Our Team

Chief Executive Officer

Global Forest Generation’s Executive Director since January 2019, Florent is developing partnerships among his extensive contacts in the forest and restoration donor community that can support, finance, and implement ecosystem regeneration projects globally. He has been involved in over 200 forest and land use projects worldwide and has extensive knowledge in developing, financing and scaling projects. Prior to joining Global Forest Generation, Florent, a forest engineer, worked for major global forest organizations, including the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). He is a founding and/or board member of multiple global networks, including the Global Landscapes Forum’s Youth in Landscapes Initiative and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Commission on Communication and Education (CEC).He is a former President of the International Forest Students’ Association.

Florent grew up in France and Germany. At the age of 19, he left Europe for Asia, spending five years in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, followed by eight years in Latin America (Honduras, Peru, and Mexico) where he gathered extensive field experience. He is fluent in 4 languages and communicates effectively in 3 more.

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President, Acción Andina & Co-Founder

Constantino (Tino) Aucca, President of Asociacion Ecosistemas Andinos (ECOAN), co-founded the Peruvian conservation nonprofit in 2001. Under his leadership,  indigenous communities have successfully planted more than three million native trees.  Recognizing that benefits are powerful incentives in developing a community consensus and commitment to conservation, Tino continues to lead efforts to empower communities to secure title to their lands, provide medical supplies, construct vegetable greenhouses, deliver solar electricity and water heaters, build tourism infrastructure, and improve the marketing of textiles to tourists. He has also enabled many high Andes communities to reduce demand for firewood from Polylepis forests by providing fuel-efficient stoves and alternative sources of fuel.    

Tino’s accomplishments have been honored with prestigious conservation awards, including the 2013 Carlos Ponce del Prado for the preservation of Peru’s biodiversity.  He was the 2014 recipient of the Jean-Marc Vichard Conservation and Development Award by the Zoo d’Amneville, France. It recognizes the person, anywhere in the world, “who best demonstrates how their work for the reduction of poverty improves the situation for biodiversity and endangered species. Applicants are judged on the originality and impact of their work, as well as on the potential for their project to be reproduced in other regions of the world.”   But Tino may be most proud of an early achievement: overcoming the rampant racism and discrimination against indigenous Quechua people like himself and graduating from college in 1993 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco.   

Co-Founder & Senior Advisor

Upon joining the Board of Directors of World Land Trust US in 2013, Leslie Danoff was the moving force behind its successful rebranding. As a result of her leadership, the conservation non-profit became Rainforest Trust and was able to significantly enlarge its strategic vision. Revenue increased tenfold during Leslie’s four-year tenure on the Board. While serving as a Board member, she worked pro-bono to develop Rainforest Trust’s communications and outreach capacity.

Leslie’s professional highlights as a broadcast journalist include working with Bill Moyers in public television and with Walter Cronkite at CBS News on Election Night. At CBS, she worked on news specials and documentaries and developed multi-part series for the Morning News, such as Trade-Offs Between the Environment and Economy. At New York’s public television station, WNET, she won an Emmy for a public affairs series devoted to critical New York City issues. Leslie is an independent documentary filmmaker and a 1973 graduate of the first class of women at Yale. 

Co-Founder & Senior Advisor

Dr. George Fenwick (PhD, Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins) is the founder of the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the only United States non-profit devoted exclusively to protecting native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. As its President for twenty-three years, George was the catalyst in creating, expanding, and sustaining 70 globally significant biodiversity reserves in twelve countries, which protect a million acres. Those reserves provide critical habitat for more than two hundred endangered species, including birds, mammals, plants, and amphibians.  

A primary focus of George’s leadership has been and continues to be reinforcing the organizational strength of conservation groups managing private reserves, which ABC was instrumental in creating in Latin America. Throughout his conservation career, he has been devoted to generating significant funding resources for the greater conservation community.  

George spearheaded the creation of the Bird Conservation Alliance and North American Bird Conservation Initiative as well as the Alliance for Zero Extinction. Prior to founding the American Bird Conservancy, he worked for fifteen years at The Nature Conservancy as Vice-President and Director of Ecosystem Conservation, Vice-President for Stewardship, Acting Director of Science, and Chair of the Steering Committee for the Last Great Places Campaign.  Early in his career, he helped create the Maryland and Virginia Natural Heritage Programs for The Nature Conservancy.  As these state programs provide the nation’s only inventory of its flora and fauna, this repository is invaluable to scientists and conservationists seeking to save species.

George is a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Forest Foundation, including its Expert Review Panel for Sustainable Forestry; the Board of the American Forest and Paper Association; and the Advisory Council of the Open Space Institute.

Co-Founder & Senior Advisor

Prior to co-founding GFG in 2018,  Rita Fenwick was the Director of Development for American Bird Conservancy.  There she led successful efforts to raise more than $200 million dollars from individuals, foundations, corporations, multi-laterals and other non-profits.  As a Vice President, she was instrumental in supporting the development and implementation of more than 300 conservation projects, helping to sustain 70 private reserves in Latin America, and training and mentoring staff in partner organizations.

