Many people are involved in the EDGE of Existence Programme’s activities, developing EDGE lists, mentoring EDGE Fellows, undertaking expeditions and initiating conservation projects for poorly-known and neglected EDGE species.
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Dr. Claudia Gray
As the EDGE Conservation Science Manager, Claudia oversees the research supervision for EDGE Fellows and Hero Awardees, as well as the scientific research underpinning how EDGE identifies conservation priorities. Claudia previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Ecology and Conservation at the University of Sussex, where her research included an analysis of the global effectiveness of protected areas. She did her PhD and MSc at Oxford University, focussing on conservation strategies within oil palm landscapes of Sabah, Borneo.
Olivia Couchman
Olivia is the EDGE Conservation Capacity Manager. She is responsible for the finance and logistics of the EDGE Fellowships and Hero Awardees, as well as overseeing the online Professionalising Conservation project. Olivia has an MSc in Biodiversity Survey from the University of Sussex. Before undertaking this qualification she conducted research on the impact of slash and burn techniques on Tanzanian herpetofauna, and has helped coordinate a marine turtle monitoring project on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Charlie Debenham
Charlie is the EDGE Fellowship Coordinator, supporting the delivery of the EDGE Fellowship conservation capacity building initiative and managing communications for the EDGE programme. Charlie has an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Leeds, during which she travelled to Kenya to study the effects of elephant damage on vegetation in wildlife reserves. In the past she has also carried out research in Ecuador and Peru, studying the fauna and flora in Amazonian tropical rainforest habitats.
Dr. Fran Cabada
Fran is the EDGE Marine Biologist. She supervises EDGE fellows and supports the development of our marine projects. Fran previously worked as a Lecturer in conservation and management of coastal-marine resources at Universidad Simon Bolivar in Venezuela, from where she also holds her Master’s Degree in Experimental Ecology and Ecological Data Analysis and her PhD on conservation and management of marine resources in the southern Caribbean. Fran is also a former EDGE coral Fellow; she completed her fellowship on the pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus between 2014 and 2016.
Caroline Park
Caroline is the Projects Coordinator, supporting various aspects of the EDGE programme. Caroline has an MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College London, during which she looked into the effectiveness of volunteer conservation projects. Further to this she has conducted research in Tanzania, the viability of wildlife corridors plus the use of butterflies as indicators of habitat degradation, and South Africa where she lived for 4 years setting up a wildlife research base in the very north of the Limpopo Province.
Ellie Smith
As Professionalising Conservation Project Manager, Ellie is responsible for the delivery of a suite of standardised and accredited training courses for all levels of protected area management, in partnership with National Geographic Society and the Professionalising Conservation project team. She has previous experience delivering leadership and environmental behaviour change programmes for senior business leaders. Ellie holds an MSc in Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development, and a BSc in Zoology, both of which led her to conduct research in South and Central America, East Africa, and Asia.
Rikki Gumbs
Rikki is a PhD student with EDGE and Imperial College London, and works to incorporate the latest scientific advances into our prioritisation protocol. This includes updating our existing EDGE lists, creating new EDGE lists, expanding the scope of EDGE Zones, and working on the development of EDGE v2.0—which will change how we identify priority species. As part of Rikki’s PhD, he is also exploring the relationship between phylogenetic diversity, trait diversity, and extinction risk. Rikki is passionate about the conservation of reptiles, and supports our EDGE reptile Fellows with their EDGE Fellowships.
Dr. Davi Teles
Davi is the EDGE Regional Projects Manager for Latin America. He provides training and supervision for current EDGE fellows and offers assistance to EDGE alumni in this region. He also supports EDGE projects, such as the long-term monitoring and community engagement work for the pygmy sloth in Panama. Davi is a firm believer in local capacity building as an effective conservation tool and has been directly involved in biodiversity conservation research and action since 2007. He coordinated part of a community-based monitoring program inside Amazonian protected areas and more recently was involved in evaluating the influence of politics on environmental protection in Brazil.
Dr. Jyoti Das
Jyoti is the Regional Projects Manager for Asia. He provides training, supervision and acts as a mentor for EDGE fellows in his region. He is based in North East India and has many years’ experience working in research and conservation of Asian elephants. For his doctoral research, he studied habitat suitability modeling of Asian elephants in a tropical forest of Assam, India. His research interests span population monitoring in tropical forests, human wildlife conflict and conservation protocols in trans-boundary landscapes. His recent work includes developing mitigation measures along highways to facilitate safe animal movement.
Paul Barnes
Paul is the EDGE Social Dimensions Specialist. He supports EDGE Fellows and Heroes with social data collection and analysis. He also guides strategies for stakeholder engagement, public awareness-raising and monitoring and evaluation. Paul has an MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College where he investigated attitudes and behaviours toward the Critically Endangered Rodrigues fruit bat. He will soon complete a PhD in Anthropology from University College London and the Institute of Zoology, ZSL. For his PhD, Paul has been studying human-animal relationships and the politics of conservation in the Cyclops Mountains, home to EDGE mammals Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna and the black-spotted cuscus.
Dr. Caleb Ofori
Caleb is the EDGE Regional Projects Manager for Africa. He provides training and supervision for current EDGE fellows and offers assistance to EDGE alumni in this region. Caleb is a passionate amphibian biologist and conservationist based in Ghana, with considerable experience in teaching, fundraising and managing conservation projects. His research has resulted in the discovery and description of new amphibian species to science. He founded Ghana’s first amphibian and reptile conservation NGO and spearheaded the establishment of municipal level protected area for an EDGE species (Togo slippery frog), which was also the focus of his EDGE fellowship (2013 – 2015). Caleb holds a PhD in Wildlife Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Collaborators
Dr. James Rosindell, Imperial College London
Ben Tapley, ZSL
Dr. Nick Isaac, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Dr. Monni Bohm, Institute of Zoology
Dr. Robin Freeman, Institute of Zoology
Dr. Dave Redding, University College London
Dr. Sam Turvey, Institute of Zoology
Prof. Arne Mooers, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Walter Jetz, Yale University
Dr. Dan Faith, Australian Museum
Dr. Will Pearse, Utah State University
Dr. Caroline Tucker, University of North Carolina
Dr. Felix Forest, Kew Gardens
Dr. Kamran Safi, Max Planck Institute of Ornithology
Dr. Gavin Thomas, University of Sheffield
Prof. Mike Steel, University of Canterbury
Prof. Kate Jones, University College London
IUCN Shark Specialist Group
BirdLife International