Areas of expertise: human dimensions of carnivore conservation; transboundary conservation; ocelot, jaguarundi, and jaguar; U.S.-Mexico borderlands; Lower Rio Grande Valley; South Texas.

As Senior Representative for Texas, Sharon (Shari) focuses on threatened and imperiled species conservation and recovery (including the ocelot), habitat connectivity and restoration, and community outreach in South Texas. She also serves as a member of Defenders' Southwest jaguar conservation team. Shari is the co-editor of the book, Historical Animal Geographies (2018), and has authored a number of peer reviewed articles and book chapters examining contemporary and historical interactions of humans and wild cats in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. 

Shari holds a Ph.D. in Geography from The University of Texas at Austin.