The people behind CLAWS
Our Board
Meet the people guiding our mission
Board of Directors
James (Jim) Brumm was a member of the board of directors of Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan and was Executive Vice President & General Counsel of their U.S. subsidiary, Mitsubishi International Corporation. Over his last 20 years at Mitsubishi, Jim became deeply involved in handling environmental, human rights and indigenous peoples issues worldwide for the corporation. He has a deep interest in and a commitment to sustainable solutions to the environmental and social issues that our planet faces and needs to resolve. In addition to the CLAWS Conservancy, Jim currently serves on several non-profit boards and advisory boards, primarily in the environmental and conservation fields, including Amazon Conservation Association and Global Forest Generation. Jim previously served on the boards of the International Crane Foundation, EcoAgriculture Partners, Forest Trends, American Bird Conservancy, NatureServe, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and First Peoples Worldwide, an Indigenous rights and development organization.
Todd Fuller is Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He worked as a provincial biologist in Alberta and a state research scientist in Minnesota studying wolves, caribou, deer, and black bears before arriving at UMass where he taught courses on natural history, wildlife ecology and conservation, and mammalogy. He and his graduate students (including Andrew Stein!) worked in the U.S. and in 20 other countries studying the natural history and conservation of large mammalian carnivores and herbivores, especially identifying factors affecting variation in their density and distribution. He has authored, co-authored, and co-edited >250 journal papers, books, monographs, book chapters, book reviews, and other papers. He has been a member of the IUCN Canid Specialist Group, a panelist for the National Academy of Sciences, and is an elected Fellow of The Wildlife Society.
Andrew Stein has over two decades of experience studying human- carnivore conflict—from African wild dogs and lions in Kenya and Botswana to leopards and hyenas in Namibia. Andrew grew up fascinated by nature documentaries of exotic wildlife in far off destinations. An American who grew up near Boston, the opportunities to explore and contribute to wildlife conservation seemed unlikely until his study abroad trip to Kenya through the School for Field Studies. There he saw a confluence of his greatest passions across culture, wildlife conservation and problem solving. Motivated by a clear purpose, he was driven to return to Africa to make a contribution to the wildlife he was passionate about and the people that faced the challenges of living with their livestock among Africa’s great predators. Since his 2001 leopard study in South Africa, Andrew has become a leader in leopard conservation as he continued on for his PhD field study on leopard ecology and conservation on Namibian farmlands. In recent years he led an international team for the IUCN Red List to assess the global status of leopards. He has expanded his interests to explore non-lethal approaches to mitigate livestock conflict with lions in Northern Botswana. Andrew has published a dozen scientific articles, organized a field training course with the Smithsonian Institution and been featured in wildlife documentaries on National Geographic Wild and BBC Wildlife. He is also a member of both the IUCN Cat Specialist Group and advisor to the Asian Leopard Specialist Society.
Elena Marchenko is General Counsel at Fundraise Up, an online fundraising platform serving nonprofit organizations. She brings broad legal experience across technology, corporate governance, commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, privacy, employment, and cross-border matters. In addition to her corporate and transactional experience, Elena has devoted significant pro bono work to environmental protection, wildlife protection, and environmental human rights. Her work has addressed protected areas and marine protected areas, the human right to a healthy environment, wildlife protection legislation, environmental harms arising from infrastructure and extractive projects, protection of environmental defenders, and emerging international legal frameworks on plastics pollution and business responsibility for human rights impacts. Elena brings legal, governance, and advocacy experience to CLAWS Conservancy’s Board and supports its mission to help people and predators thrive together by reducing human-wildlife conflict in Southern Africa. She is admitted to practice law in New York and holds an LL.M. from Columbia Law School.
