Our Global Team
Dr. Nicole Benjamin-Fink founded Conservation Beyond Borders with the intent to establish a network of global researchers and decision makers. The impact of our network is driven by brainstorming sessions and exchange of theories concerning effective strategies in different regions of the world. Conservation Beyond Borders is an international team of Associates, Fellows, and other strategic partners bringing specialized skills and technology that can be mobilized specifically to assist a wide range of wildlife conservation projects.
Nicole Benjamin-Fink, pHd | Director
Dr. Nicole if the founder and director of Conservation Beyond Borders. Her goals are twofold: (1) Shape conservation strategies and tactics, and (2) Establish a network of colleges in order to transcend regional conservation effectiveness beyond political borders. Nicoles research focuses on the global poaching crisis, wildlife crime, and the link between the illegal wildlife trade and human trafficking. Nicole applied Bayesian Theory and Game Theory to create mathematical models that predict ecological uncertainty. Her models are used to understand the trade-offs between wildlife needs and stakeholders' objectives in order to optimize wildlife decision-making in complex, real-world contexts when there are limited data and resources. Her publications focus on maximizing informed decision-making concerning endangered species, and the human-Wildlife Conflict.
Dr. Dave Cooper | associate
Dr. Dave Cooper is a South African veterinarian with 35 years experience, the last 20 of which have been in the specialised field of African wildlife, epidemiology and game capture and translocation, with several thousand animals moved to date. He works in formal conservation in provincial parks as well as consulting internationally to numerous conservation bodies.
Prof. Brian Reilly | associate
Professor Reilly is the Head of the Department of Nature Conservation at Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa, and Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, in the United States. Widely published as a biologist with over 100 papers, Brian served or currently serves on eleven national and international specialist bodies related to conservation and wildlife management.
Prof. Antoinette Kotze | Associate
Professor Kotze is the Director of Research and Science for the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State. Her laboratory is responsible for species-level findings, which promote conservation efforts across Southern Africa. Her recent work identifies the pangolin population structure in Southern Africa (currently the most trafficked animal in the world), and Black rhino conservation genetics & genomics.
Mr. Bittu Sahgal | Associate
Bittu Sahgal, an environmental activist and writer, is the founding editor of Sanctuary Asia, a wildlife and ecology magazine based in India. He is a member of the National Board for Wildlife of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in India. He is a prominent decision-maker and leader concerning biodiversity and natural habitat.
Mr. Rushikesh Chvan | head ecology consultant (India)
Rushikesh applies Econometrics to solve human-wildlife conflicts throughout India. He promotes tiger conservation and education throughout rural regions of India. Rushikesh is also affiliated with the University of Mumbai and WCT (the largest conservation-based NGO in India) and utilizes game theory and common pull for sustainable fisheries in the Lakshadweep Islands off the coast of Mumbai.
Julian Fennessy, PhD | Associate
Dr. Fennessy is co-founder of GCF and the co-chair of the IUCN SSC Giraffe & Okapi Specialist Group, and EAZA’s conservation advisor. Dr. Fennessy is also an advisor for students from Dartmouth University, the University of New South Wales, and Namibia University of Science & Technology. His work revolves around giraffe taxonomy, human dimensions, and home range/habitat use. Dr. Fennessey is also responsible for national strategies in Uganda, and trans-locations for giraffes to establish founder populations all across Africa.
Nimmi Seoraj Pillai, PHD | associate
Dr. Nimmi is a Senior Academic & Programme Coordinator at Tshwane University of Technology, Department of Nature Conservation, with 18 years experience in a tertiary institution operational environment. Her research focuses on human-lion interactions on the border of Kruger Park.
Mr. Kalien Padawachee | Associate
Kailen is a wildlife ecologist from Johannesburg, South Africa. He has his master’s degree in nature conservation and is currently conducting data collection for his PhD. His key interest lies in urban biodiversity conservation and wildlife ecology. Kailen is the co-founder of the KaiNav Conservation Foundation, an environmental research and education organization, dedicated to the conservation of Africa’s natural heritage.
Mr. Bethwell Siza Malaza | CBB Sponsored Certificate Student in Natural Resource Management
Bethwell works for Mpumalanga Tourism and Agency in the Songimvelo wildlife area. He started in 2009 as a field ranger leading anti-poaching enforcement patrols and collecting data. His time and experience in the landscape solidified his love of nature and wildlife, and he believes it is critical to pass his passion along to the next generation. He is pursuing his Natural Resource Managment certificate to continue developing his effectiveness as a conservationist.
Mr. Macdonald Matjitlane Ntelela | CBB Sponsored Certificate Student in Natural Resource Management
Macdonald started working for Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency in Blyde Canyon Nature Reserve (Swadini section) in 2013. In his position as General Assistant he’s responsible for maintaining the reserve and providing tourist information at the visitor’s centre. He is interested in the Natural Resources Management program at the Southern African Wildlife College as a way to improve his career prospects while aligning with his interests in community relationships and habitat preservation.
Mr. Deon Cilliers | fellow
Manager of Livestock Guarding Dog Project-Eastern Territory Cheetah Outreach Trust. Deon’s research focuses on human-cheetah conflict resolution through Nottingham Trent University, UK, Dept. of Wildlife Conservation and Animal Biology. To increase local communities’ tolerance to the presence of predators, in order to reduce the lethal persecution of free-ranging cheetah along South Africa’s borders with Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Justin Raycraft | Fellow
Justin is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Anthropology at McGill University. His doctoral project is based on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in the Maasai Steppe of Tanzania. He is examining community attitudes towards Randilen Wildlife Management Area and Manyara Ranch in 12 villages surrounding these conservation areas through qualitative and quantitative means. He is also researching community perceptions of human-wildlife conflict by species, community tolerance for wildlife, perceived economic impacts of wildlife on agriculture and livestock production, and human dimensions of conflict with spotted hyenas, elephants, and leopards.
Organizational Partners