After graduating from the University of Virginia in 1983 (BA, Latin American Studies), Rita was the Director of Development and Communications for The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Virginia Chapter (1986-92). During her time with The Nature Conservancy, the Virginia Chapter won the Governor’s Award for Excellence and TNC’s “Best Chapter” award.  Shortly after the founding of the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) in 1994, Rita became the head of the Development Division, becoming one of its principal fundraisers. ABC is the only United States non-profit devoted exclusively to protecting native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas.

Senior Advisor

Erin Lebbin worked for eight years in development at American Bird Conservancy, and currently is Board Chair of Osa Conservation, which she has served as a pro bono fundraiser. She is also a volunteer with the DMV Sanctuary Network, which assists the immigrant community in the Washington, DC area.

Communications Director

Originally from the USA, Wade has spent the last decade living and working across Europe, Asia, and Oceania. After completing a bachelor's degree in Communications Media and working for several years in the marketing industry, he left the States to pursue his passion for photography. Over the following five years, Wade developed an expansive portfolio featuring wildlife, landscape, and cultural images with emphasis on long-term projects dedicated to conservation and sustainability. He has received numerous awards including several publicatons on the National Geographic Your Shot website, and his photos have been featured in magazines, newspapers, and websites in several countries.

Over the course of his photography career, Wade cultivated a keen interest in science, and chose to attain a master's degree in Sustainable Resource Management at the Technical University of Munich. Since completing his studies, he has accumulated extensive field and research exeperience, and worked on science and communications contracts funded by organizations including: UNESCO, the European Union, and the Bavarian State Department of Forestry. In gaining a solid foundation in the scientific principles driving conservation research, Wade's interdisciplinary experience provides GFG a unique, holistic view of the challenges facing the planet and the ability to break down complex topics into engaging stories.

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Development Manager

Raised in Southeast Asia and frequently on the move, Anna has worked on environmental and social development projects in several countries, including Mexico, Bolivia, India, Kenya, South Africa and Malawi. She has studied in the USA, Argentina and the Netherlands, and holds degrees in Political Science, Business Administration, and is working towards a Masters in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health. Currently living in Mexico, Anna joins GFG's development team with a strong track record in project management, operations, and partnership development.

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Conservation Program Officer

Stephanie Arellano is a Biologist with Masters degrees in Socio-Ecological Sustainability as well as Environmental, Economic & Social Sustainability with a specialization in Ecological Economics. She completed complementary studies in Landscape Governance, Economic Tools for Conservation and Management of Environmental Projects. At IUCN, her oversight of biodiversity conservation projects in South America required global coordination and responsibility for technical and budget execution as well as monitoring and evaluation. Stephanie was also responsible for the implementation of IUCN's science-based tools and methodologies for the conservation of biodiversity, including KBAs (Key Biodiversity Areas) and Red List for threatened species. She was the focal point for the region for the Green List Standard for Protected and Conserved Areas, as well as for the Convention on Biological Diversity and the IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services).  Previously, at Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment, she coordinated the Protected Areas Unit, as well as lead the MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) component for REDD+.  Her experience overseeing conservation projects, with a special focus on protected and conserved areas of South America, includes extensive collaboration with national and subnational governments, indigenous peoples, local communities, and NGO’s.

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Development Officer

Kathleen McGibbon studied International Relations at the University of Wales, Swansea, Wales, UK and Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where she was granted a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. 

She began her nonprofit career at Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, working in the development and media departments for six years, including as a Project Manager. She subsequently was engaged with animal welfare nonprofits across the U.S., including Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary and Viva Rescue.  She was Development Director for Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary.

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Administrative & HR Assistant

Jan is originally from Pulaski, a small town in upstate New York near Lake Ontario. She earned her AAS in Equine Studies from Cazenovia College, NY before continuing her education, earning her BA in English and Creative Writing at SUNY Fredonia. She moved to South Carolina to take a position as the Breeding Manager at a large horse farm outside of Columbia, SC. She later explored other career fields including Sales/Marketing and Print Media and Publishing. Most recently, before accepting her position as Administrative and HR Assistant at GFG, she was the Administrative Coordinator at the Turtle Survival Alliance for over 5 years, where she also served as the Board Secretary. Her love for nature and wildlife drives her passion for the conservation field.

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Chair of the Board

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.  He also served on the board of Tembec, Inc., a publicly traded Canadian forest products company, for 15 years.  Over the last twenty 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 Global Forest Generation, Jim currently serves on a number of non-profit boards, primarily in the environmental and conservation fields, including NatureServe, where he is board chair, the International Crane Foundation, EcoAgriculture Partners and the Amazon Conservation Association. Jim previously served on the boards of Forest Trends, American Bird Conservancy, and First Peoples Worldwide, an indigenous rights and development organization.

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Vice-Chair of the Board & Co-Founder

Upon joining the Board of Directors of World Land Trust US in 2013, Leslie Danoff was the moving force behind its successful rebranding. As a result of her leadership, the conservation non-profit became Rainforest Trust and was able to significantly enlarge its strategic vision. Revenue increased tenfold during Leslie’s four-year tenure on the Board. While serving as a Board member, she worked pro-bono to develop Rainforest Trust’s communications and outreach capacity.

