Who We Are

President & Researcher, Director

Favorite Felid: Mountain Lion

Biologist and entrepreneur Zara is founder and president of Felidae, a global conservation organization conducting innovative research on wild felid species in the Bay Area and in targeted regions across the globe. She is also serving on the Board of Directors.

Zara has led startup ventures in technology, biotech, healthcare and private equity. She formed Felidae in 2006 after a transformative encounter on a Bay Area trail with a mountain lion. The benign encounter compelled her to question the prevailing narrative of the dangerous predator, leading to further questions about how wild felids influence ecosystems and biodiversity, especially at the urban-wildland interface, and how we can succeed at co-existence.

She has worked throughout the world researching snow leopards, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, and multiple lesser known small cat species in Asia, Africa and South America.

Zara is also a former competitive marathoner and ultra-runner, as well as a dedicated biohacker and certified human potential coach. In her nonexistent free time, Zara practices yoga and meditation, and enjoys riding her Ducati Monster and piloting a small plane. 

Lead Wildlife Ecologist

Alys Granados is interested in using science to inform wildlife conservation strategies in partnership with diverse groups of stakeholders. She has a PhD in Zoology from the University of British Columbia, Canada where she used camera traps to measure the impacts of logging on wildlife in Malaysian Borneo. Following her PhD, she returned to Borneo to work as Field Research Manager for the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program. Most recently, Alys was a postdoc at the University of British Columbia where she studied multiscale effects of recreation and land use on mammals in western Canada.

Wildlife Biologist

Favorite Felid: Cheetah

Katie is a recent graduate from Reed College where she obtained a degree in biochemistry. After graduating, she discovered her interests lie more with wildlife biology and ecology and has been working seasonal field jobs to gain experience.

Her goal is to become an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and research the effects of human activity on wildlife.

Favorite wild cat species: "Tough call, but I'll go with cheetah!"

Wildlife Biologist Technician

Favorite Felid: Tiger

Cailan graduated from UC Davis with a degree in wildlife, fish, and conservation biology. During college she worked on projects with waterfowl, birds of prey, and small carnivores. After college she interned at the Oakland Zoo with their lions, tigers, camels, currasows, and cuckoos.

Her love of animals and wildlife started early and she continues to pursue opportunities to work with a variety of species. She is especially interested in human-wildlife conflict and the relationships humans have with wildlife in this ever changing world.

She is very fond of tigers from her time at the Oakland Zoo, and they have become her favorite wild cat.

Community Program Coordinator

Office Manager Joanne offers a calm, grounded presence.

Joanne has extensive experience as a Hospice Chaplain with graduation education in Transpersonal Psychology and Theology. She has been a student of yoga and meditation for years and is an passionate dog lover.

Joanne has a keen interest in wildlife conservation and habitat protection. Joanne's dream is to be a part of the creation of a wildlife corridor.

Researcher

David C. Stoner is a post-doctoral research fellow in the Quinney College of Natural Resources at Utah State University. David received his BA from the Department of Geography at UC Berkeley, and holds graduate degrees from USU, where he investigated the effects of urbanization, habitat fragmentation, and exploitation on cougar behavior and population dynamics. His current work is focused on ungulate migration patterns and habitat use in response to plant phenology, snowpack dynamics, and predation risk. He has worked for the US Forest Service, UC Santa Cruz's Predatory Bird Research Group as well as the USGS Biological Resources Division, Humboldt State University and the California Department of Fish and Game. His interests are in the application of landscape and behavioral ecology to the conservation of mammals and birds.

Accountant

Anower graduated in Accounting and has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Accounting Information System (AIS) from Jagannath University in Dhaka. He is also studying at The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB).

He has experience of working as a bookkeeper at various locally-owned companies for 7 years. Recently, he has started his own bookkeeping service providing business. As he is a passionate environmentalist and believes in making a sustainable lifestyle so, he likes to spend his spare time helping non-profits.

In his free-time, Anower enjoys traveling, hiking and sight-seeing. Till now, he has been discovering his own beautiful country, Bangladesh. In the future, he wishes to see at least 100 countries around the globe.

He believes that it’s important to understand approach to global wildlife research, education and stewardship programs to ensure a future with healthy native wild felid populations and global biodiversity.

 That's why he is passionate about working with communities to create peaceful co-existence with wild felids and safeguarding biodiversity for healthy ecosystems.

Chairman, Board of Directors

Michael is currently a software engineer at Magic Leap, Inc., and has been working at the cutting edge of interactive entertainment for three decades. As Development Director for Felidae, he is inspired by the potential for using cutting-edge technology to drive environmental awareness, and believes that recent advances in the web and mobile devices have created opportunities for bringing the conservation message to a new generation on a wider scale.

