Advisory Committee
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Introduction
The SAVE THE FROGS! Advisory Committee members provide the Executive Staff with valuable advice on how best SAVE THE FROGS! can accomplish its mission, as well as taking part in our campaigns and programs and spreading the word about our activities. If you are dedicated to environmental conservation, and feel you would be a valuable addition to our Advisory Committee, please send us your resume and a single paragraph describing how your skills or abilities would benefit SAVE THE FROGS!.
Advisors
Dr. Erin Muths
Fort Collins, CO, USA
Dr. Muths is a research zoologist with the United States Geological Survey, and has been studying amphibian declines since 1995. Her
current research projects include investigations into the use of habitat by
boreal toads (Bufo boreas) and woodfrogs using radiotelemetry; long-term monitoring
of populations; amphibian health; an investigation of the prevalence
of chytrid fungus and its relation to boreal toad populations along the
great divide transect; and capture-recapture methods development. Dr. Muths served as the National Coordinator for the Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Initiative in 2003, and currently co-directs the Rocky Mountain Region portion of the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative. She is a co-editor for the Journal of Herpetology, a member of the boreal toad recovery team (Colorado Division of Wildlife), and an affiliate faculty member for Colorado State University. Dr. Muths received her Ph.D. from the University of Queensland, Australia where her dissertation focused on the physiological ecology of red kangaroos (Macropus rufus). You can read more about her research here, and view her CV here.
Dr. Tim Halliday
The Open University, United Kingdom
Dr. Halliday is Professor in Biology at the Open University, a distance-teaching university. For most of his career he was interested in the reproductive biology of amphibians, studying sex and violence in newts, frogs and toads in the UK and South Africa. In an epiphanal moment, he decided th
at mass extinction among amphibians is more important than studying sperm competition in newts and thus he served as the International Director of the IUCN/SSC Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force (DAPTF) from 1994 to 2006. He is now working on a book that is likely to be called Vanishing Frogs (in 1978 he published a book called Vanishing Birds). He also produces a monthly compilation of recent publications on amphibian declines and conservation.
Dr. Andrew Crawford
Panama City, Panama
Dr. Crawford is a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in the Republic of Panama. He studies evolutionary genetics and biogeography of Neotropical frogs, with an emphasis on the Terrarana (former Eleutherodactylus) of Panama. Additional collaborations involve the systematics, phylogeography and conservation of frogs from Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, and Cuba. His current work includes field surveys of amphibian diversity and monitoring the spread of the chytrid fungus into eastern Panama, as well as developing a reference library of DNA bar codes for Panamanian amphibians. He received his PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Chicago after obtaining a dual BA in Zoology and German from UC Berkeley. Dr. Crawford's postdoctoral awards include an NSF International Programs fellowship, a Smithsonian Fellowship in Molecular Evolution, a Fulbright Scholarship and an appointment as visiting professor at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. You can read more about Dr. Crawford's research at http://dna.ac.
Dr. Doug Woodhams
Zürich, Switzerland
Dr. Woodhams is a research biologist specializing in disease ecology of amphibians. He obtained his Ph.D. in Zoology and Tropical Ecology at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland after graduating from Michigan State University with a B.Sc. in Zoology. Currently at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, Dr. Woodhams teaches courses in Conservation Biology and Disease Ecology. His research focus is on amphibian innate immune defenses against chytridiomycosis in an effort to develop more effective in situ conservation management strategies. You can learn more about his research here, and view his CV here. His research photo journal “Frogs of Panama” is available here. Doug spends his free time with his wife Audrey (a songwriter from Nashville) and son Abe.
