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.
Questions, comments or feedback? Contact us on info@edgeofexistence.org
Media enquiries? Contact our Specialist Press Officer Emma.Ackerley@zsl.org
Want to join us? Check out our opportunities here.
Dr. Nisha Owen
As the EDGE Programme Manager, Nisha oversees all EDGE science, research, conservation and capacity building initiatives, with the goal of developing the EDGE programme to keep pace with conservation needs in a changing world. Nisha’s previous work has included the mitigation of conflicts with elephants and tigers in the Western Ghats of India; researching endemic flora and fauna in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania; rapid biodiversity surveys in Madagascar; counting jaguars, peccaries and other large mammals in the Amazon, and reintroducing swift fox to the North American prairies.
Dr. Claudia Gray
As the EDGE Conservation Biologist, Claudia mentors and advises the current terrestrial EDGE Fellows, teaches on the EDGE Tools/Leadership courses and helps to develop and manage our larger-scale EDGE projects. She also assists with 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 Fellowship Manager. She is responsible for the EDGE Fellowships. The EDGE Fellowships support aspiring in-country conservationists who carry out research on little known EDGE species. 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 Projects Coordinator for the EDGE programme, supporting the delivery of the EDGE Fellowship conservation capacity building initiative. 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.
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 will soon complete 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.
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.
Janice Law
Janice is the Project Coordinator for the online learning platform. It is an UfW-led initiative offering free massive open online courses on wildlife conservation, covering an array of topics ranging from introductory content to specific topics in the field. Working with multiple stakeholders, Janice is responsible for the development and implementation of this online project (learn.unitedforwildlife.org). She has also managed carbon accounting programmes in the hospitality industry, measuring greenhouse gas emissions and environmental performances.
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.
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