Team

Nicholas Dyer (CEO)

Raised in Kenya, Nick spent much of his life working in the City of London as a fund manager before running his own investment marketing business. Returning to Africa in 2012, he refocused his life on something more worthwhile and emotionally rewarding – photography and conservation.

Nick has an enormous passion for painted wolves spending seven years following three packs on foot in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe – studying, photographing and documenting their lives with deep intimacy.

He is the co-author of the highly acclaimed coffee table book, Painted Wolves: A Wild Dog’s Life, which he wrote with Peter Blinston, providing a powerful insight into the lives of the painted wolves and what is being done to save them.

Dedicating his life to conservation, he co-founded the Painted Wolf Foundation to help secure the future of the species. He is now its CEO and the Director of the Painted Dog Fund.

Nick gives talks around the world on behalf of the painted wolves, appears on TV and radio and has articles and photographs published in myriad publications globally including National Geographic.

Nick was a finalist in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition with his photograph ‘Ahead of the Game’. He is a Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society in London and a member of The Explorers Club in New York.

Ruth Kabwe

Ruth Kabwe is driven by a deep conviction that lasting conservation can only succeed when people feel empowered to protect the natural world they depend on. With a BSc in Ecology from Copperbelt University and advanced studies in International Wildlife Conservation at Oxford University, she approaches environmental challenges with both a strategic, community-focused perspective. Currently an Executive MBA candidate at the African Leadership University, Ruth combines management skills with her scientific background to help lead projects at the Painted Wolf Foundation.

In her role managing grants through the Painted Dog Fund, Ruth not only plays a role in identifying strategic investment opportunities but also champions a model of shared ownership with partners. She believes that when individuals see themselves as custodians of their own landscapes, they rise to the responsibility: protecting wildlife becomes a collective ambition rather than a remote mandate.

Alison Serfontein

In her role for the Painted Wolf Foundation, she combines her wide-ranging experience with her keen interest in the wildlife of Africa, using communication as a powerful tool in helping to change the future of the painted wolf.

Alison has experience in both corporate and wildlife sectors, spanning communication, project management, writing and strategic relationship building. She has served as client service director and alternate board member for E-Graphics (TBWA group) and has had the opportunity to work on several special projects, including as script editor for Game of Leopard Thrones, a documentary produced during her time with WildEarth, where she headed the customer relationship team and also wrote short video scripts.

She holds a BA in Communications from the University of Johannesburg and a National Diploma in Copywriting from AAA School of Advertising. 

Will Donald

Will Donald is a conservation biologist with experience working across southern Africa. Based in Zambia, he represents the Painted Wolf Foundation on the ground and works closely with the Zambian Carnivore Programme.

Will is passionate about grounded, collaborative conservation that empowers local leadership and addresses real-world challenges. At the Painted Wolf Foundation, Will is leading the development of a comprehensive capacity-building & leadership programme to enhance painted wolf conservation across Africa.

Will specialises in large carnivore ecology and holds an MRes in Biodiversity, Evolution & Conservation from University College London, where his research focused on the movement ecology of painted wolves. In Kafue National Park, he led research and monitoring across the Musekese-Lumbeya region for four years, designing predator density surveys, launching citizen science initiatives, and mentoring early-career Zambian ecologists.

Dr. Matthew Becker

A wildlife ecologist, Matt joined the project in 2008 as the CEO and Programme Manager and oversees all research, conservation and capacity-building/education efforts for the organization.

An Affiliate Research Faculty at the Montana State University’s Department of Ecology, he has over 25 years experience on a variety of wildlife field research and conservation projects in North America, Antarctica, and Africa, studying numerous endangered species.

Matt conducts and coordinates programme activities with the support and collaboration of Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW).

His fields of research interest and expertise include predator-prey dynamics and conservation biology. Matt is also an Honorary Wildlife Police Officer for DNPW.

Cole du Plessis

Cole grew up in Port Shepstone and completed his honours degree in Environmental Science at Rhodes University, South Africa. He then moved to the Greater Kruger National Park to do his guiding and trails qualifications before working as a priority species monitor for Wildlife ACT. This kickstarted his conservation career and cemented his lifelong bond with African Wild Dogs – South Africa’s most endangered carnivore.

