from North Carolina State University.

Contact: Portland, OR, teaster@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @TaraSkye12

Jonathan Evans, Toxics and Endangered Species Campaign Director, Staff Attorney, works to protect imperiled wildlife from the threats of environmental contamination and reduce the toxic threats of pesticides, heavy metals and chemical pollution in our environment. Jonathan received his law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in conservation and resource studies from the University of California at Berkeley. Prior to joining the Center, Jonathan worked at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation managing ecosystem restoration grants. He also brings to the Center a background in the field of outdoor education as a naturalist and guide throughout California.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 318, jevans@biologicaldiversity.org

Stephanie Feldstein, Population and Sustainability Director, leads the Center’s work to highlight and address threats to endangered species and wild places from runaway human population growth and overconsumption. Previously Stephanie worked for Change.org, where she helped hundreds of people start and win online campaigns to protect wildlife. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and has years of experience in organizing, outreach and communications, with a focus on animals and the environment.

Contact: Ann Arbor, MI, 734.395.0770, sfeldstein@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @sfeldstein

Marc Fink, Senior Attorney, joined the Center in 2007 and is part of our Strategic Litigation Group, where his docket includes a variety of endangered species and public-lands cases across the country. Marc graduated in 1995 from Lewis and Clark Law School with a certificate in environmental and natural resources law. Before joining us he worked as a staff attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center.

Contact:  Duluth, MN, 218.464.0539 mfink@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @Marcdf

Michael Finkelstein, Director of Operations, oversees the Center’s financial and administrative programs, national offices and day-to-day operations.  He served as the Center's executive director from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that he ran electoral campaigns in Alaska and was the executive director of the Alaska Rainforest Campaign. Most recently he was the chief development officer for the Primavera Foundation, one of Tucson's largest poverty-alleviation non-governmental organizations.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520. 623.5252 ext. 326, mfinkelstein@biologicaldiversity.org

Peter Galvin, Director of Programs, is a founder of the Center. He holds a bachelor's from Prescott College and a master's degree from Norwich University. Peter helps coordinate the Center's legal actions and campaigns, assists in the formulation of organizational policy and strategy and serves on the Center’s leadership team. Before working for the Center, he worked as a contract wildlife researcher for the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department. A longtime environmental activist, Peter also serves on the board of directors of the Beech Hill Foundation and is a member of the Science Oversight Team for the Global Owl Project.

Contact: Whitethorn, CA, 707.986.2600, pgalvin@biologicaldiversity.org

Gus Glaser, Executive Assistant, works in the Tucson office to support the executive director. Before joining the Center, Gus had a 22-year career in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, holding several water-resource regulatory positions. Most recently he was a stormwater engineer in Green Bay. He holds a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University, a master of science in biomedical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a master of arts in philosophy from the University of Montana.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 328, gglaser@biologicaldiversity.org

Noah Greenwald, Endangered Species Director, directs the Center’s efforts to protect new species under the Endangered Species Act, to ensure that imperiled species receive effective protections and that we have the strongest Endangered Species Act possible.  He also works to educate the public about the importance of protecting biodiversity and about the multitude of threats to the survival of North American wildlife.  He holds a bachelor of science in ecology from the Evergreen State College and a master's in forest ecology and conservation from the University of Washington. Before he joined the Center in 1997, Noah worked as a field biologist, surveying northern spotted owls and marbled murrelets and banding Hawaiian songbirds.

Contact: Portland, OR, 503.484.7495, ngreenwald@biologicaldiversity.org,
Twitter: @Noah_Ark_757

Brett Hartl, Endangered Species Policy Director, works in the Washington D.C. office on national policy issues that affect endangered species. He holds a bachelor’s from Prescott College in conservation biology and a law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School. Before law school, Brett spent five years as a field biologist working with endangered species in the northwest Hawaiian Islands, Kauai and Southern California. Prior to joining the Center, Brett worked in the House Natural Resources Committee for the Democratic staff and was the senior policy fellow at the Society for Conservation Biology.