Dr. Che Weldon
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Dr. Weldon is a Senior Lecturer in Zoology at North-West University and has conducted amphibian research in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar. His research interests include amphibian conservation and the monitoring, parasitology, pathology and epidemiology of amphibian diseases. Dr. Weldon's research focuses on the role of the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) on amphibian declines in Africa and Madagascar. Some of his current projects include: (1) mapping the geographical distribution of Bd in Africa; (2) factors that facilitate the transmission and spread of Bd, including the frog trade; (3) developing biodiversity management plans for frogs that are threatened by Bd; (4) taxonomy of polystomatid flatworms of Malagasy frogs. Dr. Weldon obtained his B.Sc., B.Sc. Hons., and M.Sc. from the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, and his Ph.D. from the North-West University in Potchefstroom. You can view his CV here.
Dr. Matthew Fisher
London, United Kingdom
Dr. Fisher is an evolutionary biologist specialising in the molecular epidemiology of infectious fungi, and is a member of the Faculty of Medicine at the Imperial College in London. He has worked on the epidemiology of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis since 1999 and co-ordinates the European-wide surveillance of the pathogen and its associated disease, chytridiomycosis. Along with Dr. Dede Olson and collaborators at Imperial College, Dr. Fisher is developing the global B. dendrobatidis mapping-project by integrating ongoing surveillance, environmental and genetic databases. Dr Fisher has recently coordinated an EU-wide application to fund the project 'RACE: Risk Assessment of chytridiomycosis to European amphibians', with the specific aim of determining (1) the range of the pathogen, (2) the number of times that it has been introduced to Europe, and (3) developing the European Threat Abatement Plan (ETAP). His current laboratory projects focus on the genomics of B. dendrobatidis and mathematical modelling of the chytridiomycosis host/pathogen dynamics. Dr. Fisher has received funding from the Wellcome Trust, The Royal Society, NERC, BBSRC and the Leverhulme Trust. You can view his publications here.
Dr. Malcolm McCallum
Texarkana, Texas, USA
Dr. McCallum is an Associate Professor in Biology at Texas A&M
University at Texarkana. His academic training is in
conservation ecology, ecotoxicology, and evolutionary biology, and his publications encompass the ecology and
conservation of amphibians and reptiles. He
has been comparing recent extinction rates in amphibians to those from
the fossil record and examining how future climate change may
influence reproduction, range extent, and persistence of amphibians
and reptiles in North America. Dr. McCallum is the managing editor of Herpetological Conservation and Biology, a journal dedicated to the conservation
and life history ecology of amphibians and reptiles. You can read more about his research here, and view his CV here.
Dr. Pieter Johnson
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Dr. Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research focuses on two pervasive forms of biological change in aquatic ecosystems: disease emergence and species invasions. Both have important consequences not only for individuals and populations but also for entire ecological communities and ecosystem services. Since 1996, Dr. Johnson has investigated the causes and consequences of limb deformities in North American amphibians, including missing, extra and severely misshapen limbs. This research has highlighted the importance of Ribeiroia ondatrae, an emerging trematode pathogen that is highly sensitive to environmental change. Additional projects include studies of (1) the interactions between invasive bullfrogs and the chytridiomycete, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and how they jointly affect western populations of the Northern leopard frog; (2) the influence of climate change on host-parasite interactions; and (3) how ongoing biodiversity losses affect pathogen transmission in multi-species communities. You can view Dr. Johnson's CV here or learn more about his research here.
Dr. Krishan Sharma
Ajmer, Rajsasthan, India
Dr. K.K. Sharma is a Professor of Zoology at the MDS University Ajmer, India. He has studied amphibians for the last thirty five years, in India and abroad. His interest in conservation of amphibians is focused on three main lines: (1) replacement of frog dissection in the schools, colleges and universities by digital alternatives of dissection and emphasis on biological studies in nature -- changing the curriculum from Dead Biology to what he calls Live Biology; (2) identification and species categorization of frogs based on their bio-acoustics characteristics (sono-taxonomy) to avoid unnecessary killing of frogs done by traditional taxonomists for this purpose; and (3) habitat restoration, particularly in extreme geographical regions such as the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, where urbanization, scanty rains and indiscriminate use of insecticides and fertilizers have put most of the frogs and toads under severe threat. A large number of Professor Sharma students are involved in saving frogs from road accidents on highways particularly during the breeding seasons. Dr. Sharma is also actively involved with educating the general public about amphibians, and has hosted several Save The Frogs Day events. You can view Dr. Sharma's CV here.
