Birds & Science > Bird Conservation > International Alliances Program

Meet the International Alliance Team
 

Craig Lee - Vice President & Director
Craig recently joined National Audubon Society as the Director of the International Alliances Program (IAP) and a national Vice President. His program builds the effectiveness of organizations working on the conservation of birds and broad biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean. In its first year, the IAP has initiated the first (in Panama, Paraguay and Belize) of 8-10 Pride campaigns in collaboration with Rare and BirdLife International. In addition to Pride campaigns, the IAP is helping underwrite bird conservation efforts in El Salvador and the west coast of Mexico. Before joining Audubon, Craig served for two decades as Vice President and Northwest Regional Director for the Trust for Public Land. Craig has advised the start-up and organizational development of over 40 land trusts and conservation organizations in Canada, the U.S., and Latin America. He currently serves on the Americas Regional Council of BirdLife International.

Matt Jeffery - Program Manager
Matt Jeffery has worked with animals his whole life and has been involved in the conservation field since 1998. The stepson of an animal keeper in England, Matt spent his childhood at Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks. He worked alongside his stepfather as a child and young adult and assisted at home with the hand-rearing of tigers, wolves, lions, and a handful of other exotic animals. Matt’s understanding of – and commitment to – conservation was solidified while living in Southeast Asia from 1998 to 2001. Spending a year in Thailand and more than two years in Cambodia, he worked for a variety of conservation organizations, including Conservation International. Matt has worked for Audubon since July 2006. Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from King’s College, University of London, and lives in Maryland with his wife and children.

Laura Cottingham - Program Assistant
A native of Washington, D.C. and an avid outdoor enthusiast, Laura’s interest in the natural world developed at a young age while exploring the various ecosystems in and around the nation’s capital. While in college, Laura studied policy and sustainable development in the highlands of Costa Rica through her work on projects in partnership with the park service, local coffee growers, school groups, and other community members. Laura has interned with non-profits within the environmental education, organic agriculture, and public policy realms, as well as with the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Environmental Studies from Colorado College.