Contact: Washington, D.C., 202.817.8121, bhartl@biologicaldiversity.org

Bill Haskins, Information Technology Director, is in charge of the Center’s computer systems, networking and website management. Before joining our staff, he helped start the Ecology Center and Big Sky Conservation Institute in Missoula, Montana, and spent the previous decade working in computer-assisted geography and mapping. He holds a bachelor of science in ecology and systematics from the University of Nebraska and a master’s in environmental studies from the University of Montana.

Contact: Sacramento, CA, 520.609.8334, bhaskins@biologicaldiversity.org

Jessica Herrera, Senior Communications Associate, coordinates the Center’s online actions and email communications and helps write and edit its outreach documents. Jessica brings with her a variety of experience including community and labor organizing, newspaper reporting and freelance writing. Before coming to the Center, Jessica earned her master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, where she concentrated in emerging markets and Latin America.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 324, jherrera@biologicaldiversity.org

Russell Howze, Urban Wildlands Paralegal, received a paralegal certificate from San Francisco State University. He holds a bachelor's in history from Wofford College in South Carolina. Before joining the Center, he wrote the book Stencil Nation, painted a mural depicting endangered species for Whole Foods, and worked and volunteered for several grassroots campaigns and organizations.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 306, rhowze@biologicaldiversity.org

Colleen Iuliucci, Membership Assistant, processes member donations and maintains records in the Center’s membership and online databases. She also helps organize our merchandise. Raised in Kentucky, she received her bachelor's degree in communications from Belmont University, and before joining the Center in 2013 worked at a Waldorf School in Tucson and an organic farm in Pennsylvania.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252, ext. 311, ciuliucci@biologicaldiversity.org

Tim A. Janes, Membership Associate, brings more than 45 years of social activism and 30 years of fundraising experience (concurrent, not consecutive) to his position. He has served on boards of directors of organizations including the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, Wingspan, Community Shares of Southern Arizona and Sonora Fund. Tim supports the Center's membership program strategically and administratively.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 318, tjanes@biologicaldiversity.org

Emily Jeffers, Staff Attorney, works in the Center's Oceans Program. Emily graduated from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and received her bachelor's degree in biology from Yale University.  Before joining the Center, Emily served as a law clerk to the Honorable Gregory J. Hobbs, Jr. of the Colorado Supreme Court and worked as a wildlife biologist in California and Idaho.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.632.5309, ejeffers@biologicaldiversity.org

Angela Jones, Energy Policy Analyst, works in the Center’s Population and Sustainability Program to address the connections between runaway human population growth, overconsumption, wildlife extinction and our national energy policy. She holds a bachelor's in political science from Duke University and a master's in environmental policy from Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Her past work has included energy issues, environmental health, endangered species protection and the use of alternative dispute resolution to develop public policy.

Contact: Washington, DC, 202.731.4323, ajones@biologicaldiversity.org

Adam Keats, Senior Counsel, Urban Wildlands Program Director, works to halt urban sprawl and destructive land development in important endangered-species habitat. As part of these efforts, he heads the Center’s California Water Law Project, aimed at solving some of the more difficult long-term problems with freshwater delivery in California. He received his law degree from the University of California, Davis, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Before joining the Center in 2003 he was in private practice in California and Massachusetts.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 304, akeats@biologicaldiversity.org

Catherine Kilduff, Staff Attorney, works in the Center's Oceans Program to protect marine species and ecosystems. Catherine received her law degree from the University of Virginia, a master's of science from the College of William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and her bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Dartmouth College. Before becoming an attorney, Catherine worked as legislative staff for the U.S. House Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans.

Contact: Washington D.C., 415.644.8580, ckilduff@biologicaldiversity.org

Hollin Kretzmann, Staff Attorney, helps the Center’s Climate Law Institute advocate for action that will mitigate the effects of climate change. Before joining the Center, Hollin worked with Pennsylvania’s Clean Air Council, advocating for maintaining clean air through litigation and government oversight. Hollin holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 333, hkretzmann@biologicaldiversity.org

Ash Lauth, California Anti-Fracking Campaigner, fights hydraulic fracturing and climate change with the Climate Law Institute. She comes to the Center by way of the North Dakota oil boom, where she organized with rural agricultural communities. In her decade of campaigning, she's worked to bring 13,000 people to the White House against the Keystone XL pipeline, driven a solar-powered truck the length of the eastern seaboard, and was apart of the Green Corps class of 2010. Ash holds a degree in English and politics from the University of Puget Sound. 