Dr. David Marsh
Lexington, Virginia, USA
Dr. Marsh is an Associate Professor of Biology at Washington & Lee University in Virginia. He is currently studying the impacts of land use on amphibian populations in the Southern Appalachians, particularly the effects of habitat fragmentation and loss on salamanders. He is also involved in designing optimal strategies for monitoring threatened amphibian populations. His previous research has focused on the population biology and conservation of tropical frogs in lowland Panama and in the Andes of Ecuador. Dr. Marsh received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. You can read more about his research here.
Dr. Monique Van Sluys
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Dr. Van Sluys is a Senior Lecturer in the Ecology Department of the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and an adjunct Research Fellow at the Griffith University Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies (CICS) in Gold Coast, Australia. Her research interests focus on the ecology and conservation of amphibians and reptiles, mainly frogs and lizards, in areas of the Atlantic Rainforest in eastern Brazil. She has published more than 100 articles, book chapters and books in topics encompassing population dynamics, behavioural ecology, parasitism, geographic distribution, and conservation. In Australia, she has been working with geographic distribution of the chytrid fungus in collaboration with SAVE THE FROGS! Board Member Dr. Jean-Marc Hero. Dr. Van Sluys received her Ph.D. in Ecology from the Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo, in 1995. Over the past 10 years, she has supervised 15 postgraduates (Ph.D. and Masters) and 10 honours students. You can view her CV here.
Dr. Franco Andreone
Torino, Italy
Dr. Andreone is the Curator of Herpetology at the Natural History Museum in Turin, Italy, and has conducted research on the amphibians of Madagascar for the past 20 years. He recently launched “A Conservation Strategy for the Amphibians of Madagascar” (ACSAM), an initiative aimed at conserving Madagascar's highly diverse frog fauna, as described in the Sahonagasy Action Plan. Dr. Andreone serves as Madagascar’s Chairman of the Amphibian Specialist Group. He is interested not only in conducting research on Madagascar’s most endangered species (i.e. Mantella cowani), but also in increasing public awareness in the country, through activities such as the Saogongogno Festival in Maroantsetra, which aims to protect the urban population of the tomato frog, Dyscophus antongilii. Franco’s activities are also mirrored in Italy, where he conducts several actions for amphibian conservation. Franco serves as associate editor for scientific journals such as Zookeys, Phyllomedusa, and Alytes. You can view his CV and learn more about his research here.
Dr. Greg Ruthig
Grinnell, Iowa, USA
Dr. Ruthig is an assistant professor at Grinnell College in Iowa, USA and has conducted amphibian research in Virginia, South Carolina, and Arizona. His research interests include amphibian conservation and studying fungal and oomycete pathogens of amphibians. Dr. Ruthig's research focuses on the role of the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) on amphibian declines in Arizona and the ecological role of oomycetes as pathogens of amphibian eggs. Some of his current projects include: (1) community ecology of amphibian hosts that share Bd and the potential for reservoir hosts; (2) the dynamics of amphibian and non-amphibian hosts of oomycetes that infect amphibian eggs; (3) environmental changes, such as temperature and pollutants, that can change the dynamics between hosts and pathogens; (4) surveying viral and fungal pathogens of amphibians in northern Canada. Dr. Ruthig obtained his B.Sc. from Washington and Lee University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. You can view his CV here and learn more about his research here.
Dr. Todd Tupper
Alexandria, VA, USA
Dr. Tupper is an Assistant Professor of Zoology at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. He received a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from George Mason University in 2006. His dissertation work focused on the conservation and management of Fowler’s toad (Bufo fowleri) at Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts. He is currently involved with a few projects at the National Seashore, including aiding in the development of a pattern mapping recognition program for B. fowleri, determining trends in oviposition site selection in B. fowleri and quantifying temporal variation in anuran detection probabilities for more effective long-term monitoring. Dr. Tupper will also be involved with telemetry of the eastern hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos) in the Provincelands at Cape Cod National Seashore.
