People

Panthera is led by an expert team who work on the frontlines of conservation throughout the world.

Explore our people: Leadership, Species Directors, New York office, UK office, On the Ground


Leadership

Founder and Chairman of the Board

Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan is a passionate environmentalist and supporter of wildlife conservation. Alongside his wife, Daphne Recanati Kaplan, they founded Panthera in 2006 to meet the global...

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Alan Rabinowitz is one of the world’s leading big cat experts, and has been called ‘The Indiana Jones of Wildlife Conservation’ by TIME Magazine. Dr. Rabinowitz graduated from the University...

President

Dr. Luke Hunter serves as Panthera’s President where he oversees the direction and strategy of all of the organization’s global wild cat conservation programs. Before joining Panthera, Dr. Hunter...

Vice President

Known as one of the founding fathers of wildlife conservation, Dr. George Schaller now serves as the Vice President of Panthera. Born in Germany in 1933, Dr. Schaller received his undergraduate...

Vice President

Andrea Heydlauff serves as Panthera's Vice President, where she helps oversee the day to day operations of the organization. Since January 2010, she has managed Panthera’s Communications and Media...

Chief Financial Officer

Gary serves as Panthera‘s Chief Financial Officer. After completing eight years of military service during the 1960’s, he obtained his BBA in accounting from City University of New York-Baruch...

Species Directors

Executive Director, Jaguar Program

Dr. Howard Quigley, Panthera’s Jaguar Program Director, focuses on the conservation of jaguars range-wide and the conservation of cougars in California and Wyoming. He obtained his Bachelor’s...

Executive Director, Snow Leopard Program

Dr. Tom McCarthy, Panthera’s Director of Snow Leopard Programs, began his conservation career studying brown bears, black bears, mountain goats and caribou in Alaska in the early 1980s. A strong...

Director, Lion Program

Dr. Guy Balme is the Director of Panthera’s Lion Program in Africa and is a leading field scientist for Panthera’s Munyawana Leopard...

Director, Tiger Program

Currently based in Sumatra, Indonesia, Dr. Joe Smith serves as Panthera’s Tiger Program Director. Joe is working on Panthera’s...

New York Office

Chief Executive Officer
President
Vice President
Vice President
Director, Landscape Analysis Lab
Program Manager
Chief Financial Officer
Office Manager
Director, Media
Assistant Director, Accounting
Web and Communications Coordinator
Geospatial Analyst
Development Associate
Staff Accountant
Web and Communications Assistant

UK Office

Manager, Panthera UK

On the Ground

Field Staff - Jaguars

Executive Director, Jaguar Program

Dr. Howard Quigley, Panthera’s Jaguar Program Director, focuses on the conservation of jaguars range-wide and the conservation of cougars in California and Wyoming. He obtained his Bachelor’s...

Office Manager and Field Scientist, Costa Rica
Research Fellow, Belize
Corridor Coordinator, Belize
Corridor Coordinator, Northern South America Program
Corridor Coordinator, Honduras
Executive Assistant, Jaguar Program
Field Scientist, Belize
Jaguar-Cattle Conflict Coordinator
Mesoamerica Coordinator
Field Scientist, Nicaragua
Corridor Coordinator, Costa Rica
Office Manager Colombia
Field scientist, Pantanal
Corridor Coordinator, Panama
Corridor Coordinator, Panama
Field Scientist, Panama
Field Scientist, Costa Rica

Field Staff - Lions

Director, Lion Program

Dr. Guy Balme is the Director of Panthera’s Lion Program in Africa and is a leading field scientist for Panthera’s Munyawana Leopard...

Leopard Program Coordinator, Munyawana Leopard Project, South Africa
Field Scientist, Munyawana Leopard Project, South Africa
Survey Coordinator, Lion Program

Field Staff - Tigers

Director, Tiger Program

Currently based in Sumatra, Indonesia, Dr. Joe Smith serves as Panthera’s Tiger Program Director. Joe is working on Panthera’s...

Field Staff - Snow Leopards

Executive Director, Snow Leopard Program

Dr. Tom McCarthy, Panthera’s Director of Snow Leopard Programs, began his conservation career studying brown bears, black bears, mountain goats and caribou in Alaska in the early 1980s. A strong...

Snow Leopard Program Assistant