In his role, Cole monitored a pack of African Wild Dogs daily. Two of the pack members had three legs due to snares and most of the others bore snare wounds. His primary job was to intensively
monitor the pack and mitigate any of their common threats. Through learning the packs behaviour and integrating with the pack, he was able to do just that, and the pack grew from six
to 40 individuals in the space of three years. It was this pack that inspired Cole to undertake his in MSc in Protected Area Management in Australia, and after completing his degree, his yearning for the African bush brought him home where soon after, he received the position of Coordinator of the EWT’s Wild Dog Range Expansion Project and then later developed this into the Carnivore Range Expansion Project, which he now manages.

Cole has now been working with the species for 13 years. Since starting with the EWT, his energy and motivation has seen a strong increase in Wild Dog safe space, population numbers and genetic
diversity. His first-hand experience of the compassion that these animals show for each other motivates him to ensure the highest standard of welfare and care for the species.

Dr Harriet Davies-Mostert

With an early career focused on large carnivore conservation, Harriet is passionate about the role of conservation evidence and applied science in driving effective action. She also understands that good decision making is both a science and an art.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Harriet spent the last 23 years at the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa, driving its strategic direction and later building its Conservation Planning and Science Unit. Harriet sits on various national and international advisory and technical committees and is an active member of the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group and is Chairman of the Wild Dog Advisory Group (WAG).

She has published over 50 scientific papers and book chapters covering topics from large carnivore ecology and conservation, natural resources governance and policy, the wildlife economy, road ecology, and restorative justice.

Qualifications include an MSc in Tropical Resource Ecology from the University of Zimbabwe, and a Doctorate on African Wild Dogs from Oxford University’s WildCRU. Harriet is excited by the opportunity to assist Conserve in delivering enormous conservation impact across Africa.

Peter Blinston

Peter first learned of the plight of the painted wolf as an eight-year-old boy growing up in England. He moved to Zimbabwe in 1997 to help establish Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) with his rare combination of passion, interpersonal skills and business and management expertise.

Peter has guided the development and execution of programmes to address the threats directly impacting the painted wolves, from the deployment of anti-poaching units to establishing the world-class Iganyana Children’s Bush Camp. He has hired a capable and dedicated team of local staff, who are also playing a critical role in changing local attitudes towards conservation.

When Peter takes on a new initiative, it will be done well, with full regard for the complexities of doing conservation in Zimbabwe. Peter is also highly regarded by his peers as an effective manager who is rigorous about producing outcomes.

Dr Irene Amoke

Independent Consultant | Founder & Director, ConserveAbility Pathways Ltd | Strategic Advisor, Kenya Wildlife Trust

Dr Irene Amoke is a landscape ecologist with over twenty years of practical experience. Her expertise lies in developing and implementing strategies for sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife, particularly in fragile ecosystems. With a background in conservation science and policy, strategic leadership, and programme management, she has contributed to and worked in academia, government, and the private sector in Kenya, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

As Founder of ConserveAbility Pathways Ltd, a Kenyan-based consulting firm, Irene works with conservation organisations to translate broad goals into measurable outcomes, bridging the gap between strategic vision and implementation. She advises on organisational development, programme management, and sustainable financing. Irene also serves as a Strategic Advisor to Kenya Wildlife Trust, strengthening conservation impact and institutional sustainability. Previously, as Executive Director of KWT, she led conservation strategy, enhanced partnerships and community engagement, and spearheaded fundraising efforts

Irene holds a PhD in Landscape Ecology, an MSc in Environmental Assessment & Management, and a BSc in Zoology. She is an Eisenhower Fellow (2022 Africa Climate Change Programme) and a Women in Environment, Africa Fellow (2023). Passionate about natural capital and nature-based solutions, she serves on various national and international boards. She is also a mentor and facilitator, supporting conservation leadership across Africa.

Dr Peter Lindsey

Peter joined WCN in 2017 as the Conservation Initiatives Director and brings a lifelong passion for African wildlife conservation to the organisation. He has been working on and with African wildlife since 1993, when he started out as an apprentice in Save Valley Conservancy in Zimbabwe.

Peter went on to study at Oxford and ultimately graduated with a PhD from the Mammal Research Institute at the University of Pretoria. Developing an early expertise on painted wolves, Peter went on to work on a broad array of conservation issues ranging from predator conservation, to the threats facing them and other wildlife, to wildlife ranching and community conservation, and most recently to Africa’s vast protected area network.

Peter has worked in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe and brings a unique ‘big picture’ perspective to our African conservation efforts. Prior to joining WCN, Peter worked for Panthera’s Lion Program as the policy coordinator and completed some major overviews of the issues facing the conservation of lions in Africa’s protected area network.