Mark Keegan is Senior Vice President of Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), currently on assignment in Mexico City at Mitsubishi de México, where he oversees corporate matters and business development. Mark completed his undergraduate degree in International Affairs at The George Washington University and was later sent to Spain as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar where he received his Master’s degree in International Development. He then worked for Toyota in New York City in communications and sustainability before moving to Mitsubishi Corporation’s Investor Relations Department in Tokyo, where he supported the company in its communications with the global financial community. Next, at the Silicon Valley Branch of Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), he helped develop renewable energy business with a focus on battery energy storage, and then was Chief of Staff to the President and CEO of Mitsubishi International Corporation. Mark moved on to be General Manager of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas) in New York City and then Vice President and Head of Corporate at the Houston Branch of Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas) before his most recent assignment in Mexico.
Thato Barbara Morule is an experienced public policy and technical advisor specializing in environmental and conservation governance and sustainability, with more than 25 years of leadership experience across government, regional institutions, international organizations, and civil society. She brings deep expertise in environmental policy, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable tourism, and community-based natural resource management across Southern Africa. Thato has advised governments, NGOs, and multilateral institutions on policy alignment, strategy development, and the implementation of sustainability programs within regional and global governance frameworks. She is skilled at building multi-stakeholder partnerships, leading complex conservation and climate initiatives, and representing organizations at high-level international forums. Her contributions include work on wildlife-related policy development, national economic strategies and frameworks, climate change mitigation and adaptation programs, biodiversity finance frameworks, and the African Wildlife Strategy. Thato combines technical analysis, policy advocacy, and strategic leadership to advance sustainable development, climate resilience, and biodiversity conservation. She is also passionate about volunteering with community-based organizations and NGOs, sharing her knowledge and experience, and participating in local, regional, and global socio-economic groups and networks. She currently serves as a member and technical advisor to the Botswana Green Building Council (BotGBC) and is a member of the Kalahari Conservation Society (KCS).
Jen Newlin has been a fan of CLAWS and a board member since the beginning. She’s long been an advocate for predators and wildlife, and appreciates our work balancing lion science and protections with community needs and livelihoods. For over 20 years, Jen has worked in the environmental arena as a writer, communications director, creative lead, executive ghostwriter, and senior strategist. She’s supported nonprofits, creative agencies, small businesses, and government agencies. Jen’s a wildlife illustrator, too. She particularly enjoys her volunteer roles supporting bird banding projects and working at a wildlife rehabilitation hospital, caring for and releasing injured or orphaned native wildlife. Learn more.
Wame Jallow is a passionate global advocate for health, rights, and environmental justice, with over 25 years of experience in driving transformative change across diverse communities. She has been a fierce champion for women’s and girls’ rights, working relentlessly to ensure equitable access to quality health services and essential medicines for all. She has played a pivotal role in strengthening community and health systems – bringing expertise in community-led monitoring and research, costing and policy analysis, advocacy, social behavior change; impact, and community mobilization. Wame is the Executive Director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, an entity leading innovative entertainment-education initiatives that harness the power of storytelling and popular culture to challenge stigma, shift social norms, and inspire collective action globally. Its flagship series, MTV Shuga, is a cultural touchstone and movement – tackling critical issues that shape the lives and futures of young people. Her work is defined by unwavering commitment to equity, her belief in the power of communities, and her vision for a healthier, more just, and sustainable world.
Catja Orford brings a diverse background in conservation, sustainable development, and enterprise to CLAWS Botswana. Based in Maun, Botswana, she has worked in conservation and tourism in Gabon and across environmental sustainability and sustainable energy through her consulting company, EnviroDesign. Catja joined CLAWS in 2019 and now serves as Program Director and Board Member. Her work focuses on growing CLAWS’ community-based conservation programs in the eastern Okavango Panhandle, with a particular emphasis on partnerships, the REHERD community-based livestock model, and conservation-linked enterprise, creating economic opportunities that strengthen coexistence between people, livestock, and wildlife. She also coordinates the network of REHERD sites across the wider KAZA landscape.
Dr Rick Nelson is a semi-retired Board Certified specialist in veterinary canine and feline medicine and surgery. He also has extensive experience with wildlife veterinary service and zoo animal care. Additionally, Rick’s career includes 35 years traveling Africa and currently serves on the boards of three animal centered trusts.