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 335, alauth@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @RawhideRoper

Jay Lininger, Senior Scientist, devotes himself to public land and endangered species conservation in the western United States. Jay is a certified fire ecologist and earned a master's degree from the University of Montana-Missoula, where he was a Duke conservation fellow and researched forest restoration effects. He has led intercollegiate debate teams and worked six seasons on federal and private forestry crews as a biologist and wildland firefighter.

Contact: Ashland, OR, 928.853.9929, jlininger@biologicaldiversity.org

Kiersten Lippmann, Staff Scientist, works on Arctic and Alaskan issues, including climate change and protecting terrestrial and marine wildlife. Before joining the Center, she worked as a field biologist with spotted owls, eastern bats and woodchucks in Washington, California, New Mexico and Maine.

Contact: Anchorage, AK, 907.793.8691, klippmann@biologicaldiversity.org

Jaclyn Lopez, Florida Director, Staff Attorney, is a Florida native and has been with the Center since 2002. She holds a master of laws degree in environmental and land-use law from the University of Florida, a J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Arizona. Jacki coordinates campaigns in the Southeast and Caribbean, focusing on protecting imperiled species and ecosystems. She has presented and written on numerous Endangered Species Act issues and taught courses on environmental law.

Contact: St. Petersburg, FL, 727.490.9190, jlopez@biologicaldiversity.org

Valerie Love, No Tar Sands Campaigner, works to mobilize actions opposing the Keystone XL pipeline. Valerie has worked with Generation Waking Up, engaging and training young people as social change leaders; managed campaigns at Clean Water Action; coordinated Buy Fresh Buy Local programs; and consulted for a network of state and local governments to increase socially and environmentally responsible purchasing. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Pitzer College, where she studied environmental, international and intercultural issues.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 510.274.9713, vlove@biologicaldiversity.org

Jared Margolis, Staff Attorney, works on the Center’s Energy and Endangered Species campaign. He earned his B.A. in geography from Colgate University and completed a master’s in environmental studies at Brown University before attending Vermont Law School. Jared has represented nonprofit and citizen groups working to protect the environment; he has challenged large-scale developments including nuclear power plants and taught environmental law at the University of Vermont. He continues to teach in an adjunct capacity at the University of Oregon.

Contact: Portland, OR, 971.717.6404, jmargolis@biologicaldiversity.org

Sarah Martin, Membership Assistant, has a degree in geography from the University of Arizona. Before joining the Center she spent time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, where she organized a community micro-banking program. She has also worked as a pastry chef and a stay-at-home mom; Sarah provides membership support by maintaining the Center’s membership databases and answering emails.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252, smartin@biologicaldiversity.org

Mollie Matteson, Senior Scientist, works for the protection and restoration of wild places and imperiled species in the eastern United States. Since 2008 she has led the Center’s efforts to save North American bats from white-nose syndrome and other threats. Prior to joining the Center, she was deputy director at Forest Watch in Vermont. She holds a master’s of science in wildlife biology from the University of Montana, where she studied a recovering population of wolves in the northern Rockies.

Contact: Richmond, VT, 802.318.1487, mmatteson@biologicaldiversity.org

Christopher Mayo, Legal Fellow, works on climate law issues out of Washington, D.C. He earned his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where he focused on environmental law, worked on the Administrative Law Review, and was active in the Environmental Law Society. He also holds a bachelor of science from Middle Tennessee State University. Prior to joining the Center, he interned at the U.S. Department of Energy Assistant General Counsel for Environment and at Friends of the Earth.

Contact: Washington, DC, 615.268.5474, cmayo@biologicaldiversity.org

Taylor McKinnon, Public Lands Campaigner, works to protect public lands and endangered species in the western United States. Fielding an array of issues, he focuses on curbing fossil fuel development on public lands. A veteran campaigner, Taylor began at the Center in 2007 and has previously served at Grand Canyon Trust and on boards and commissions regionally and nationally. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Prescott College.