Dr. David Lesbarrères
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Dr. Lesbarrères is an Associate Professor of Biology at Laurentian University. He is interested in theoretical and applied questions about the evolution and ecology of amphibian species and communities. Amphibian populations in Northern Ontario face threats such as habitat removal, connectivity disruption and emerging infectious diseases; David’s research is aimed at integrating all these aspects to understand the declines of populations. For the past 6 years, his research program has centered on population genetics of amphibian communities in human-dominated landscapes, focusing on gene flow interruption and its consequences for amphibian populations. David’s recent work focuses on mitigating amphibian road mortalities in Algonquin Provincial Park.
Dr. Víctor H. Luja
La Paz, México
Dr. Luja received his Ph.D. in Use, Management and Preservation of Natural Resources at the Northwestern Center of Biological Research (Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste) in Baja California Sur, Mexico. His dissertation research focused on the ecology, demography and conservation status of small and isolated populations of Baja California Treefrogs (Pseudacris hypochondriaca curta) in oases of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Dr. Luja is interested in the ecology and conservation of Mexican amphibians; especially in evaluating the effects of the human activities over both populations and communities. His research also focus on the distribution of invasive amphibians and reptiles in Baja California Sur, and the effects of tropical cyclones as sources of natural selection in both native and exotic frogs. He is a passionate wildlife photographer.
Dr. Paul Hamilton
Tuscon, Arizona, USA
Dr. Hamilton is Executive Director, President, Principal Investigator and Photographer for Reptile and Amphibian Ecology International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to discovering, documenting, and saving the rich living diversity of reptiles and amphibians. Dr. Hamilton holds a Master’s Degree in Biology from the University of California, Riverside, and a Ph.D. in Biology from Arizona State University, and has conducted field studies in evolutionary, behavioral and conservation ecology both in the tropics and the desert southwest. Paul spent half his life chasing lizards across California, and then moved to Arizona for graduate school at ASU, where his studies focused on conservation, behavioral and evolutionary ecology, and herpetology. After chasing lizards around Arizona for several more years, he founded Reptile and Amphibian Ecology International to work on conservation ecology of reptiles and amphibians of Ecuador, where he led his 11th expedition this January. He is also a published photographer, and has won acclaim for both scientific and artistic applications of photography. You can view Dr. Hamilton's CV here.
Dr. Kevin Weng
Manoa, Hawaii, USA
Dr. Weng is a SOEST Young Investigator at the University of Hawaii. He is particularly interested in how endotherms and
ectotherms differ in their spatial ecology and migratory biology. He is currently
investigating the effects of physiology on
ecological strategy in fishes and sharks, and has also conducted research on the migration and behavior of
a variety of species including salmon sharks, white sharks, thresher
sharks, blue sharks, mobulid rays, tunas and snappers. You can learn more about Dr. Weng's research here.
Dr. KV Gururaja
Bangalore, India
Dr. Gururaja travels extensively in the Western Ghats of India and the Western Himalayas, addressing the impact of habitat fragmentation and modification on frogs. His research interests are in behavioral ecology of amphibians, landscape ecology and urban ecology. He is keen on understanding reproduction behavior in endemic frog families of Western Ghats and key ecological variables that influence breeding behaviors and distribution. Dr. Gururaja also focuses on patterns, processes, causes and consequences of forest fragmentation on amphibians and their distribution modeling. He has found and described two new species of frogs, Nyctibatrachus karnatakaensis and Raorchestes ochlandrae. Based on amphibian diversity and distribution, he has proposed conservation priority areas in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. Dr. Gururaja works closely with forest managers, researchers and students alike and loves interacting with people and school children to spread the SAVE THE FROGS! message. Future plans include building a larger network of people and students, educating them and moving towards collective efforts in conservation of amphibians. You can read Dr. Gururaja's CV here.
