Registered Charity in England & Wales No.1165941

Our Team

Our work is only possible because of the compassion and dedication of an amazing team

FOUNDERS & STAFF

Dr David Jones
Founder, Trustee & Chairman

Dr David Jones is a veterinarian and zoologist by training and is Director Emeritus of the North Carolina Zoo, having run it for 22 years. He was previously CEO of the Zoological Society of London and has spent more than 50 years in the wildlife and zoo management field, working in more than 50 countries.
He is the past board chair of Environmental Defence Fund North Carolina, past chair of the equine welfare charity Brooke UK, and founder chairman of Brooke USA. David has been on the councils of both World Wildlife Fund U.S. and U.K. and is a former chairman of Fauna and Flora International.

Dave Morgan
Founder, Field Director

Dave Morgan is a founder member of the African Association of Zoos and Aquaria (PAAZA) and was their first professional executive director. He was the first recipient of the Animal Keeper’s Association of Africa (AKAA) Conservation Award and a lifetime regent of the Association.
Dave was on WAZA council for five years, several WAZA committees, including as chairman of the Committee for Population Management. He served on the Board of Species360 and is a committee member of the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
Dave has worked on zoo projects in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, China, Pakistan, India, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Gabon and Azerbaijan. His favourite animal: his Great Dane Windstone, his friend who has always been there for him.

Georgina Groves
Founder/Animal Welfare Consultant

Georgina Groves has more than 18 years’ experience working on animal welfare campaigns for UK and international organisations. As an experienced, strategic project director and campaigner in national and international animal welfare practice, she develops and runs international workshops in animal welfare and ethical practice for zoos, sanctuaries, NGOs and governments and was previously Wild Welfare’s executive director.
Georgina is a member of the Zoological Society of London’s animal welfare committee, a Species Survival Network (SSN) Animals in Captivity Working Group member and an International Veterinary Students’ Association Animal Welfare Committee Patron. Her favourite animal is the blue wildebeest because she thinks they are beautiful.

Wild Welfare staff member Simon Marsh
Simon Marsh
Director

Simon Marsh started his career as an animal keeper, went on to specialise in carnivores and was most recently animal collection manager for a UK wildlife park. He has more than 20 years’ experience in zoos, safari parks, sanctuaries, and rehabilitation projects, both UK and overseas. His passion for animal welfare goes hand in hand with a commitment to conserving species and habitats in the wild. Simon is an IUCN member, a UK zoo inspector, and for 10 years was Chair of the Canid and Hyaenid Taxon Advisory Group for the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). One of the first species Simon worked with is his favourite; the lion. Sitting in a vehicle surrounded by a large pride was amazing and he learnt a huge amount about their behaviour and personalities.

Wild Welfare staff member Victoria Fanthorpe
Victoria Fanthorpe
Fundraising Manager

Victoria brings her skills as a fundraiser and her passion for wildlife and community development to Wild Welfare. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a fundraiser for international development and wildlife conservation organisations. Prior to joining us, Victoria worked in Kenya and Namibia, raising funds for animal welfare and conservation projects. Victoria’s favourite animal is the elephant, for its intelligent and noble nature.

Sarah Bonser-Blake
Animal Welfare Field Manager

Sarah has spent her decade-long career in animal management, having worked in several zoos and animal sanctuaries. She has also worked in the ethical ecotourism sector and is passionate about responsible tourism. With an enthusiasm for enrichment, Sarah initially became involved with Wild Welfare by creating enrichment portfolios and volunteering as an animal welfare advisor on overseas projects. Sarah has previously sat on the Association of British and Irish Wild Animal Keepers (ABWAK) council and is an NTU Alumni Fellow, helping to encourage and inspire industry students. Sarah’s favourite animal is the wolf because she says they just feel like home.

Bio photo of team member Andy Watson
Andy Watson
Communications Manager

Andy’s career began in 2015, where he played a pivotal role in establishing a marketing team at an emerging UK wildlife park. Over the following decade, he honed his skills and amassed a wealth of understanding and experience within the domestic zoo sector. His collaborations with global wildlife charities have allowed him to contribute to the development of effective messaging strategies for public outreach and deliver many successful awareness campaigns. Beyond Andy’s passion for digital content creation, his other true love is Penguins. These charming creatures certainly hold a special place in his heart because of their unique characteristics, playful behaviour and adorable appearance.

TRUSTEES

Wild Welfare trustee Keiko Yamazaki
Keiko Yamazaki
Trustee

Keiko Yamazaki has extensive experience within animal welfare in Japan. Keiko received her B.A. from the Division of Humanities, College of Liberal Arts of International Christian University, she is founder of the Animal Literacy Research Institute, and a committee member of the Subcommittee of Animal Welfare, Central Environment Council, Ministry of the Environment.
Keiko is also a special lecturer for Japan’s International Pet World College, and special advisor for The Japan Animal Welfare Society, so brings significant expertise of working on pertinent animal welfare issues within the country’s pet, farming and wildlife sectors.

Matt Hunt
Trustee

Matt Hunt has been working with wild animals for 30 years in zoos and wildlife parks, focusing on combatting the illegal wildlife trade for the last 20 years.
UK-born Matt lives in Southeast Asia, where as chief executive of wildlife-protection charity Free the Bears, he oversees multiple projects and partnerships across Asia, work that includes the rescue, care, and rehabilitation of hundreds of bears from the illegal wildlife trade and bear bile farms.
In 2018, Matt received San Diego Zoo Global’s Conservation in Action medal, he is a founding board member of both Wildlife Asia and Wild Animal Rescue Network Asia (WARN) and active member of the IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group.
A staunch advocate for ‘good’ zoos and critic of ‘bad’ zoos, Matt believes that zoos globally have an increasingly important role to play in supporting long-term conservation strategies for wildlife in Southeast Asia.

