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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 />

december 2015 02 turtle survival

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