Contact: Salida, CO, 801.300.2414, tmckinnon@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @publiccarbon

Russ McSpadden, Communications Associate, helps coordinate and produce the Center’s print and media work on endangered species. He holds a master’s degree in environmental history from Florida Atlantic University. Before joining the Center in 2012, Russ helped coordinate grassroots environmental campaigns in defense of the Everglades bioregion.

Contact: Hot Springs, NC, 928.310.6713, rmcspadden@biologicaldiversity.org

Rick Mick, Online Associate, helps write and edit the Center's action alerts, weekly e-newsletter and other email communications. Before joining the Center in 2013, he was a contributing writer for the University of Arizona’s Office of Sustainability; he has taught in Mexico, Colorado and Arizona. More recently he worked to help manage invasive buffelgrass and tamarisk in the Sonoran desert. He holds a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish from Butler University and a master's degree in nonfiction writing from Columbia University.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 324, rmick@biologicaldiversity.org

Jeff Miller, Conservation Advocate, writes press and outreach materials for endangered species issues, works on endangered-species listing petitions, and does community organizing and media work for numerous Center campaigns, from condor protection to pesticides reduction to Bay Area urban-sprawl issues. Jeff has also been the director of the Alameda Creek Alliance since 1997, and in 2007 and 2009 won "Leaping Steelhead" awards for his efforts to restore Alameda Creek and California's fish populations and aquatic ecosystems.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 510.499.9185, jmiller@biologicaldiversity.org

Lydia Millet, Staff Writer, edits and writes a range of press and outreach materials for the Center. She holds a master’s in environmental policy from Duke University and worked for NRDC in New York before joining the Center in 1999. She is also a fiction writer; her 2002 novel My Happy Life won the PEN-USA Award and a 2009 short-story collection about animals and famous people, Love in Infant Monkeys, was one of three finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. A novel Ghost Lights was published in 2011, followed by Magnificence in fall 2012, the last two books in a trilogy about extinction.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, lmillet@biologicaldiversity.org

Anna Mirocha, Web Editor, works to expand and maintain the Center’s websites, building new pages to tell the public about our organization, our creative media, our campaigns and the countless species we defend. She writes for our weekly e-newsletter, helps edit press releases and proofreads print publications. Anna is a Tucson native and holds a bachelor's in English from Reed College; before joining the Center in 2007, she worked for a nonprofit that enabled authors to teach creative writing to Southern Arizona American Indian youth.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 306, amirocha@biologicaldiversity.org

Kristen Monsell, Staff Attorney, works with the Center’s Oceans program to protect marine species and their habitat. Before joining the Center, Kristen worked as a staff attorney at The Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C. She earned her law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Saint Lawrence University.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 337, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org

Rebecca Noblin, Alaska Director, Senior Attorney, is based in Anchorage, Alaska, where she works to protect species threatened by Arctic oil and gas development, global warming, old-growth logging in the Tongass National Forest and other unsustainable development in the last frontier. Before joining the Center in 2008, Rebecca fought Arctic oil and gas development as part of Pacific Environment’s Alaska program. Rebecca holds a bachelor’s in English from the University of Texas and a law degree from Harvard Law School. She served as a clerk to the Honorable Robert L. Eastaugh on the Alaska Supreme Court.

Contact: Anchorage, AK, 907.274.1110, rnoblin@biologicaldiversity.org

Clayton Norman, Online Organizer, helps develop the Center’s social media presence and engage supporters and online activists to take action. Previously he worked as an environmental reporter in Costa Rica. He brings with him a wide range of experience as a writer, editor, photographer and teacher; he earned his master’s degree from the University of Arizona School of Journalism after spending several years as a teacher and reporting in China. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and Spanish from Southwestern University.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 317, cnorman@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @CenterforBioDiv, Instagram: CenterforBioDiv

Brian Nowicki, California Legislative Director, works in the Center's Climate Law Institute, with a focus on state-level climate change policy. He holds a master of science in forestry and previously worked on endangered species policy for the Center.

