About the
Wildlife Restoration Foundation
Wildlife Restoration Foundation is in the business of bringing healthy wildlife back to America’s land and seascapes. The work we do as a nongovernmental organization is rooted by partnerships and is growing fast. We empower partners to intervene with innovative—and very direct—conservation measures on the ground and in the water.
Mission
Directly and measurably increase park wildlife population viability, health, and security through partnerships.
Board of Directors
The members of the WRF board represent philanthropy and experts in wildlife and habitat recovery, management and science, animal husbandry and health, technology, infrastructure and media.
Dan Ashe
President and CEO
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Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Sharon Deem DVM, PH.D., Dipl ACZM
Director, Institute for Conservation Medicine
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Saint Louis Zoo
Nik Dehejia
CEO
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Conservation Society of California/Oakland Zoo
Jesse Gilbert
President & CEO
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Texas State Aquarium
Shannon Hackley
Shannon Leigh Design- Strategic Placemaking- Making Places for a Better World
Sally Jacobson
President and CEO-
Red River Zoo
Susan H. Lylis
Executive Vice President
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International Conservation Caucus Foundation
Tom McDonald
Tribal Council Chair, Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes
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Fish and Wildlife Division,
Department of Natural Resources Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes
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Eric W. Stallmer
Executive Vice President
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Voyager Space
Mary Wagner
Director of Communications
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Associate Chief (Retired),Â
U.S. Forest Service
Meet the Team
The members of the WRF board represent philanthropy and experts in wildlife and habitat recovery, management and science, animal husbandry and health, technology, infrastructure and media.
WRF staff work closely with both government and private sectors to establish productive and targeted partnerships to benefit wildlife.
WRF Project Partners implement wildlife recovery solutions in the field—both in situ and ex situ—and include government agencies, nonprofits, Tribes, and businesses that seek collaboratively-derived wildlife coexistence and support strategies.
WRF Advisors
WRF Advisors are esteemed colleagues with expertise in wildlife and habitat field conservation and other matters directly connected to the WRF mission. WRF calls upon them to provide keen insights and valuable advice on best practices and novel approaches to conducting the highest priority wildlife restoration measures in and around parks with help of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, park gateway communities, and other WRF partners.
Julie Anton Randall
Founder & President
Julie Anton Randall has over 20 years’ experience working for wildlife recovery and security across multiple sectors as human development expands. She founded the Zoo-Park Partnerships for America’s Keystone Wildlife Project with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and National Park Service in 2017, then WRF in 2021. Prior, she served as Facilitator of the North American Intergovernmental Committee on Wilderness & Protected Areas Conservation composed of 6 federal protected area agency directors., managed the North American Save the Rhinos Campaign, and worked on Wilderness Foundation South Africa’s anti-poaching projects. Julie coordinated a 130-member coalition for the Wildlife Conservation Society, InterTribal Buffalo Council, and National Bison Association that achieved naming bison the U.S. National Mammal in 2016. She staffed the USDA National Organic Program in its upstart years, as an agricultural economist with deep appreciation for the value and challenges of farming and ranching. As a consultant and as WILD Foundation Vice President, Julie has managed many collaboratives compelling diverse stakeholders to forge common solutions. She holds a B.A. from the University of California Santa Barbara and M.A. from Stanford University.
Bridget Burns
Director of Conservation & Operations
Bridget Burns brings hands-on animal care experience to WRF and is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Captive Wildlife Care and Education at Unity College in Maine, she volunteered and interned at several wildlife refuges, nature centers, zoos, and animal rehabilitation facilities. After working for a time as a zookeeper for Ross Park Zoo in New York, she moved to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to join the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center (GWDC), becoming Lead Keeper and a member of the conservation and research team as well as liaison for GWDC’s Zoo-Park Partnership with Yellowstone National Park. She continues to serve as GWDC’s Conservation Coordinator part-time. She is also a key collaborator for Forest Breeze Conservation, a non profit centered around Forest Elephant conservation.
Addison Dunn
Website & Tech Manager
Addison Dunn is responsible for managing the WRF website and is committed to using technology to support the science and communications applications that benefit wildlife and parks and WRF’s partnerships. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in computer science and business from the University of Virginia. His work experience includes sales for Zello, a walkie-talkie mobile app company based in Austin, Texas, and his current role as Full Stack Engineer at Dimagi, a socially impactful technology company with operations in the United States, India and South Africa designed to build mobile apps that provide better data and new tools for solving societal problems.
Nolan Keller
Wildlife Conservation Specialist (Research)
Nolan Keller recently graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Biology with an emphasis in zoology. Throughout his time in college, he have been a part of several research projects, including working with SDSU and the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife monitoring the effectiveness of wildlife crossings for ocelot and bobcat populations, leading a project researching Bison wallow effects on native plant growth with the Nachusa grasslands, and working with researchers at Arizona State University determining the effects of climate change on bee populations. While in school, he had a lot of experience in a zoo setting as well. He worked as an intern with the animal care and zoo leadership teams at the Chahinkapa zoo in Wahpeton, North Dakota, and studied and worked on the rehabilitation and reintroduction efforts of the critically endangered Pacific Pocket Mouse with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Outside of research and zoo experience, he spent much time in college working closely with veterinarians and animal care professionals as a veterinary assistant, and served as a representative for the College of Science's Student Council, as well as Vice President of Recruitment for the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity's Beta Lambda chapter.
Aidan Tansey
Wildlife Conservation Specialist (Operations)
Aidan has always had a passion for zoos and their role in the world of conservation. His career to date has taken him around the country, working for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Houston Zoo, White Oak Conservation, The Oglebay Good Zoo, and Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. There he assisted in studies, husbandry and animal handling/transport of animals from rhinos and kudu to birds and kangaroos. Aidan’s roles at the zoos also included visitor education through keeper talks and ambassador animals, and public safety. He graduated from Otterbein University in the spring of 2022 with a B.S. in Zoo and Conservation Science and a B.A. in Biology with a minor in Accounting and Business Management and Administration. He is in the process of attaining a Master of Public Administration at Ohio University . Aidan is an experienced head soccer coach for youth teams and member of the Sigma Delta Phi Fraternity. Aidan looks forward to helping create a more unified and interconnected culture of conservation that is available to all.
Jacob Obernesser
Wildlife Conservation Specialist (Operations)
Jacob has a lifelong love of nature, especially wildlife. This led him to receive his B.S. in Wildlife Conservation after completing the prestigious natural resources and environmental curriculum of Virginia Tech. There he participated in Virginia Tech’s ongoing black bear camera trap program, studied abroad in Panama, was selected to be
a part of the College of Natural Resources’ Leadership Institute and performed a study on otter and beaver activity in a recently restored stream. During this time, he also interned at the Center for Urban Habitats working on a study of native grassland plants in the Virginia Piedmont. Since graduation in Spring 2022, Jacob has worked as a field technician for Conservation Legacy to restore hiking and biking park trails in northern Virginia and Maryland. He also has experience using handheld GPS, Arc GIS, radio telemetry, and bird/bat mist nets.
Acknowledgements
Arnold & Porter provides expert and comprehensive legal services to WRF on a pro bono basis.
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Marcum LLP is providing pro bono accounting services to WRF.
Anna Mullin designed the logo for WRF and is an illustrator currently living in Denver, CO. She works in many mediums and outlets in her spare time, and recently published her first children's book "One Tomato."