From 1990 to 2000, Michael worked in the development team at LucasArts where he helped bring dozens of leading computer and video game into existence. He subsequently worked in startups and as a consultant for a wide range of media and technology companies, including games, web, mobile and educational software. Michael holds a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.F.A. from Mills College. He has been on Felidae's board since 2008, contributing to the organization's strategy, fundraising and media efforts.

Director, Board of Directors

Favorite Felid: Mountain Lion

As a wildlife artist, Michelle primarily focuses on Puma concolor and the multifaceted world that has encircled it - its life in zoos, the pet trade, in the wild, those that are hunted, and human infringement into their territory. Her passion for this umbrella species led Michelle to spend 2 winters in Montana, with professional trackers, tracking these majestic creatures and shooting them, with her camera. This process led to a greater understanding of hunting, their vulnerability, and habitat loss.

Michelle has been a Marin resident for 44 years, and has served on several non-profit boards both here and in Sonoma County. Originally from Austria, Michelle has lived in many states across the country. Michelle graduated from UC Berkeley and was an interior designer for many years.

Director, Board of Directors

Favorite Felid: Leopard

Ms. Osberg, now retired, worked for 25 years in financial technology development and management.

The bulk of her career was spent at Wells Fargo Bank where she became Executive Vice President in charge of the newly created Online Financial Services Division. She was responsible for charting the bank’s internet course and growing the online business. After leaving Wells Fargo, Ms. Osberg was Chief Operating Officer for 724 Solutions, Inc. in Toronto, Canada, and has held various consulting positions for insurance, banking, and technology companies.

She also served on the Board of Directors of The Sequoia Fund for 11 years, holding the position of Chairperson from 2013 until retirement. She holds a BA degree from Dickinson College. Ms. Osberg is a two-time world bridge champion and an avid wildlife photographer/videographer.

Director, Board of Directors

Conor McGrath is a Market Research and Business Analyst at MIT Open Learning.  Conor serves as an internal consultant, assisting the Open Learning team with data analysis and customer insights in order to deliver the best possible online learning solutions for students across the world.  Conor is also an active volunteer in the Boston area, having worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boston Athletic Association, and Community Consulting Teams.

Conor earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, focusing on both marketing and finance, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from St. Lawrence University.  

Director, Board of Directors

Favorite Felid: Lion

Jay is an executive with the Hackett Group. Hackett is a leader in business advisory, business benchmarking and business transformation consulting services, including strategy and operations, working capital management, and globalization advice. Before joining Hackett Jay served as a senior executive with several consulting firms (Accenture, PwC, Diamond) helping them build global practices.

Jay is a native Californian growing up in Southern California. He decided to venture east for college, graduating from Yale University with a degree in Economics. Jay has traveled the world, spending a lot of time outdoors in various habitats ranging from the plateaus of Uganda to the rolling, grassy plains of Wyoming. He now lives with his wife, 3 dogs now and horse in Franklin, Tennessee a few miles south of Nashville.

Director, Board of Directors

Tom A. Tompkins was born and raised in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. He is a graduate of the Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA and the University of Michigan.

From 1976 to 1993, he worked with with United Airlines in various management positions, primarily in their Chicago headquarters in Sales and Marketing.

From 1993 to now, John is the owner of Tompkins World Travel Services, located in Sausalito, CA.

Director, Board of Directors

Jahan has been a professional management consultant for more than three decades. He is currently managing principal of CA Advisors. Previously he was at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Applied Decision Analysis, and Management Science Group. Before his advisory career, he worked at American Airlines and United Airlines.

Jahan has served on the faculty of the School of Business and Management at Notre Dame de Namur University, and also on the faculty of the Department of Aviation at San Jose State University. Jahan holds a masters in management science and engineering from Stanford University, as well as a masters in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Southern California, and bachelor degrees in civil engineering and electrical engineering from the University of Illinois.

He has a passion for preserving the wildlife habitat as an important component of environmental sustainability. Through valued and targeted initiatives, Jahan believes impactful contributions can be made to protect the fragile nature ecosystem that needs to be shared with the wildlife.

Director, Board of Directors

Favorite Felid: Margay

Kevin B. Clark, Ph.D. is SAB Co-Chairperson at Cures Within Reach, NSF XSEDE Campus and Domain Champion in Biomedicine, Member of IEEE Biometrics and Nanotechnology Councils, Affiliate at NASA, Peace Innovation Institute Founding Member at Stanford University and The Hague, and SME at MIT and UPenn. His academic pedigree includes eight Nobel laureates. He helped pioneer neurotech-driven targeted neuroplasticity training and smart quantum biomolecular logic and memory systems in cell biology and for theragnostic medicine and other purposes.