Dr Mark Penning
Trustee

Dr Mark Penning is the Vice President: Animals, Science and Environment for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, overseeing animal care and environmental initiatives at the company’s worldwide parks. His role includes oversight of the use of animals in film and television, from an animal welfare and story-telling perspective.
Mark is a qualified veterinarian with a special interest in wildlife, he has worked in private practice and has operated a wildlife immobilization and relocation business. He previously served as president of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and as CEO of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), a non-profit organisation dedicated to marine research and conservation.

Kris Vehrs
Trustee

Kris Vehrs spent more than 40 years playing a key role in the growth and modernisation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), retiring as executive director in 2020. Kris’ work helped shape the complex regulations impacting zoos and aquariums in the USA and involved representing AZA before CITES, U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and government bodies.
Kris is current CEO of OAI Inc., a firm specialising in fisheries, oceans and marine wildlife issues. She holds both bachelor and law degrees, is a Species360 and WAZA board member and has advised the Latin American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the Mexican Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the South Asia Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation, among others.
Kris received the Zoological Society of London’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Zoo Community; AZA’s highest recognition, the Marlin R. Perkins Award for Professional Excellence; and WAZA’s Heini Hediger Award – its highest professional recognition.

Alejandro Grajal
Trustee

Alejandro is President and CEO of the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, USA. He is actively exploring the evolving role of zoos and aquariums in the 21st century, how zoos reconnect people with animals and drive pro-environmental behaviours. Previously, he worked at the Chicago Zoological Society, National Audubon Society and Wildlife Conservation Society in New York. He was on the AZA Board of Directors and is currently on the WAZA Council, and chair of the Ethics and Animal Welfare Committee. He has worked on protected areas and conservation programs with the US Agency for International Development, the Global Environmental Fund, the World Bank, and the European Union. His publications include books, chapters, popular and scientific articles on ecology, animal behaviour, biodiversity policy and visitor studies.

Wild Welfare trustee Tamsin Cracknell
Tamsin Cracknell
Trustee

Tamsin Cracknell worked with horses for 10 years and represented Great Britain while competing at advanced level dressage and eventing, as well as teaching both disciplines and in producing young horses. A career change saw Tamsin move into insurance where she currently works in underwriting within the Lloyd’s market for a substantial syndicate that underwrites global property portfolios.

Dr Heather Bacon
Trustee

Dr Heather Bacon is Veterinary Welfare Education and Outreach Manager at the University of Edinburgh’s Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, based at the UK Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. Heather has previously worked for NGO Animals Asia, and now works with organisations in India and China, providing animal welfare training to veterinarians, vet students and animal care staff.
Heather is actively involved in both post-graduate and undergraduate teaching at the Royal (Dick) and is carrying out PhD research focussed on understanding the current knowledge and attitudes to animal behaviour and welfare among zoo staff across Europe and China.

Paloma Bossa
Trustee

Paloma is the Technical Director of Parque Das Aves, overseeing the institutional transformation to focus on birds of the Atlantic Rainforest. Amongst her many accolades, she has a masters degree in Veterinary Science from the Animal Welfare Laboratory of the Federal University of Paraná and is a member of WAZA’s Welfare Committee. Paloma is co-founder of the Centre for Conservation of Atlantic Rainforest Birds, a member of the IUCN SSC, the Claravis Institute, and established the Wild Fauna Support Centre (CAFS) “Aves da Mata Atlântica.” Acting for more than 20 years in zoos, Paloma is a specialist in animal behaviour and welfare and her principal passions are overseeing high standards of welfare and integrated conservation of ex-situ populations of threatened species.

Kumar Pillai
Trustee

Kumar joined the Singapore Zoological Gardens as a volunteer and truly enjoyed working with animals. He started his career as an animal keeper and has since been with the organization for over four decades. He progressed to become the Director or Animal Care, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, (Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Bird Park and the River Wonders) now known as Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG). Kumar helped to develop concept and design for the Night Safari and operated as the general manager. He was also instrumental in driving initiatives for MWG to ascertain Animal Welfare Accreditation by Zoos and Aquarium Association Australia (ZAA). Currently, as Vice President, Special Projects and Development, Kumar is part of the design team in developing the new parks in MWG. He also sits on the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and Southeast Asian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (SEAZA) Membership Committees.

Judy Mann
Trustee

Judy is passionate about the oceans. She started her career with the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) in Durban in 1992, where she held various roles including – Director of Education, uShaka Sea World Director, the first woman Chief Executive Officer of SAAMBR and Conservation Strategist. She is now Executive – Strategic Projects with the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation in Cape Town. She holds a master’s degree in Ichthyology, a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and PhD in Culture and Environmental Learning from the University of Queensland in Australia. She is President Elect of the International Zoo Educators Association (IZE) and serves on the Council of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

Wild Welfare’s Advisors and Volunteers

Wild Welfare is also lucky enough to have a team of advisors and volunteers, that offer their animal care and welfare expertise and time, to help support our initiatives and push forward our global projects.

Wild Welfare’s One Community Approach

Our One Community approach inspires a collaborative, compassionate approach from the world’s animal welfare NGOs and leading zoos, aquariums and wildlife facilities, to take innovative action towards improving welfare practices and policies for wild animals in captivity.

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