Contact: Sacramento, CA, 916.201.6938, bnowicki@biologicaldiversity.org

Rebecca O’Sullivan, Tucson Regional Office Manager, is an administrative resource for staff and the public. A San Francisco native, she came to the Sonoran desert in 1987. Prior to joining the Center, she directed programs at DK Advocates, providing job training and placement for people with disabilities, and she has taught both kindergarten and college. Rebecca holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Sonoma State University, where she also studied early childhood education and anthropology.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 302, rosullivan@biologicaldiversity.org

Andy Parker, Media Specialist, helps coordinate, produce and oversee the Center’s media and communications work on endangered species. During a 20-year journalism career, he worked as a reporter, editor and columnist and has taught writing and journalism classes at several colleges. Prior to joining the Center, he was a columnist at The Oregonian in Portland. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of William & Mary.   

Contact: Portland, OR, 503.310.5569, aparker@biologicaldiversity.org

Vera Pardee, Senior Attorney, works with the Climate Law Institute on climate change issues. Before joining the Center, she worked as general counsel for publicly traded companies in the biotech and medical device fields. She was a litigation partner at Seltzer Caplan Vitek McMahon in San Diego and an associate at O'Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles. Vera earned her law degree in 1982 from Southwestern University Law School.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 317, vpardee@biologicaldiversity.org

Daniel R. Patterson, Public Lands Campaigner, formerly served as Southwest director at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, in Tucson, Arizona, and protected native wildlife and habitat as a desert ecologist with the Center from 1996 to 2006. Dan has also worked with the Bureau of Land Management in the Mojave Desert; he's a graduate of the Michigan State University College of Natural Resources and now works on a range of public-lands and wildlife issues in Nevada and eastern California.

Contact: Boulder City, NV, 702.381.3475, dpatterson@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @DanPattersonUSA

Julie Pokrandt, Membership Director, oversees the Center’s membership program and its staff, dedicated to the care and stewardship of more than 40,000 generous individuals. A graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, she holds a master's degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California, San Diego. Before joining the Center in 2013, she worked for River Partners, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration and protection of California’s rivers.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 303, jpokrandt@biologicaldiversity.org

Aruna Prabhala, Staff Attorney, works with the Center’s Urban Wildlands Program to limit urban sprawl and protect endangered species in California. Aruna graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and double-majored in biology and journalism as an undergraduate at Boston University. Before becoming an attorney, Aruna worked in Wash., D.C., on science-policy issues. 

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 322, aprabhala@biologicaldiversity.org

Julie Ragland, Senior Donor Relations Associate, supports the Center's membership and major gifts programs. Before joining the Center in 2009, Julie worked for various Tucson nonprofit organizations, including the Humane Society of Southern Arizona and the Birth & Women’s Health Center. She brings with her a background in administration, development, and volunteer and event coordination. Julie received her bachelor’s in anthropology with a minor in Portuguese from the University of Arizona in 2001.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 304, jragland@biologicaldiversity.org

Taralynn Reynolds, Population and Sustainability Organizer, works in the Population and Sustainability Program to engage the public in taking action to address human population, consumption and sustainability issues in order to secure a future for wildlife and wildlands. Before coming to the Center in 2013, Taralynn worked for the National Audubon Society, spearheading Audubon Connecticut’s Bird Friendly Communities program, and for the Wildlife Conservation Society as an environmental educator. She holds a master’s degree in conservation biology from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in biology/anthropology from Stony Brook University.

Contact info: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 313, treynolds@biologicaldiversity.org

Michael Robinson, Conservation Advocate, focuses on the protection and recovery of top predators like Mexican gray wolves and jaguars. He has been associated with the Center since our founding and joined the staff in 1997. Michael holds a master's degree in literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a bachelor’s from the University of Texas at Austin; he is also the author of a well-reviewed book on the history of wolves in the United States called Predatory Bureaucracy: The Extermination of Wolves and the Transformation of the West (University Press of Colorado, 2005).

Contact: Silver City, NM, 575.313.7017, michaelr@biologicaldiversity.org

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 322, psaba@biologicaldiversity.org

Andrea Santarsiere, Staff Attorney, works in the Center’s Endangered Species program with a focus on carnivore protection. Before joining the Center, Andrea worked on a variety of wildlife and public-lands issues with other environmental organizations, including Western Watersheds Project, Greater Yellowstone Coalition and Earthjustice. She earned her law degree from Vermont Law School in 2005 and holds bachelor’s degrees in both Spanish and sociology from Roanoke College.

