Portrait of David Houghton, CEO of WildLandscapes
David Houghton, Director
While working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Trust for Public Land, and as president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, David has contributed to expanding the National Wildlife Refuge System by millions of acres. In addition, David has partnered with diverse stakeholders across the world to conserve an array of globally important landscapes. Now, David is using his extensive experience in raising public and private capital to continue his conservation efforts with a smaller and more efficient team at WildLandscapes International. David is the proud recipient of the Wilburforce Foundation's Conservation Leadership Award for 2017.
Elodie Sampéré, Deputy Director
Elodie Sampéré is an accomplished non-profit management professional with over 20 years of progressive experience in fundraising, communications, PR, and media. With a track record of expanding the support bases of global and national non-profit organizations, Elodie has become a recognized expert in the field of wildlife conservation, community development, health development, and education. Elodie has worked with organizations around the world, including in the United States, France, and Kenya, and has been a member of several senior leadership teams. As the Deputy Director for WildLandscapes, Elodie leads our fundraising and communications efforts, as well as providing strategic leadership. She is driven by a passion for creating positive change through effective communication, strategic planning, and successful fundraising initiatives.
Ian Craig, Senior Africa Director
Ian Craig grew up on a 62,000-acre cattle ranch in northern Kenya, fostering a deep connection to the land, the people and its wildlife. He began his career as a professional hunter to be able to spend time in the wilderness. In 1978, he took over his family’s ranch which he transformed five years later into a rhino sanctuary during a critical period of poaching. This laid the foundation for what is now the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which has grown into a globally recognized model for its work in protecting endangered species and supporting local communities. Through Lewa, Ian began partnering with surrounding local communities to promote sustainable land management and peace. Out of this, the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) was born – a membership organization for local community conservancies. As the architect of NRT, Ian was with the organization for over 20 years, spearheading the creation of 45 community-led conservancies across northern Kenya – including rangelands, forest, desert, and marine ecosystems. His vision has been instrumental in shaping NRT's approach to empowering communities, fostering sustainable development, and promoting wildlife conservation. In his most recent role, he led the expansion of NRT to Uganda, an ambitious project to establish the community-based conservation model beyond Kenya. Additionally, Ian was a member of the IUCN Rhino Specialist Group for two decades and served on the board of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for nearly a decade, contributing his vast knowledge and expertise to conservation efforts across the country. Now, as Senior Africa Director at WildLandscapes International, he brings over 40 years of experience in community-driven conservation to his work.
Sam Baraoidan, Senior Conservation Ecologist
Sam is a wildlife biologist who has worked with plants, predators, and just about everything in between. She is especially interested in landscape ecology, habitat connectivity, and community-based natural resource management. At WildLandscapes, Sam provides scientific support in project planning and uses GIS software to create informative maps. Sam earned a BSc in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida, where her undergraduate thesis examined habitat preferences of small mammals in southern African savannahs, and is working on completing an MSc in the same department.
Nancy Joan, Program Associate
Nancy is a Kenyan conservationist fascinated by landscape connectivity and wider ecosystem biodiversity conservation. Nancy was born in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, and partly grew up in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where her passion for biodiversity conservation developed and flourished. Nancy is currently completing a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management and Conservation at the University of Nairobi and has done several conservation work placements at Ol Pejeta Conservancy and 51 Degrees. Nancy is driven by the challenges she sees in the areas where she grew up, including landscape fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and habitat loss. She believes that the solution lies in better connecting people with nature and their own surrounding habitats.
Wilna Lebrun, Operations Manager
Wilna is an accomplished professional with a proven track record in operations management, project leadership, and HR optimization. With a strong background in accounting, she offers a unique blend of skills and expertise. In her previous roles, Wilna spearheaded cross-functional initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, resulting in significant cost savings and improved organizational performance. She adeptly manages multiple projects concurrently, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to budget constraints. Additionally, her streamlined HR processes have led to reduced turnover rates and increased employee satisfaction. With a strategic mindset and hands-on approach, Wilna excels in financial analysis and budgeting, contributing to informed decision-making and organizational growth. She thrives in high-pressure environments, leveraging exceptional leadership and problem-solving skills to achieve successful outcomes. Wilna is eager to leverage her expertise as the Operations Manager at WildLandscapes, where she is committed to delivering measurable results and contributing to the organization's success.
Camilla McConnell, Head of Communications and Branding
Camilla is a communications professional with over 15 years of experience across a variety of fields including graphic design, digital marketing, web design, copywriting, and social media. Born and raised in Kenya, Camilla grew up in the bush travelling all over East Africa with her parents who are safari guides. Her connection to the natural world and her love of reading informs her work and her passion for storytelling. After earning her degree in graphic design from a British university, she has used her early background in guiding and hosting to bring a unique blend of creative style and operational understanding to her projects. At WildLandscapes, Camilla provides key support in communications and reporting; working with the team to translate complex conservation challenges into engaging and accessible reports, proposals, and digital content. Her love for the art of communication, combined with her broader experience, allows her to craft entertaining narratives that draw in new and diverse audiences and contribute to the organization's mission of creating lasting and positive change.
Kelly McDowell, Senior Project Manager
Kelly Mworked as a wildlife biologist and refuge manager for more than 30 years with the National Wildlife Refuge System. Over his career Kelly has sought to protect special wild places through land protection, restoration, and management. He has worked with a wide variety of species including waterfowl, shorebirds, rails, American alligators, white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, forest songbirds and endangered species like whooping cranes, ocelots, aplomado falcon and golden-cheeked warblers. He has been at the forefront of restoration of many habitats including, bottomland hardwood, oak-juniper and thorn scrub forests, prairies, prairie wetlands and coastal marshes. Kelly has secured over $700 million in funding and grants for wildlife conservation and helped to expand the National Wildlife Refuge System by almost 100,000 acres.
Brenda Schuster, Director of Program and Strategy
Brenda is an international aid expert with almost 25 years of experience across 80 countries. She holds a Master of Arts in International Studies (University of Washington, Seattle), a Master of Science in Nutrition (Middlesex University), and is completing a Master of Natural Resources in Forests and Climate Change (Oregon State University). Brenda has been a technical advisor and program director for large and small NGOs, United Nations development programs, public-private partnerships, and Government. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan and Uganda and an entrepreneur in Viet Nam. As a grant writer she has successfully mobilised almost 300 million USD in competitive institutional funding. A dual national of Italy and the USA, Brenda is currently based in Switzerland.
Audrey Wilson, Conservation Ecologist
Audrey Wilson is an ecologist with experience in invasive species, wildland fire, and landcover change. She has worked with a number of species, including cane toads, salamanders, and rhesus macaques, and studied the effects of wildland fires in a variety of ecosystems. Audrey is particularly interested in the use of GIS and satellite data to monitor large-scale landcover changes. She holds a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.S. in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida, where she focused on introduced herpetofauna.
WildLandscapes International contracts the best talent in conservation biology, GIS mapping, and government affairs.
WildLandscapes International
113 South Monroe Street, 1st Floor
Tallahassee, FL 32301, United States
+ 1 603 831 0920