Kevin demonstrates a history of creating local to global (urban and rural) science, community outreach, educational, and business programs that improve diversity, personalized instruction, and discovery culture in STEAM fields of study across human lifespan and educational levels. Together, his competencies as a peer-respected scientist, technologist, educator, community liaison, business leader and advisor, and lifelong steward of wildlife and natural wetlands and other habitats helps him serve the Felidae Conservation Fund and its Board of Directors in various significant ways. The Fund’s goals for research and K12 environmental education especially complement some of Kevin’s past and current work in collaboration with professional societies, corporate technology giants, world-class tertiary academic/research institutions, nonprofit organizations, and local public school districts to establish forward-thinking scientific and educational partnerships, special STEAM curricular programs, advanced (neuroscience-based) instructional, assessment and human behavior design methods, research data and technology standards, and public engagement. Some of this work is exemplified in Kevin’s service as an Advisor to the UN Green Fins Environmental Programme, the NSF-funded National Ecological Observatory Network, and the Max Planck-Yale Center for Biodiversity Movement and Global Change. Kevin is committed to applying all areas of his expertise to further the Fund’s mission in apex predator conservation and natural ecosystem health and diversity.

Director, Board of Directors

Favorite Felid: Leopard

Imran Khan is a researcher, analyst and Finance professional with over 16 years of experience. He has won various international honors over the years and enjoys using his skills to contribute to the growth and development around the world. Imran holds a Masters in Commerce and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.

He loves hiking and is passionate about nature and its preservation because the future of his generations depends directly on it. He is honored to serve on Felidae’s board of directors.

Director, Emeritus Directors

Susan has spent the better part of the last 35 years involved with community activities, politics, volunteer work and philanthropy, both locally and globally. Her primary focus has been in the area of women's issues, particularly reproductive rights, but she has been involved with various educational institutions and other community organizations.

A fundrasier as well as donor, she has held leadership positions with many philanthropic organizations. Some of her current affiliations include Pitzer College and Mother Jones magazine.

With her husband and four children she established a family foundation. The Libra Foundation, whose mission is to support organizations which promote human rights.

Director, Emeritus Directors

Roger G. Merrill is a business consultant through NewBridge Consulting Group in San Francisco and Atlanta. He has more than 20 years of experience with global strategic partnering strategies in high technology. In addition, Roger has over 20 years of strategy consulting and start up experience with high-technology and energy and natural resource companies worldwide. He was a principal in a Silicon Valley-based consulting firm that specialized in product market strategies, major channel partner development and mergers and acquisition. He provided due diligence advice for venture capital clients in well over 100 new and turnaround opportunities across a broad range of industry segments. His work required extensive global travel and he has been in all 50 US states.

Roger has had a life-long interest in mountain lions starting with a family heritage of Montana cattle ranching and outdoor activities throughout the Western US. Over the last several years he has been researching, collecting evidence and cataloging purported mountain lion activities in the northern San Francisco Bay Area (Napa and Solano County). He has seen four mountain lions in the wild.

Roger has a BS degree (Geology) from the University of Northern Colorado, a MS (Engineering) from Stanford University and a MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Director, Emeritus Directors

Soon after graduating from Duke University with an MBA, Kia moved to Silicon Valley to help consumer companies rapidly scale by acquiring the right talent. Most recently as Head of Recruiting for SolarCity (now Tesla), she helped grow the company from 700 to 15,000 employees across the US and Mexico and built an award winning Recruiting Team 150 people strong.

Now retired from the private sector, Kia is able to pursue her life-long interest in conservation. Kia and her husband Brad live in Redwood City with their domestic lions ( three orange tabby cats) and are avid hikers and adventure travelers.

Director, Emeritus Directors

Shelley Alger. serial entrepreneur, also investor, wildlife photographer and advocate. Formerly a Fine Art Photographer, her photography hopes to connect those who rarely if ever interact with wildlife discover an emotional connection and caring for our fellow earthmates. She seeks to make a positive contribution to preserve wild spaces and reverse the trends that are devastating our natural world. She is really looking forward to being on the Felidae Board.

Shelley immerses herself in nascent trends and technologies that promise a more healthy, holistic and sustainable world. She’s passionate about building profitable, socially impactful companies, empowering female founders, fostering balanced, mutually honoring gender dynamics, great teams, leadership, new technologies, advocating for Nature and wildlife, regenerative food systems, integrated health, photography and art, world travel, cultural anthropology, language, dance and neuroscience.

Shelley is a Marin native, a graduate of UCLA and Dominican University, and has traveled to ~80 countries photographing wildlife, indigenous and traditional cultures.

Director, Emeritus Directors

Michael is a Financial Advisor at Scarbrough Financial Group, with offices in the North and East Bay. He enjoys helping people develop successful strategies to manage their money, bringing over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry. Starting out on the trading floors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, he has a breadth of knowledge and experience – working in the areas of Financial Operations, Trading, and Risk Management.

Michael received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and has continued to pursue knowledge and personal experience through extensive travel. He has a passion for the outdoors and is an active trail runner, leading to his interest in wildlife and environmental conservation. Michael’s role on the Board is to provide energy and expertise in initiating and growing partnerships with the community in order to further the organization’s mission toward global co-existence with wild cat species and improving the state of their ecosystems.