Our Board of Directors represent a diverse set of skills and expertise used to work toward our mission of empowering local communities to connect to and protect their native wildlife through education, research, and livelihood enhancement. The Board of Directors meets monthly to discuss activities, and committees meet routinely to plan and implement projects.

Board of Directors

President: Stephanie Cunningham

Stephanie is an ecologist and graduate research assistant. She received her BS in Zoology from Michigan State University and her MS from University of Missouri. She is currently working on her PhD at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Stephanie currently studies population vital rates in fishers, but has worked with a variety of species including white-fronted geese, northern Idaho ground squirrels, cheetahs and scimitar-horned oryx. Her interests lie in statistical modeling of wildlife ecology, and human-wildlife conflict. 

Vice President: Ashley Messier

Secretary: Rishabh Mahendra

Rishabh is pursuing a Ph.D. in agricultural and applied economics at the Division of Applied Social Sciences, College for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources of the University of Missouri-Columbia. The focus of his Ph.D. will be on conservation and restoration of ecosystems using mixed methods. He is a student board member of the Student Affairs’ Assessment Board at the University of Missouri and the President of Universities Fighting World Hunger-Mizzou. Prior to starting his PhD, he was a Copy Editor and the Hindi Lead in the Editorial Team of Ideas for India. In the past, he has also worked as a Young Professional in the Monitoring & Evaluation Unit of the Planning Department, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. He has worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, and at Madras School of Economics, Chennai. He holds an integrated M.Sc. degree in economics with a specialization in environmental economics from Madras School of Economics and Central University of Tamil Nadu. He has a keen interest in the fields of environmental economics including ecosystem services valuation techniques, collective action, the economics of cooperatives, climate change impact assessments, politics, and other developmental sectors in general.

Treasurer: Summer LaRose

Summer is a conservationist passionate about building better landscapes for wildlife through community-based conservation and sustainable agriculture. Summer holds a BS in Wildlife Biology and BA in International Studies from North Carolina State University and an MS in Natural Resources from the University of Missouri. She completed graduate certificates in Agroforestry and Nonprofit Management at the University of Missouri. Summer has several years of experience conducting lab, museum, and field-based wildlife research on a variety of mammalian wildlife species. She has experience in community development at the university level, supporting teams of students in formulating, proposing, and implementing projects addressing extreme poverty and hunger. Summer currently works as a Wildlife Biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Board Members at Large

Walt Anderson

Walt Anderson is a naturalist, artist, photographer, and Professor Emeritus of Environmental Studies at innovative Prescott College in Arizona.  His higher education journey took him through Washington State University, University of Arizona, and University of Michigan, with degrees in Wildlife Biology and Resource Ecology. Formerly a wildlife refuge biologist, Walt pioneered a program of access and interpretation in the Sutter Buttes of California, the subject of two books.  His writings, artwork, and photographs are all ways of sharing his passion for the natural world, both locally and on expeditions he leads around the globe. He has led dozens of natural history safaris to East Africa since 1979 and many other places in the world. He is a Signature Artist with Artists for Conservation. His websites: www.geolobo.com and https://gallery.artistsforconservation.org/artists/8278. 

Alex Freeze

Alex is a wildlife biologist, science communicator and conservation photographer. She has a BS in Wildlife Biology from North Carolina State University and a MS in Environmental Education from Montreat College. Her work focuses on wildlife and conservation biology, environmental education, public outreach, and science communication. Her experiences vary widely, from being a lead technician on a bat research project in the National Capital Region, to years as a collegiate wildlife science educator in the piedmont of North Carolina, to partnering in content creation with a National Geographic photographer and land conservationist in Florida working to conserve land and wildlife. Alex currently works as an adjunct professor of Environmental Biology at Radford University focusing on biodiversity and examining human impacts on the natural world. Alex also works as a science communicator and research assistant for the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in the Center for Animal Human Relationships (CENTAUR). Through CENTAUR, she works to educate the public and greater university community about the complexities of animal-human relationships.

