Turtle Survival
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Meet the Staff<br />
ILZE ASTAD<br />
Ilze Astad joined the <strong>Turtle</strong> <strong>Survival</strong> Alliance as Director of Development<br />
in November 2014. Her experience in fundraising and nonprofit management<br />
spans more than 12 years, working for diverse organizations with causes<br />
ranging from hunger to human rights. A native of Latvia where she was raised,<br />
Ilze moved to the states in 1997 to pursue her education. She is proud to call<br />
Charleston her home. She earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science<br />
at the College of Charleston and was later awarded the Masters of Public<br />
Administration from a joint program with The Graduate School at College of<br />
Charleston and the University of South Carolina. When asked what she likes<br />
most about working with the TSA, Ilze said, “It is morally incumbent upon us<br />
to preserve endangered turtles and tortoises worldwide as an integral part of<br />
ecosystems ... the TSA is at the forefront of that vital work.” We are pleased to<br />
have Ilze as a part of the TSA team.<br />
CLINTON DOAK<br />
Clinton Doak, the newest member of our team, has been interested in reptiles<br />
and amphibians for the majority of his life. Growing up in rural Michigan,<br />
his passion for herpetofauna started at an early age where he could be found<br />
in the swamps and ponds looking for turtles. After receiving a Bachelor’s<br />
degree in Zoology, he started a career in zookeeping. Initially a keeper in the<br />
education department at the Little Rock Zoo, Clinton’s interest drove him<br />
towards a more reptile-focused career. This interest led him first into a role as<br />
a keeper in the Reptile Department at the Little Rock Zoo, then into a position<br />
in the world-class herpetarium, the Museum of Living Art (MOLA) at the Fort<br />
Worth Zoo. While working at MOLA he worked with some of the most endangered<br />
reptiles in the world, including a variety of Asian species such as Indian<br />
Gharial, Painted Terrapin, Southern River Terrapin, and Narrow-headed<br />
Softshell <strong>Turtle</strong>. Clinton’s background and experience makes him the perfect<br />
addition to the <strong>Turtle</strong> <strong>Survival</strong> Center team as the Chelonian Keeper.<br />
About the <strong>Turtle</strong> <strong>Survival</strong> Alliance<br />
The <strong>Turtle</strong> <strong>Survival</strong> Alliance (TSA) was created<br />
in 2001 in response to the rampant and unsustainable<br />
harvest of Asian turtles to supply<br />
Chinese markets, a situation that came to be<br />
known as “The Asian <strong>Turtle</strong> Crisis.” For its<br />
first seven years, the TSA worked under the<br />
umbrella of the World Conservation Union<br />
(IUCN). In 2005, it was registered as an<br />
independent 501(c)(3) non-profit, based in<br />
Fort Worth, Texas and a dedicated Board<br />
of Directors was selected in January 2009.<br />
From the day it was founded until today, the<br />
TSA has remained focused on a single goal:<br />
zero turtle extinctions.<br />
The TSA is an action-oriented global<br />
partnership, focusing on species that are<br />
at high risk of extinction in turtle diversity<br />
hotspots around the world. We develop culturally<br />
sensitive conservation programs that<br />
utilize a combination of education outreach,<br />
conservation in the wild, assurance colony<br />
management in range countries, and ex situ<br />
(out of range) captive management.<br />
Through our working collaborations with<br />
zoos, aquariums, universities, private turtle<br />
enthusiasts, veterinarians, government agencies,<br />
and conservation organizations, the<br />
TSA is widely recognized as a catalyst for<br />
turtle conservation with a reputation<br />
for swift and decisive action. The TSA has<br />
grown into a global force for turtle conservation<br />
and currently supports projects<br />
or programs in Belize, Colombia, Europe,<br />
Madagascar, United States, and throughout<br />
Asia. The opening of the <strong>Turtle</strong> <strong>Survival</strong><br />
Center in South Carolina in 2013 has greatly<br />
enhanced our ability to protect the most vulnerable<br />
species through ex situ assurance<br />
colony management and captive breeding.<br />
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