Dr Markus Hofmeyr

Since a young age, Markus has been interested in wildlife and conservation. He graduated as veterinarian from the University of Pretoria in 1994.

After graduating, he worked as an exotic animal vet at the University of Pretoria. In 1995, he joined the North West Parks and Tourism Board as veterinarian and field ecologist for Madikwe Game Reserve. From there he moved to Kruger National Park at the end of 1999 as a junior veterinarian, rising through the ranks to become the Head of the Veterinary Wildlife Services Department for South African National Parks in 2003.

From SANParks, Markus moved to Botswana in 2017 to fill the role as the Chief Conservation Officer for Great Plains Conservation and overseeing the Botswana component of the Rhino without Borders rhino translocation to the Okavango Delta. After 2 years Markus moved to the Oak Foundation as a program officer in the wildlife conservation & trade portfolio based in London and currently will remain with them and play a dual role as Director of the Rhino Recovery Fund and developing the conservation strategy in the Oak Foundation. 

Markus has been working with rhino since a student so they have been a thread throughout his career.

Michael Cuthbert (Chair)

Mike serves as Chair of the Painted Wolf Foundation and lives in the Eastern Cairngorms mountains in Scotland after a successful career in investments in the City of London. He has had a lifelong passion for the natural world and conservation projects. His love of Africa came after serving with the British army in Kenya in 1978.

His Scottish wife Ali was brought up in Scotland and West Africa and together they have undertaken many riding/walking safaris in Africa over the last 35 years. Mike has been breeding working dogs in the UK for 30 years and has been fascinated by painted wolves since tracking them in Zimbabwe in 2013. Mike is determined to help this endangered species, raising awareness of its plight wherever he can.

Dr Wendy Furness

Wendy Furness is a veterinary surgeon who brings significant business leadership, entrepreneurial expertise, and board-level governance experience to the Painted Wolf Foundation. With a career spanning clinical practice, senior executive roles, and company directorships, she has driven growth, change, and innovation across the animal health, environmental, and conservation sectors.

As co-founder of Animal Health Angels and a director, chair and trustee across multiple organisations, Wendy offers deep commercial and strategic expertise. Her experience ranges from scaling veterinary businesses and advising startups to navigating governance and investment in dynamic and purpose-driven environments including conservation. As well as being a veterinary surgeon she is an MBA graduate and has an MA in Anthropology.

Wendy has travelled extensively across eastern and southern Africa over the past few decades and has hands-on conservation experience, including rabies and infectious disease control work in domestic animals in Botswana in buffer zones and recent involvement in One Health conservation initiatives in Namibia. Currently studying for a Master’s in Endangered Species Recovery and Conservation, she brings a unique combination of veterinary, commercial, and conservation knowledge. Her focus is on supporting the Painted Wolf Foundation’s mission through strong governance and sustainable, strategic growth.

Ravida Clay

Ravida, a SOAS graduate and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society has a lifelong passion for the environment and wildlife borne from witnessing the destruction of the environment and the conflict between the environment and economic development while growing up in Thailand.

She has worked for a variety of NGOs including the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) in Thailand and for Rainforest Concern in the UK with a focus on communication, dissemination of knowledge and research and development. Ravida has also run her own design and property management business for the past 30 years. 

Peter Blinston

Peter first learned of the plight of the painted wolf as an eight-year-old boy growing up in England. He moved to Zimbabwe in 1997 to help establish Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) with his rare combination of passion, interpersonal skills and business and management expertise.

Peter has guided the development and execution of programmes to address the threats directly impacting the painted wolves, from the deployment of anti-poaching units to establishing the world-class Iganyana Children’s Bush Camp. He has hired a capable and dedicated team of local staff, who are also playing a critical role in changing local attitudes towards conservation.

When Peter takes on a new initiative, it will be done well, with full regard for the complexities of doing conservation in Zimbabwe. Peter is also highly regarded by his peers as an effective manager who is rigorous about producing outcomes.

