Allison Alberts

Dr. Allison Alberts "currently serves the Zoological Society of San Diego as its Chief Conservation Officer and Benirschke Chair of Research, for which she directs a staff of over 120 scientists. She is responsible for the ongoing conservation science activities at the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park, including work at the Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research and at field sites in 35 countries around the world. As a reptile and amphibian specialist, she has participated in conservation programs for endangered iguanas in Costa Rica, Cuba, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Fiji, as well as working with komodo dragons, sea turtles, desert tortoises, and a variety of native California frogs, lizards, and snakes. Much of her research has focused on the development of innovative techniques for restoring critically endangered species to the wild. Her work has been recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Science Foundation, the American Association of Museums, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She is also co-founder of the IUCN Iguana Specialist Group, and currently serves as President of the International Iguana Foundation. Dr. Alberts holds bachelor's and doctorate degrees in biology from the University of California at Berkeley and San Diego, respectively, and has completed the Organization for Tropical Studies tropical ecology course at the Universidad de Costa Rica. She and her husband, Mike, and two sons, Connor and Jonathan, enjoy international travel and have visited many parts of the world. In her free time, she enjoys reading, swimming, gardening, hiking, and learning about ancient cultures. "


 * Patron, Conservation Through Public Health