Our small multi-national team includes 19 people from 16 countries and 4 continents. Together we #StandTallForGiraffe.

Stephanie Fennessy

As Executive Director and Co-Founder Steph handles GCF’s day-to-day business, including liaison with conservation partners throughout the world and fundraising. With an MSc in Environmental Engineering, she is a skilled and experienced environmental manager who has successfully worked in diverse working cultures and multi-disciplinary teams within the private, Government and NGO sector on three continents – Africa, Australia and Europe. Steph’s expertise is in project management and ranges from community based natural resource management to technical sustainability solutions. She continues to be hands-on involved in a wide range of giraffe projects across Africa and particularly enjoys spending time in the field. Steph is a member of the IUCN SSC Giraffe & Okapi Specialist Group.

Julian Fennessy

Julian is the Director of Conservation and Co-Founder of GCF and coordinates all giraffe conservation efforts as the technical expert. He has over 20 years experience in species and habitat ecology, conservation and land management throughout the African continent as well as in Australia. His experience in the field of giraffe conservation is something few others can boast, from individual field projects, supervision of students, population and country-wide assessments, to expert advisor on national and regional conservation strategies and action plans. Julian has conducted numerous conservation expeditions across all regions of the Africa continent, and worked with all giraffe species and subspecies. He co-founded the IUCN SSC Giraffe & Okapi Specialist Group and recently retired as Co-Chair after providing inspirational leadership to the group for 12 years. Julian holds a PhD in Biological Science from the University of Sydney, Australia based on his initial work in Namibia – the ecology of the desert-dwelling giraffe in Namibia’s northwest. His diverse skill base provides a solid science and conservation foundation from which GCF can grow.

Naemi Antonius

Naemi is the Senior Environmental Educator for the Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP). She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resources Management (Nature Conservation) from the Namibian University of Science and Technology. Before joining GCF as an intern in 2016, she did an internship with the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) where she developed a keen interest in environmental education. Naemi loves nature and all living things, but her real passion is for plants.

Michael Butler Brown

Michael is a conservation ecologist and a joint fellow with GCF and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Michael brings a passion for conservation and a wealth of experience in both field research and applied quantitative ecology; seeking to integrate nuanced ecological perspectives into meaningful conservation strategy. Prior to working with GCF, Michael earned a master’s degree in conservation biology from Columbia University, studying the movement ecology of the endangered Grevy’s Zebra. He then spent years of fieldwork as a project manager for Princeton University’s Laikipia Zebra Project in Kenya, honing bushcraft and field skills in pursuit of ecological understandings. For his subsequent PhD research with Dartmouth College and supported by GCF, Michael spent five years studying multi-scale effects of changing resource distribution on giraffe ecology in Uganda. Combining long-term non-invasive photographic surveys, GPS telemetry, behavioural observations and monitoring of vegetation dynamics, Michael worked to design a nation-wide conservation science programme for giraffe in Uganda. As a conservation science fellow, Michael will be working to advance GCF’s missions of informing conservation initiatives with the most rigorous science available.

Petrus ‘Audi’ Ekandjo

Audi joined GCF in 2018 as an Environmental Educator for the Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP). With a BSc in Natural Resources Management and an Advanced Certificate in Python Programming from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, Audi enjoys working with data, animals and people. He now coordinates GCF’s long-term conservation monitoring programme in North-Western Namibia which allows him to combine his passions by spending time in the field and crunching data in the office. Audi grew up in the central north of Namibia and has a keen interest in learning more about the environment, in particular large mammals, in Namibia. Outside of work, Audi enjoys travelling and camping.

Sara Ferguson

Sara is a wildlife veterinarian and GCF’s Conservation Health Coordinator. She graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine and is qualified with the Namibia Veterinary Council. Sara leads the Giraffe Conservation Health Initiative that approached giraffe conservation from a veterinary science and conservation medicine perspective. In this role Sara coordinates veterinary support for GCF’s field operations, evaluates the best immobilisation practices for giraffe, addresses disease and health issues in wild giraffe populations, assists in the development of new technology for satellite tracking and methods for conservation translocations. She also works collaboratively with partners, such as the University of Namibia School of Veterinary Medicine, to enhance capacity building opportunities for the next generation of Africa’s wildlife veterinarians. Sara is an associate researcher for Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, Florida, who generously sponsor her position.

Martha Haukongo

Martha works as Environmental Educator in the Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP). She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resources Management from the Namibia University of Science and Technology. Martha was born and raised in northern Namibia. She is passionate about the environment and conservation and has a special interest in understanding animal behaviour in particular in relation to human-wildlife conflict. In her spare time, Martha enjoys watching nature documentaries and currently pursues a BSc in English.

