Dear Coalition Members,

I am delighted to introduce myself as the new Executive Director for Conservation without Conflict. For those of you that don’t know me yet, my name is Leopoldo Miranda-Castro (Leo), and I am honored to have the opportunity to serve in this position. I want to thank Lauren Ward, our first Executive Director who was able to bring this coalition to life and take us to where we are today even with all the challenges we experienced with the pandemic.

As a brief background, I am a retired Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I have been working for over three decades in conservation. In fact, my very first job with the FWS was as a private land biologist in my native Puerto Rico. My career took me to Washington D.C., Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and to the Southeast Regional Office in Atlanta, GA. I hold a degree in Marine Biology from the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao and a Master's in Zoology from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. I have spent my entire career working in conservation and natural resource management, with a particular focus on sustainable collaborative conservation initiatives and partnerships. Voluntary, fish and wildlife management and conservation are my passions!

On a personal context, my wife Jessica and I are the owners of a property that we call “Ochillee Farm” near Columbus, GA in the little town of Cusseta. We have several hundred acres of longleaf and loblolly pines. We manage it for wood and for wildlife and we enjoy every little bit about it. We also have a few farm animals and very recently some beehives!

As the new Executive Director, I am committed to building on the great work that has already been done by Conservation without Conflict Coalition. I am excited to work with you and to hear your perspectives on the most pressing issues facing conservation across our nation.

I believe that by working together, we can make a significant impact on the conservation of our natural resources, while also promoting sustainable development (both ecologically and economically) and building stronger and healthier communities.

I look forward to getting to know each of you over the coming weeks and months. If you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. My email address is l.mirandacastro@gmail.com and my phone number is 470-346-7392.

Thank you for your warm welcome, and I am thrilled to be a part of this organization!

Sincerely,

Leo

Leopoldo Miranda-Castro

Executive Director

Conservation without Conflict

www.ConservationwithoutConflict.org

PS - We are trying to ensure all members and other interested people receive the coalition's emails. They can SUBSCRIBE by clicking here and filling up the simple form. So please, go ahead share and encourage them to follow us!

If you want to update your profile in the links below.