Defenders of Wildlife Welcomes Bob Dreher as Senior Vice President of Conservation Programs

Contact: Jared Saylor 202-772-3255

Date: May 31, 2016

Robert Dreher is rejoining Defenders of Wildlife as its senior vice president of conservation programs. Bob previously spent four years at Defenders as its vice president for land conservation,  senior vice president for climate change and conservation law and general counsel. He returns to Defenders after six years in the federal government, having served as associate director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and as acting assistant attorney general for environment and natural resources at the Department of Justice. As senior vice president of conservation programs, he will be responsible for developing innovative management, science, legal and policy strategies to accomplish Defenders’ conservation mission priorities. Bob began his career with the Boston firm Hill & Barlow, spent eleven years with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (now Earthjustice) as a staff attorney and managing attorney of its Washington, D.C. office, and served as deputy general counsel at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1996-2000. He is a graduate of Yale Law School, and holds an M.A. from Brown University and a B.A. from Harvard College.

Statement by Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife:

“We are thrilled to have Bob Dreher back as part of the senior leadership team at Defenders. He brings with him considerable experience in the government and non-profit sectors and a vast depth of knowledge of the law and policy as it relates to wildlife and habitat conservation.

Bob is a well-respected expert on the Endangered Species Act, international wildlife laws, the Clean Water Act and public lands laws. His expertise will help guide us in our efforts to recover some of our nation’s most imperiled species including the grizzly bear and Florida panther as well as strengthen our efforts to address the impacts of the illegal wildlife trade on a global level and conservation of our federal lands systems. His knowledge of conservation law and land use policy will provide guidance in furthering our efforts in renewable energy to ensure it is done smart from the start. He is a welcome addition at Defenders at this critical time to help address our nation’s serious and significant conservation challenges.” 

Statement by Bob Dreher:

“I’m very excited to return to Defenders to help achieve its conservation mission, and to work again with Jamie and the other talented members of Defenders’ team. I have deeply valued the chance to work in the Obama administration with two great agencies, the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Justice Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which play critical roles in the federal government’s efforts to protect our natural environment and conserve our wildlife.  But the challenges before us are immense, and Defenders’ voice is needed now more than ever to build the public support for conservation that we need to ensure a future for America’s natural places and wildlife.”

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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org and follow us on Twitter @defendersnews.