Michael Starkey
Oakland, California, USA
Mr. Starkey has worked as an ecological consultant for environmental consulting firms and government agencies such as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish & Game. He has worked with a wide diversity of California wildlife, including California Tiger Salamanders, San Francisco Garter Snakes, Giant Garter Snakes, bats, and ringtails. He has also worked at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, studying larval development and parental behavior of the neo-tropical frog, Leptodactylus insularum. After witnessing the result of widespread extinction of amphibians in the Panamanian rainforest, Mr. Starkey became dedicated to conserving amphibian species around the world. Mr. Starkey began volunteering with SAVE THE FROGS! in 2010 to inform the public about the threats facing amphibians and to to help nurture a society that respects and cherishes all forms of wildlife. Mr. Starkey serves as Chairman of the Advisory Committee. In this position, he rallies together scientists, volunteers, and others in order to help broaden SAVE THE FROGS’ mission of conservation. Mr. Starkey regularly gives lectures on amphibian conservation at universities, schools, and to public interest groups. You can view Mr. Starkey's CV here and view Michael's own webpage here.
Gilbert Adum
Kumasi, Ghana
Gilbert Adum is the Executive Director and Chief Ecologist of SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana, an organization he co-founded in September 2011. Gilbert is one of only two Ghanaian scientists to complete a higher degree in a field related to amphibians, completing both his Bachelor's and Master's degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology's Department of Wildlife in Kumasi, Ghana. Gilbert received statistics training at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and through Cambridge University's Tropical Biology Association program, where he was awarded the prestigious Cambridge SCCS Best Report Award for the Year 2011. He also studied taxonomy at Humboldt University in Germany. Gilbert has led research teams in novel amphibian research and conservation, including the re-discovery of the critically endangered West African Giant Squeaker Frog (Arthroleptis krokosua). Through a grant from the Zoological Society of London, Gilbert established that the deadly amphibian disease Chytridiomycosis is not currently a threat to Ghanaian frogs. Gilbert has presented his research results at scientific conferences in the United Kingdom and Tanzania and he continues to train undergraduates in the ecology, survey and conservation strategies of Ghanaian amphibians. Through his work with SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana, Gilbert aims to not only prevent the extinction of Ghana's endangered frogs, but also to spread the message of frog conservation and environmental protection across the entire African continent.
Chris Berry
Santa Cruz, California, USA
Mr. Berry is the Water Resources Manager for the City of Santa Cruz, and he is currently working on a multi-species habitat conservation plan for the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), Pacific Pond Turtle (Emys marmorata), tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) and other aquatic species. Through his Advisory role at SAVE THE FROGS!, Mr. Berry is especially focused on reducing the number of non-native American Bullfrogs entering California. He serves on several County of Santa Cruz advisory bodies including the Fish & Game Commission. He has recently worked on Endangered Species Act compliance for anadromous salmonids; invasive species and riparian protection policy; and water resources protection policy work for the County of Santa Cruz Water Advisory Commission. As a sub-adult before migrating to the Central Coast of California, Mr. Berry frequented the lakes, creeks and bogs of New England. He received his Bachelor's degree in Biology with a concentration in Aquatic Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and his Master's degree in Environmental Management with a concentration in nonpoint source water pollution impact assessment from the University of San Francisco.
Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia
Quito, Ecuador
Diego is a professor in the College of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. He completed his Masters in Environmental Modelling, Monitoring, and Management at King's College in the United Kingdom. His research is related to the taxonomy, evolution, diversity, biogeography, ecology, and conservation of Neotropical amphibians, reptiles, birds, and spiders, with particular emphasis on the Glassfrogs, Terrarana, and Snakes of Ecuador. He is especially interested in factors that determine the distribution patterns of the species; the biogeographic history that joins groups of different vertebrates (i.e., birds, reptiles, and amphibians) and their distribution areas; the standardization of sampling methods; and the analysis of the direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic activities on the long-term conservation of populations and species. His projects include the application of geographical information systems and environmental modelling. He is very interested in scientific difussion and environmental education. You can read more about Diego's research at http://www.cisneros-heredia.org.
