Meet Our Leadership Team
Leadership staff of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund are based in the United States and in Africa and represent multiple nationalities.
Tara Stoinski, Ph.D.
PRESIDENT & CEO/CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER,
ATLANTA, GA
Marcie Beskind
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER,
ATLANTA, GA
Felix Ndagijimana, MSc
Director, Rwanda Programs & Karisoke Research Center
Urbain Ngobobo, MSc
DIRECTOR, CONGO PROGRAMS DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Escobar Binyinyi
RESEARCH & CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER, Democratic republic of the congo
Winnie Eckardt, Ph.D.
RESEARCH MANAGER,
RWANDA
Jean Paul Hirwa, MSc
SENIOR MANAGER OF PROGRAM OPERATIONS, KARISOKE RESEARCH CENTER,
RWANDA
Ildephonse Munyarugero
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER, RWANDA
Jean Pierre “Samedi” Mucyo
GORILLA PROTECTION & MONITORING OFFICER, RWANDA
Deogratias Tuyisingize, Ph.D.
BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH PROGRAM MANAGER,
RWANDA
Veronica Vecellio, MSc
GORILLA PROGRAM SENIOR ADVISOR & REGIONAL PR DIRECTOR, RWANDA
Hilary Hilsabeck
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, RWANDA
Key Staff
Donna Douglas
DIRECTOR, DATA & DONOR INFORMATION
[email protected]
Tara Sweeney
MANAGER OF GRANTS AND FOUNDATIONS
[email protected]
Megan Golder
DIGITAL MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER [email protected]
Josh Clark
SENIOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
[email protected]
Helen Law
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND OFFICE MANAGER
[email protected]
Myriam Watkins
FINANCE/HR ASSISTANT
[email protected]
Board Members
Daniel L. Sullivan, Ph.D. (Chair) EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, EMERITUS QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Kristen Lukas, Ph.D. (Vice Chair)
DIRECTOR, CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE, CLEVELAND METROPARKS ZOO
David S. Singer (At Large)
VP & GM, PUBLIC SECTOR, PARAVISION
Diane Brierley (Secretary)
CONSERVATIONIST
Mark Penning, BVSc (At Large)
VICE PRESIDENT: DISNEY’S ANIMALS, SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT, WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS U.S.
Lee C. Ehmke (At Large)
PRESIDENT AND CEO, HOUSTON ZOO
Clare Richardson (President Emeritus)
THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND
Mariel Aguirre
CONSERVATIONIST
Sophie W. Bryan, Ph.D.
CONSERVATIONIST
Lawrence J. Ellison
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, ORACLE CORPORATION
William L. Evans (Treasurer)
VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (RETIRED), DALLAS ZOO
Debbie S. Goellnitz
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, LANSOLUTIONS LLC
Greggory Hudson
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO, DALLAS ZOO AND THE AQUARIUM AT FAIR PARK
Susan McClellan
SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL EXECUTIVE BOARD AND TREASURER
Dennis J. O’Malley
STRATEGY CONSULTANT
Dennis E. Pate
PRESIDENT AND CEO OMAHA’S HENRY DOORLY ZOO & AQUARIUM
Philip V. Petersen
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT BROOKFIELD COMMUNITIES, INC.
Sandra L. Price
PHILANTHROPIST AND CONSERVATIONIST
Dante T. Pride
FOUNDING PARTNER, THE PRIDE LAW FIRM
Rebecca F. Rooney
PHILANTHROPIST AND CONSERVATIONIST
Alexis Stein
CONSERVATIONIST
Joanne Truffelman
FORMER ADVERTISING AGENCY OWNER/NONPROFIT BOARDS TRUSTEE
Michael J. Turton
PARTNER, KILPATRICK TOWNSEND & STOCKTON LLP
Carlos Vigil
VICE PRESIDENT, SALES EFFECTIVENESS OF SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS OF AMERICA, INC (SOUTHERN)
Sigourney Weaver (Honorary Chair)
ACTOR AND CONSERVATIONIST
Terrance Harps (Emeritus)
CHAIRMAN AND CEO, GLOBAL CONCESSIONS, INC.
William R. Foster, DVM (Emeritus)
PRESIDENT AND CEO, BIRMINGHAM ZOO
Glenn L. Felner (Emeritus)
BUSINESSMAN AND RWANDA ADVOCATE
Mary G. Smith (Emeritus)
SENIOR EDITOR, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (RET.)
Terry L. Maple, Ph.D. (Emeritus)
CONSULTANT AND FORMER ZOO DIRECTOR
The Hon. R. Kenton Musgrave (Emeritus)
SENIOR JUDGE, U.S. COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Nickolas L. Faust (Emeritus)
SENIOR RESIDENT SCHOLAR, CENTER FOR SPATIAL PLANNING ANALYTICS AND VISUALIZATION , GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Richard A. Horder (Emeritus)
PARTNER, KAZMAREK MOWREY CLOUD LASETER LLP