Rigardt Hoffman

Rig is the Conservation Programme Officer for the Southern African operations at GCF. He studied marine science at the Universities of Newcastle (Australia) and Cape Town (South Africa). For his MSc, he focused on shark behaviour at the South African east coast. After a short stint working in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Rig’s focus changed towards terrestrial ecology and he hasn’t looked back since. With extensive experience in monitoring, research, capture, release, and husbandry with most of the Big Five, he is now keen to concentrate on giraffe. His position will be an exciting mix between desktop work and hands-on field conservation. Rig will have the opportunity to explore the Southern African region further and work with numerous GCF partners to further giraffe conservation.

Souley Kouato Larwanou, Cloé Pourchier & Razack Moussa Zabeirou

Souley, Cloé and Razack are GCF’s Niger team. As accountant Souley is responsible for finances, while Razack and Cloé work as programme officers. All three positions are shared with our partners Sahara Conservation Fund. Based in Niamey the capital city of Niger, they are located about 60 km from the last viable population of West African giraffe. Working closely with the Nigerien government and local authorities, they are supporting most of the giraffe activities in the country; from the annual census to awareness raising among local communities. Apart from giraffe, they are also dedicated to saving the existing Sahelo-Saharian wildlife and key habitats as well as to reintroducing and restoring lost species through a partnership with the Sahara Conservation Fund. The team is passionate about Niger and its wildlife, and are either born and bred in Niger or spent the majority of their life in the country. Their differences in cultural, education and skill make them a very effective and resourceful team, and a valuable asset to GCF.

Adams Kipchumba

Born and raised in Kenya, Adams is a conservation scientist with a keen interest in animal movement ecology, conservation conflicts and socio-ecological systems. Adams is a certified public accountant, who started his professional career as Accounts and Data Officer at Space for Giants, where his passion for conservation was ignited. After completing his MSc in Environmental Management (Conservation) at the University of Stirling, Scotland, UK with a Commonwealth Scholarship, he worked as researcher for Save the Elephants, focusing on elephant movement ecology and human-elephant conflict. With over seven years of experience in the conservation sector in Kenya, Adams recently joined GCF as the East Africa Programme Officer. When not wrapping his head around R and GIS, Adams spends his time outdoors and you will often find him hiking or camping somewhere in the wilderness of Kenya.

Martina Küsters

Martina joined the GCF team in mid 2022 as the Programme Coordinator for the Etosha Heights Conservation Centre based on the Etosha Heights Private Reserve in Namibia. Martina started her conservation career as a field technician for the University of California (Berkeley, USA), where she worked with a wide range of wildlife species, and was involved in the capture, telemetry tracking and data retrieval in Etosha National Park. She has a BTech in Nature Conservation from the Cape Peninsula University of Science & Technology in South Africa. As a member of the Black-footed Cat Working Group she monitored these elusive cats in the Upper Karoo in South Africa for five years. After her return to Etosha NP in 2019, she assisted with the implementation of the SMART programme, monitoring tagged animals, camera traps, skills development & training, capacity building and GIS mapping. Martina is currently pursuing her MSc in Natural Resource Management at the Namibia University of Science and Technology and continues to coordinate the Black-footed Cat Research Project in Namibia.

Courtney Marneweck

Courtney is GCF’s Conservation Science Data Coordinator. Her background includes extensive research on the behavioural and spatial ecology of mammals ranging from white rhino to African wild dog and small carnivores. With experience from postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Mpumalanga (South Africa) and Clemson University (USA), as well as her PhD research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), she brings a diverse perspective to GCF. Courtney handles everything to do with data at GCF and is passionate about science with application. Her role will streamline and develop GCF’s data systems to increase our collaborations, outputs, and impact. In her spare time, Courtney enjoys travel and spending time with her dogs.

Kudakwashe Mbaiwa

Kuda joined GCF in June 2019 as a finance intern in our Windhoek office. He completed his Honours Degree in Finance Management at the International University of Management in 2021. Originally from Zimbabwe, Kuda moved to Namibia when he was 13 years old. During his free time he enjoys playing soccer and tennis as well as gaming.

Timo Mvula

Timo is one of the environmental educators in GCF’s KEEP team. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resources Management (Nature Conservation) from the Namibia University of Science and Technology. Born and raised in Namibia, Timo is passionate about nature, conservation and enjoys working with people who share his passion for nature and animals, as well as handling data. Outside of work, Timo enjoys spending time with his family and travelling.