Joseph Logela Melita

Joseph Logela Melita was born and brought up in Eluai Sub – location, Olgulului Location, Lenkism Division from the larger Loitokitok Sub – County, Kajiado County. He joined East African University in the year 2016, undertaking a diploma course in Project Planning & Management. He dropped the course before completion because of the drought that hit entire Maasai Land and livestock suffered, forcing him to go home to take care of his livestock since it is the only source of income his family depends on. He is optimistic about going back to school in the near future to fulfill his dream, which is to acquire a Master’s degree. Logela taught Eluai Nalepo Primary School in the year 2004 as a PTA teacher and later joined Oltukai Lodge in Amboseli as a Gardener. At the same Tourist Lodge, he was promoted to a receptionist position in the same year. Logela posted as an Assistant Manager at Amboseli Community Campsite in 2005 and worked until January 2016 when he joined University. He also taught in a local Guide School, Amboseli Guide School in the year 2010. Currently, Logela is serving Naretoi as Managing Director, which is sponsoring over 200 Maasai girls within Olgulului community. Logela is an advocate for his community, which is why he proposed The Amboseli Guide School to enable Maasai youth to obtain Jobs in the Tourism sector within the Lodges around and in Amboseli National Park. Logela’s other key role is supporting girl child education and empowering the Maasai Women which were left so much behind by their husbands for not letting them own anything except being house wives. He is fighting against all harmful practices within his community, especially in girl children which includes FGM, early marriages, and early pregnancies. Logela would love seeing the abundant wildlife assisting local communities in a meaningful way just like what cattle are doing for them. In doing so, love to these wildlife will be automatic. His interest is based on the success of his community both in education and to have equal rights for both genders.

Shikha Acharya

Shikha is a graduate student at the University of Missouri. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Natural Resources Conservation. She has a BS in Forestry from Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal. After her undergraduate studies, she worked in the field of community-based wildlife conservation for more than a year in Nepal. Her work involved research as well as community outreach and collaboration for species like red panda, pangolins, maire’s yew, and orchids. Shikha is passionate about wildlife conservation through the involvement of local and indigenous communities and wants to continue working in this field.

Founder: Alan Whitehead

Alan founded BCI in 2009 after graduating college. He was introduced to the Maasai community in 2005 during a college course abroad and developed a deep interest and connection to the Maasai. In 2007 he traveled back to Kenya and conducted an educational program he designed called The Maasai Field Guide Training Program (MFGTP). The program was located in the Mara region in 2007. The project was extremely well received by the community & they asked Alan to continue with this work. After graduating Prescott College in 2009 Alan was inspired to create BCI so he could continue with this work.

While working in the Rocky Mountains of Montana on the Gray Wolf management team, Alan got some great news, he received a small grant for the Amboseli Guide School. He began the work of planning logistics for the trip to Kenya. The Amboseli Guide School was a resounding success and 18 Maasai graduated in 2011.  

Alan has a BA, Prescott College, Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Conservation Biology, and a Minor in Indigenous Cultural Studies, 2009. Alan is a dedicated Conservation Biologist and has worked in Wolf Management in Montana, Ecoguide Instructor, Wrangler, Sea Kayaking Instructor, Adventure Trip Leader, and Martial Arts Instructor. His professional qualifications include African Guiding, Wilderness First Responder, Desert Survival, Scuba, and Emergency Management. He has field experience in the United States and abroad.

Alan has passed the reigns of BCI to a new generation and is currently pursuing another career path. The below quote is still and always will be true. Ashe oleng

“My passions and interests lie in addressing the current biodiversity and cultural diversity crisis by collaborating with indigenous communities throughout the world on conservation, human-wildlife conflict and threatened species issues. I believe that one of the most sustainable ways to conserve biocultural ecosystems is by empowering local communities through education, conservation and ecotourism.”

BCI Intern

Sereena Kumar

Sereena Kumar is a Junior at Enloe High School. She enjoys taking nature walks with her dog, Tux, and admiring the pretty fall leaves. She likes to write about universal challenges that her generation faces in her article series, “A Teenage Story”, in Saathee Magazine. Sereena enjoys singing Italian opera, editing videos, and doodling in her spare time. Recently, she has discovered how to crochet her own clothes. Along with the humanities, Sereena also has a love for the science and math. She is passionate about studying how we can use green chemistry to design sustainable, eco-friendly products. She volunteers in Kumon Math and Reading Center and experiences an immense amount of satisfaction from teaching kids how to love learning.