Jacob leads the Center for Conservation Innovation, where we focus on improving wildlife conservation in the U.S., especially under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We work at the intersection of data, technology, and policy to pioneer innovative, pragmatic conservation solutions. We work with others inside and outside of Defenders to make conservation data available and easily interpretable, so that policy makers and the public can make informed decisions about conservation. As part of leading the Center, Jacob serves as an affiliate faculty member in the Environmental Science and Policy department at George Mason University, is an editor of the leading conservation journal Conservation Letters, and is a member of the Policy Tools and Methodologies task force of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Jacob is always happy to talk or write about science, technology, policy, and the critters we work to protect.
PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, 2013
University of Texas at Austin
BA in Conservation Ecology, 2007
Prescott College