DR. REBECCA KORMOS | BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rebecca Kormos is a wildlife biologist, conservationist, writer, filmmaker, activist, and National Geographic Explorer. Her work focuses on saving great apes and their forest habitats in Africa, using the tools of research, policy, advocacy, fundraising, writing, and filmmaking. She has directed Conservation International’s Action Plan for conserving chimpanzees in West Africa; led the World Bank’s Strategy for Great Ape Conservation outlining the strategies that will be required to save great apes from extinction; and launched a IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) task force that is working to decrease the threats that extractive industries and large infrastructure projects create for great apes. Rebecca also worked with renowned filmmakers Chris Brown and Kalyanee Mam on a film about West Africa’s largest remaining population of chimpanzees that helped lead to their protection.

One of Rebecca’s greatest passions is helping expand opportunities for and amplify the voices of women working in conservation. She helped launch the Women in Nature Network and recently wrote the award-winning book Intertwined: Women, Nature, and Climate Justice,  honored with the 2025 Gold Medal in the Environment/Ecology category by the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards). Intertwined elevates the voices of women working in conservation around the world and makes a powerful case for why empowering girls and women is one of the most important solutions to biodiversity loss and climate change.  We are grateful to have her wealth of insights informing our work in Kenya.