Nicky McNamara

Nicky joined GCF as the Finance & Compliance Manager in early 2022. Born and bred in Namibia, Nicky has a passion for the environment and a love for simplicity. Nicky has spent the last decade working on a variety of projects and contracts while concentrating on her primary role as a mum to three children. She is a multi-faceted individual with strong ethics and organisational skills, which will come handy in her first foray into the NGO sector. Outside of work, Nicky can usually be found enjoying time with friends and family or her head firmly stuck in a book. She is excited to explore a new working environment and ready for new challenges.

Arthur Muneza

As GCF’s East Africa Coordinator, Arthur heads up the Nairobi office. He brings together research efforts and partnerships to secure the future of the three species that occur in the region: Masai, Nubian and Reticulated giraffe. Originally from Rwanda, he spent his formative years living and learning in Kenya, one of the most biologically diverse countries in Africa, where he nurtured an interest in wildlife ecology and conservation. Through the support and collaboration with GCF and other partners, Arthur obtained his Masters and PhD degrees from Michigan State University in the USA, where his research mainly focused on the ecological and anthropogenic factors affecting giraffe survival in East Africa. Through a broad and diverse network of collaborators and partners, Arthur leads GCF’s efforts to support and implement various giraffe conservation initiatives throughout East Africa.

Board of Directors

Till Hollmann

Till grew up along the Alaska Highway in Northern British Columbia (Canada) where his passion for the outdoors and wildlife was sparked at a young age. When he visited Steph and Julian in Namibia in 2010, he became interested in giraffe and has followed and supported the work of GCF ever since. Till’s educational background includes a BA in Philosophy from the University of Victoria in Canada, an MSc in Engineering from Linköping University in Sweden, and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, USA. He currently lives in the Houston area with his wife and son where he is a Vice President and General Manager with Crane Co. Till has worked globally for several multi-national companies including Eaton and Alstom, and his career includes roles in general management, supply chain management, operations, new product development and information systems. Till’s skills will help GCF to grow as an organisation in his role as the Chair of the Board. Outside of work Till enjoys good food, running, skiing, cycling and photography.

ShariLeigh Gordon

ShariLeigh is a native New Yorker who has been drawn to the African continent since her first visit at the age of 12. Her love for adventure travel brought her back years later for a safari, where the first animal she saw was a giraffe galloping across a plain. She was immediately hooked. ShariLeigh spent several years working and living in Johannesburg, South Africa, During that time she travelled around sub-Saharan Africa extensively, taking every opportunity she could to enjoy the unique wildlife. ShariLeigh has a BA in the Biological Basis of Behaviour from the University of Pennsylvania, a JD from Fordham University and an LL.M. in Taxation from NYU. She has spent her career executing transactions across the globe, working for several well-known entities, including EY and Bank of America. Her professional experience will be an asset as GCF seeks to maximise its impact on giraffe conservation. ShariLeigh loves to cook and enjoys good wine, particularly South African Cape Blends. She is dedicated to fitness and spends as much time as she can in New York’s Central and Riverside Parks.

Chris Kelsch

Chris is an active multi disciplinary designer and creative from the Greater New York City area. Chris studied and graduated from The Pratt Art Institute in Brooklyn New York and has worked in advertising since. In 2018 Chris joint GCF for a one-month volunteer placement through The International Exchange when he helped GCF develop its brand voice. He was inspired by Julian and Steph’s passion for giraffe and has supported GCF by designing collateral ever since.

Lars Markgren

Lars was born Skellefteå in northern Sweden, but with a father who worked for the World Bank and a mother who liked adventure, he spent most of his childhood in Maryland (USA) and his teens in Kenya. Lars has an engineering degree from The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and has spent his professional career starting and building companies mainly in the online gaming space. With a keen interest in wildlife and Africa Lars has been involved in conservation for a while. When meeting Julian and Steph in 2017, he was fascinated and impressed by their work and has provided support to GCF since then.

Tim Tetzlaff

As Director of Conservation at Naples Zoo, Tim focuses on saving plants and animals in the wild through 20 long-term conservation projects with both governmental and non-governmental partners including GCF’s substantial collaborative efforts. He has served on various formal and ad hoc committees of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums including the Wildlife Conservation Committee. He is Chair of the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group and President of the Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Tim heads up Naples Zoo’s travel programme and regularly hosts safaris to Africa. He holds two degrees from The Ohio State University.

Lindy van den Bosch

South African by birth, Lindy holds a Commerce Degree and is a chartered accountant who has worked in finance across Southern Africa. With a love for the African bush, Lindy is also an experienced nature guide with a special interest in birding. From her adopted home in Windhoek, the busy mother of two boys now runs a successful lodge management company in Namibia together with her husband. Lindy has travelled extensively in Southern Africa, Europe and the USA and is an accomplished endurance athlete: swimming, running, cycling – you name it! With her head firmly on her shoulders and sound financial management competence, she brings important finance skills and scrutiny to the GCF Board.