George Sellers
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
George Sellers has been teaching biology for over 30 years. George has a Masters in biology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where he conducted research on parasites of lizards. He recently founded the National Association of Biology Teacher's BioClub project that now has chapters at high schools and community colleges in the USA and Canada. George has been the American Chemical Society's Florida Teacher of the Year and currently serves on the advisory board for the Society's ChemClub. He has given numerous presentations at national and state meetings, published several book reviews for the National Science Teachers Association and has published peer-reviewed scientific papers on parasitology. George currently lives in Greenwood, SC and teaches high school biology at Ware Shoals High School.
Frank Santana
San Diego, California, USA
"Since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by amphibians. I remember
turning over a log in my backyard and finding a salamander. I initially
thought it was a lizard. After learning that the lizard was actually a
salamander, I started reading books about amphibians and became more and more fascinated by them. Today, I am a conservation ecologist at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research where I study amphibians and reptiles with the goal of protecting them from human impacts. Currently, I am working on a project to protect the Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana muscosa) in southern California. The Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog is a critically endangered species that has been reduce to only 200 adults and is threatened by habitat loss, drought, introduced species, and the chytrid fungus. In order for conservation programs to succeed we need help from all members of the community. As a member of the SAVE THE FROGS! Advisory Committee I hope to share my passion for amphibians with other citizens with the goal of encouraging them to become amphibian ambassadors."
Steven Whitfield
Miami, Florida, USA
Mr. Whitfield is a Ph.D. candidate at Florida International University in Miami. He is interested broadly in ecology and conservation of tropical amphibians. His dissertation research investigates a variety of factors associated with population declines of amphibians and reptiles in lowland forests of Costa Rica, including chytridiomycosis, habitat loss, and shifting climate. You can learn more about his research here.
Jeffrey Streicher
Arlington, Texas, USA
Mr. Streicher has conducted fieldwork work in Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States. His research focuses on the molecular biology and phylogenetic relationships of eleutherodactyline frogs of the genus Craugastor, and also includes physiological and ecological components. Mr. Streicher received a Master's degree in systematic and evolutionary biology from George Mason University, and is currently enrolled in the Quantitative Biology PhD program at the University of Texas at Arlington. When not in the lab, museum or field, he enjoys making strange noises emanate from guitars.
Jamie Bettaso
Arcata, California, USA
Mr. Bettaso is a researcher with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and has worked in northern California with amphibians and reptiles since 1998. He completed both a B.S. and M.S. in Wildlife Biology from the Wildlife Department at Humboldt State University in 1995 and 2004, respectively. His primary focus for the past five years has been on the Trinity River Restoration Program, and has focused on two species, the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Rana boylii) and the Pacific Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata), examining impacts of managed flow regimes, temperature influences and restoration activities on the Mainstem Trinity River. Other work has involved the detection of chytridiomycosis in northern California amphibians, and conducting egg mass surveys, as well as work with Pacific Pond Turtles in watersheds outside of the Trinity River.
Chris Dahl
Madang, Papua New Guinea
Mr. Dahl is a herpetologist at the New Guinea Binatang Research Center. He is interested in the taxonomy, ecology and distribution of amphibians in Papua New Guinea, and has discovered several previously unidentified amphibian species in the northern section of the country. You can view his CV here.
Dr. Ruth Young
Gold Coast, Australia
Dr. Young has had a long association with the marine environment and ecology in general, having been inspired by conservationists such as David Attenborough and Jacques Cousteau from an early age. Her Ph.D. thesis examined the ecological responses of estuaries to urbanisation of coastal environments. She is currently expecting her first child, which has stirred an even stronger interest in conserving our planet for future generations. As well as helping out with SaveTheFrogs! she also writes nature conservation articles for TalkingNature.com.
