Core Staff

Brett (he/him) is the founder, CEO, and Chief Scientist of CSP. He is a conservation biologist, landscape and wildlife ecologist, ecological modeler, and fierce advocate for strong inference. Brett brings over 25 years of conservation and entrepreneurial experience to CSP as well as a wealth of leadership and corporate experience from a previous career in industrial design and product development. He enjoys linking his diverse professional background to the variety of science and innovation initiatives at CSP.

Born and raised in the mountains of California, Brett was hooked early by the need to appreciate and conserve species and their habitats in the face of a rapidly changing environment. Building from his passion for wild places, he is determined to push the boundaries of conservation science to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems. In the process, he hopes CSP will put a dent in the universe.

An honorary lifetime member of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), Brett is a former David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow, a former SCB North America board member, and currently sits on the editorial board for the journal Conservation Biology. As a Professor Emeritus with the School of Earth and Sustainability at Northern Arizona University, he still works to advance applied research and train his graduate students to be true leaders in the field of conservation science. Brett also serves as an adjunct faculty member with the Department of Geography at the University of Nevada, Reno, and as an affiliate faculty member at the University of California – Davis.