Dr Irene Amoke

Independent Consultant | Founder & Director, ConserveAbility Pathways Ltd | Strategic Advisor, Kenya Wildlife Trust

Dr Irene Amoke is a landscape ecologist with over twenty years of practical experience. Her expertise lies in developing and implementing strategies for sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife, particularly in fragile ecosystems. With a background in conservation science and policy, strategic leadership, and programme management, she has contributed to and worked in academia, government, and the private sector in Kenya, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

As Founder of ConserveAbility Pathways Ltd, a Kenyan-based consulting firm, Irene works with conservation organisations to translate broad goals into measurable outcomes, bridging the gap between strategic vision and implementation. She advises on organisational development, programme management, and sustainable financing. Irene also serves as a Strategic Advisor to Kenya Wildlife Trust, strengthening conservation impact and institutional sustainability. Previously, as Executive Director of KWT, she led conservation strategy, enhanced partnerships and community engagement, and spearheaded fundraising efforts

Irene holds a PhD in Landscape Ecology, an MSc in Environmental Assessment & Management, and a BSc in Zoology. She is an Eisenhower Fellow (2022 Africa Climate Change Programme) and a Women in Environment, Africa Fellow (2023). Passionate about natural capital and nature-based solutions, she serves on various national and international boards. She is also a mentor and facilitator, supporting conservation leadership across Africa.

Angelika Mendes-Lowney

Angelika Mendes-Lowney is Director, Development and Strategic Partnerships at Women’s World Banking, the global nonprofit devoted to giving more low-income women access to the financial tools and resources they require to build security and prosperity. Angelika joined Women’s World Banking in 2017 and leads the organization’s strategy to engage public donors, such as bi- and multilateral governmental institutions or development banks who frequently partner with Women’s World Banking to fund the organization’s activities or entire strategy in order to advance women’s economic empowerment. Over the past eight years, Angelika has shaped key multi-year multi-million dollar partnerships with entities such as the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Australia’s Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and more project-focused partnerships with entities such as the Swiss Re Foundation, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Prior to Women’s World Banking, Angelika worked for six years for the international humanitarian NGO, Jesuit Refugee Service, first based in Nairobi, Kenya as their Regional Communications Officer for eastern Africa and then as International Fundraising Lead for their head office in Rome, Italy, leading efforts to increase contributions from individual donors for programs supporting refugees in Asia, Africa and Europe. Angelika also worked at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s head office in Berlin, Germany, where she managed the global media program with offices on four continents.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and Catholic Theology from the University of Munich, a Certificate in Fundraising from New York University and a Certificate in Development Studies from the Munich School of Philosophy.

Dr Harriet Davies-Mostert

With an early career focused on large carnivore conservation, Harriet is passionate about the role of conservation evidence and applied science in driving effective action. She also understands that good decision making is both a science and an art.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Harriet spent the last 23 years at the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa, driving its strategic direction and later building its Conservation Planning and Science Unit. Harriet sits on various national and international advisory and technical committees and is an active member of the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group and is Chairman of the Wild Dog Advisory Group (WAG).

She has published over 50 scientific papers and book chapters covering topics from large carnivore ecology and conservation, natural resources governance and policy, the wildlife economy, road ecology, and restorative justice.

Qualifications include an MSc in Tropical Resource Ecology from the University of Zimbabwe, and a Doctorate on African Wild Dogs from Oxford University’s WildCRU. Harriet is excited by the opportunity to assist Conserve in delivering enormous conservation impact across Africa.

Prof. Claudio Sillero

Born and bred in the Argentine Pampas, Claudio graduated as a zoologist (Universidad Nacional de La Plata 1984), before heading off to East Africa. He joined WildCRU in its early days to study the behavioural ecology of Ethiopian wolves (DPhil Oxford 1994).

A conservation biologist interested in threatened species, disease dynamics, protected area management and human-wildlife coexistence, his experience spans four continents and many countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mongolia, Mozambique, Niger, Peru and Senegal.

His work focuses on the relationships between wildlife and rural communities, tackling the impact of viral diseases on wildlife, people and their livestock using a One Health approach. He promotes the coexistence of wildlife and human interests and contributes whenever he can to biodiversity conservation policy and practices, and maximising the value of networks in conservation.

As the Director of WildCRU’s Postgraduate Diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practice, he aspires to train and inspire an inclusive and more diverse generation of conservation practitioners.

He is a keen naturalist and loves nothing better than being out and about, whether on foot, horseback or driving on a rugged track. Taxonomically, he is drawn to all mammals, large and small, but has a predilection for carnivores, particularly all wild canids.

Claudio is the founder and director of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme and the chair of the IUCN Canid Specialist Group , the international body responsible for the conservation of wolves, jackals, dogs and foxes.