Shannon Curtis
Fairfax, Virginia, USA
Mr. Curtis is a stream ecologist with the Fairfax County Government in Virginia. He is an expert on stream mapping techniques and bio-assessments of stream fish and benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and is a North American Benthological Society (NABS) certified aquatic insect taxonomist. His career has focused on surveying, mapping, and evaluating the physical, chemical, hydrologic, morphologic and biological conditions of freshwater streams in the Mid-Atlantic region, with a goal of improving their overall ecological health. He is currently overseeing the county’s water quality monitoring program and watershed master planning efforts. Mr. Curtis received a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He spends his free time camping in the Appalachians, or at the beach in North Carolina.
David Hall
Gold Coast, Australia
Mr. Hall is an ecologist in Topwnsville, Australia. His research focuses on trophic interactions in aquatic food webs. He has a keen interest in Australian frogs and has participated in many research projects on endangered species and population declines. He is broadly interested in nature conservation and spends his free time camping and hiking around Australia in search of rare Australian fauna. He is an avid wildlife photographer and you can view some of his photos in the SAVE THE FROGS! Photo Gallery.
Christian Lentz
Durham, North Carolina, USA
Mr. Lentz is a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Sociology at Duke University and is currently writing a dissertation at Cornell University’s Department of Development Sociology. He holds masters degrees from both Cornell and from Yale University, where he studied at the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. His research grows out of an early commitment to conservation to include interests in agriculture, forestry, and state formation in frontier areas of Southeast Asia. He has done extensive fieldwork in Indonesia and Vietnam and speaks both languages fluently. In Indonesia, Mr. Lentz's interests in nature-society relations led him to study teak forestry, protected area management, and agricultural adaptation to El Nino droughts. On this last project, he collaborated with local non-governmental organizations and with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). In Vietnam, his interest in frontiers has led him to his current dissertation project: to explain the historical processes through which modern states simultaneously construct national space and incorporate people and place within their boundaries. His research in Vietnam was supported by the Fulbright Foundation. You can view his CV here.
David Urbanic
Mr. Urbanic is a technologist and entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Currently President & CEO of Zoomify, Inc., he has been a senior member of management and technical teams at NetFlix, Borland International, and the University of California, and has served on the boards of numerous governmental and nongovernmental organizations supporting educational, cultural, and environmental initiatives. Mr. Urbanic provides technical expertise to SAVE THE FROGS!.
David Wong
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
David Wong is an architect and a passionate environmental activist. His background in biology has helped him advocate "green design" in architcture for over three decades. In the 1990's he led citizen efforts in successfully saving an urban forest in the city of Vancouver. David was instrumental in having the 1st Annual Save The Frogs Day legally recognized by the Mayor of Vancouver. He has also spent the past 10 years raising native Pacific Treefrogs in an effort to re-populate the city's urban frog population. An advisor to business and political leaders, David Wong has been recognized by the media as one of the province's "100 most influential Chinese-Canadians". He spends his spare time fussing around with his treefrogs, and nurturing his massive carnivorous plant collection.
Dr. James Webley
Gold Coast, Australia
Dr. Webley is a marine ecologist working in Brisbane, Queensland. When not helping to manage recreational fishing around the estuaries of Moreton Bay he writes for a website that discusses ecology, nature, biodiversity and living sustainably. He has also been known to wander up moonlit streams in search of endangered frogs. You can view his CV here.
Dr. Peter Daszak
New York, NY, USA
Dr. Daszak is the Executive Director of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, and is a world renowned expert on emerging infectious diseases of wildlife.
Michael Chang
Reston, Virginia, USA
Mr. Chang holds a law degree from George Mason University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia. Mr. Chang provides SAVE THE FROGS! with valuable legal advice. He currently practices commercial law with Blankingship & Keith in northern Virginia.
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