Leslie’s professional highlights as a broadcast journalist include working with Bill Moyers in public television and with Walter Cronkite at CBS News on Election Night. At CBS, she worked on news specials and documentaries and developed multi-part series for the Morning News, such as Trade-Offs Between the Environment and Economy. At New York’s public television station, WNET, she won an Emmy for a public affairs series devoted to critical New York City issues. Leslie is an independent documentary filmmaker and a 1973 graduate of the first class of women at Yale. 

Board Member

Miles Freeland's current work for Pangaia is focused on helping to make sustainable innovation the new norm in the clothing industry.  Having lived and worked on three continents, Miles is well versed in navigating cultural nuances to obtain optimum results.  A Brit, Miles grew up in the English countryside in Devon, where at a very young age he learned to appreciate and respect the beauty of nature. These values and love of the environment have stayed with him as he has explored the world. He now lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and two young children.

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Board Member

Kelly Grier has extensive experience in corporate governance and in advising the CEO’s and boards of many of the world’s largest companies. Her election by fellow EY Partners to be CEO of the US Firm and Americas Area as well as Chair of EY’s Board reflects her deep expertise in audit quality, financial reporting, leadership development, and ESG. During Kelly’s term as CEO (which included the pandemic), EY delivered record growth.

As a current Board member of ITW, she is intensely focused on corporate governance, strategic alliances, entrepreneurship, innovation and transformation. Additional Board memberships include the Peterson Institute for International Economics and CECP (Chief Executive for Corporate Purpose), advising business leaders on corporate responsibility and sustainability, finance, and investor relations.

Kelly has been honored by Forbes as one of “the up and coming leaders set to revolutionize American business”, by Fortune as one of the Most Powerful Women in Business, and by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.

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Board Member

After training as a radiologist in Boston, David Harrison worked all across the United States, from Louisiana to Alaska, and spent a year with his family in New Zealand before settling in Oregon in 2005.  He has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including American Bird Conservancy, the Oregon Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and Salem Health.

https://www.salemradiology.net/staff/dr-david-harrison/

Board Member

During Alberto Paniagua’s tenure (1998-2018) as CEO of the private Peruvian Trust Fund for National Parks & Protected Areas (Profonanpe), he made this institution the first of its kind in Latin America to introduce international fiduciary standards into its organizational design. Profonanpe is considered a pioneer in the promotion and implementation of conservation and sustainable development projects for the benefit of Andean and Amazonian communities. Alberto’s fundraising strategy resulted in the growth of Profonanpe’s revenue from US$16 million to nearly US$240 million in non-reimbursable funds.

Under his leadership, Profonanpe in 2015 was the first entity in the Americas to be accredited as a national implementing entity (NIE) by the Green Climate Fund. Alberto also established the Cordillera Azul National Park Trust Fund, which administers financial resources from the international sale of carbon certificates.

Earlier in his career (1997), while advising UNDP (United Nations Development Program) in Peru, Alberto was responsible for the design and creation of the micro-enterprise bank, MIBANCO, to relieve poverty. Half of the banks 900,000 rural and urban clients are women whose MIBANCO loans have provided a greater ability to contribute financially to their families, including to boost their children's educational opportunities. MIBANCO remains the banking institution with the lowest delinquency rate in Peru's financial system.   

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Board Member

Shaun has worked on every continent with donors, investors, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations, and social purpose companies, scaling catalytic strategies that address intractable problems. He has 30 years of experience in private finance, philanthropy, and international rural development, leading the creation and growth of innovative for-profit and non-profit companies that support the well-being of people and planet.His work has relied on forging blended finance strategies, business acumen, and social mission, as well as orchestrating international multi-stakeholder partnerships that have included UN agencies, government, multinational companies, and civil society organizations.

In 2012, Shaun partnered with Good Capital to establish an impact venture fund, Reinventure Capital, where he serves as a General Partner. Reinventure Capital matches capital with technology innovations to invest in growth companies led by women and people of color. In 1992, at the age of 28, Shaun co-founded and for 20 years led the non-profit organization, EcoLogic Development Fund, to empower rural and indigenous peoples to restore and protect tropical ecosystems by providing grants and technical assistance to grassroots organizations integrating community-led development and conservation. In 2006, he founded Pico Bonito Forests, LLC to restore tropical habitats in Honduras through reforestation commercially. Beginning in 1999, Shaun guided the launch and seven-year incubation of Root Capital that has now provided more than $1.1 billion in loans benefiting 637 small and growing businesses in Latin America and Africa. 

Shaun is a Research Fellow at the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University to innovate measuring the social impact of private investments, an advisor to the Mentor Capital Network, a nominator for the Goldman Environmental Prize, and designated as a Next Generation Leadership Fellow by the Rockefeller Foundation. He has served as a board member of Accelerating Appalachia to grow early-stage nature-based companies, International Funders for Indigenous Peoples, and Creative Action Institute.

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