Contact: Victor, ID, 303.854.7748, asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org

Kassie Siegel, Senior Counsel, Climate Law Institute Director, develops and implements campaigns for the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution and the protection of plants and animals threatened by global warming, including the Center’s petition to protect the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act. Prior to attending Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law and working for the Center, she was a natural-history guide leading wilderness trips in Alaska.

Contact:  Joshua Tree, CA, ksiegel@biologicaldiversity.org

Robin Silver, Senior Staff, Cofounder, is one of the Center’s founders. A retired emergency-room physician in Phoenix and a professional wildlife photographer, Robin works on conservation issues in the Southwest with a focus on the San Pedro river.

Contact: Flagstaff, AZ, 602.799.3275, rsilver@biologicaldiversity.org

Paula Simmonds, Director of Development, leads the Center's national development program, working to increase and diversify revenues. Prior to joining the Center, Paula served as chief development officer at the JCC in Manhattan. She has also led development programs and built capacity for nonprofits in higher education, social services, a historical society and a global news service. Paula holds a bachelor's from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, spent time at Cornell's Shoals Marine Lab, worked at Stony Brook's Flax Pond Marine Science Research Center, and has had a lifelong interest in marine science, sustainable alternative energy development and preserving ecosystems.

Contact: New York City, New York, 646.770.7206, psimmonds@biologicaldiversity.org

Alexis Simontacchi, Membership Assistant, is a native of Washington state and came to Tucson to study political science and Italian at the University of Arizona before joining the Center. She provides membership support by answering emails and phone calls. She also maintains the volunteer database and coordinates opportunities for members and supporters to assist the Center.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 1.866.357.3349, asimontacchi@biologicaldiversity.org

April Rose Sommer, Staff Attorney, works in the Center’s Urban Wildlands Program challenging destructive industrial utility projects.  Before joining the Center, she ran a public-interest law practice specializing in energy law, litigation and appeals.  April earned her J.D. from Emory University and a bachelor's of science in natural resources from Cornell University.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 315, asommer@biologicaldiversity.org

Bill Snape, Senior Counsel, coordinates the Center’s legal and policy work on endangered species, wilderness, and energy from Washington, DC. He did his undergraduate work at the University of California at Los Angeles and received his law degree from George Washington University. He has written numerous articles, as well as a book, on natural-resource issues in his 20-year career, has taught environmental and international law, and was with Defenders of Wildlife before joining the Center. In addition to his work with the Center he coaches swimming at Gallaudet University.

Contact: Washington, D.C., 202.536.9351, bsnape@biologicaldiversity.org

Randi Spivak, Public Lands Program Director, oversees the Center's Public Lands program, working to ensure that the country's wild places are managed for the benefit of species and ecosystems in a warming climate. Before coming to the Center, she was vice president for policy and government affairs for the Geos Institute; she also served as executive director of the American Lands Alliance, where she helped unify the forest-protection community around specific conservation positions to educate U.S. policymakers. She has extensive experience in public lands policy and advocacy. Randi got her B.A. in advertising and marketing at Boston University. 

Contact: Washington, D.C., 310.779.4894, rspivak@biologicaldiversity.org

Mike Stark, Communications Director, helps coordinate and oversee the Center’s work in the media, in print and on the web. He has a journalism degree from Southern Oregon University and spent 15 years as a newspaper reporter and freelance writer in the West, including stints in Oregon, Wyoming and Montana. Prior to coming to the Center, he worked for the Associated Press in Salt Lake City.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 315, mstark@biologicaldiversity.org

Thomas Stewart, Data Manager, works with the Center’s data, providing organization, analysis and guidance. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and mathematics with a concentration in computing from Western New Mexico University in Silver City; before joining the Center he enjoyed an 18-year career of data analysis/database/data conversion consulting for numerous companies in Tucson, Ariz. A Pima County native, he has also worked in Florida, Michigan, Colorado and New Mexico. He grew up in Peru.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 330, tstewart@biologicaldiversity.org

Tamara Strobel, Senior Membership Associate, is the lead contact for member questions, provides general support to membership, oversees membership assistants and volunteers, and directs the Center’s Sustainer Giving program. She was born and raised in Tucson and graduated from Northern Arizona University. As a volunteer for AmeriCorps, she moved to western Massachusetts and discovered her love for the nonprofit world. Before joining the Center in 2011, she directed programs on native plants and biodiversity and created community gardens for children.

Contact: Washington, DC, 202.347.3737, tstrobel@biologicaldiversity.org

Kierán Suckling, Executive Director, founded the Center. In addition to overseeing its conservation and financial programs, he created and maintains the country's most comprehensive endangered species database. Kierán acts as liaison between the Center and other environmental groups, negotiates with government agencies, and writes and lectures; he has authored scientific articles and critical essays on biodiversity issues. He holds a master's in philosophy from the State University of New York at Stonybrook and a bachelor's from Holy Cross.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 351, ksuckling@biologicaldiversity.org
Twitter: @kieransuckling

Patrick Sullivan, Media Specialist, helps coordinate media relations and other communications efforts for the Center’s Climate Law Institute. Prior to coming to the Center, Patrick spent more than 10 years writing for newspapers and magazines in Texas, New Mexico and California.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.632.5316, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org.

Chelsea Tu, Staff Attorney, works on limiting land development and preserving freshwater resources for the public and endangered species. She received her J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law with a focus on environmental law and holds a bachelor of science in environmental sciences from the University of California at Berkeley. Prior to joining the Center she interned at the Environmental Protection Agency Office of General Counsel and the Environmental Law Institute and worked as a research assistant at Blue Earth Consultants LLC for more than two years.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 x 320, ctu@biologicaldiversity.org

Sarah Uhlemann, Senior Attorney, International Director, joined the Center in 2010. As part of the Strategic Litigation Group, Sarah’s docket includes a variety of marine and endangered species cases, with a special focus on international issues. Before joining the Center, Sarah was a staff attorney with the Humane Society of the United States. She earned her law degree in 2005 from Lewis & Clark Law School and her bachelor's in environmental management from Indiana University.

Contact: Seattle, WA, 206.327.2344, suhlemann@biologicaldiversity.org

Andrea Weber, Climate Law Institute Paralegal, obtained her paralegal certificate from Cal State University East Bay and has worked previously for the Center on Race, Poverty, and the Environment. Prior to joining the legal profession, Andrea taught theater at Contra Costa Community College, Diablo Valley College and College of Marin.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 311, aweber@biologicaldiversity.org

Amaroq Weiss, West Coast Wolf Organizer, handles wolf issues in California, Oregon and Washington as well as in the northern Rockies and on the federal front. She has worked in wolf conservation for more than 17 years and was a stakeholder representative in the process that helped draft Oregon’s wolf conservation and management plan; she is playing a similar role in the same process now underway in California.  Her background as a biologist, former lawyer and rural resident gives her a complex and nuanced perspective on wolves. Amaroq holds a bachelor of science from Iowa State University, a master of science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a J.D. from the University of California Hastings.

Contact: Petaluma, CA, 707.779.9613, aweiss@biologicaldiversity.org

Nicholas Whipps, Legal Fellow, works with the Urban Wildlands and Oceans programs. He is a U.C. Hastings Lawyers for America fellow. He has a conservation biology background with hands-on conservation experience on three continents, including efforts to teach locals resource conservation strategies and protect primates in Senegal as a Peace Corps volunteer and biological research on the Plateau Pika in Qinghai, China.

Contact: San Francisco, CA, nwhipps@biologicaldiversity.org

Spencer Windes, Online Fundraising Director, has worked in communications in the United States and Europe for more than a decade. He's managed online outreach for an Amsterdam-based social network, a Los Angeles clothing company, and a Santa Fe nonprofit. He studied in the great books program at St. John's College.

Contact: Tucson, AZ, 520.623.5252 ext. 351, swindes@biologicaldiversity.org

Contact: San Francisco, CA, 415.436.9682 ext. 301, swolf@biologicaldiversity.org