Conservation Science and Support

Peter Edwards, Ph.D., supports Pew’s environmental programs with a focus on conservation economics and finance, marine science, and environmental policy. He has expertise in natural resource economic valuation, marine policy, terrestrial and marine ecology, environmental monitoring, and socioeconomic surveys.

Jon Fisher focuses on land and freshwater conservation across Pew. He helps to design research to improve its impact, and explores new lines of work (and how to adapt existing work).

Emily Klein, Ph.D., supports Pew’s work on conserving and sustaining marine and freshwater systems and their vital connections to people. She has expertise in fisheries science and marine ecology, as well as in innovative analytical and modeling tools.

Jim Palardy leads Pew’s work to assess and strengthen the evidence base for the organization’s conservation science and environmental portfolio, providing scientific advice to the environmental leadership team to help guide and shape its strategic decisions. These efforts include developing new conservation projects and supporting ongoing environmental efforts with the goal of uncovering emerging science that can inform evidence-based policy recommendations.

Kira Sullivan-Wiley, Ph.D., focuses on the human dimensions of conservation in Pew’s environmental portfolio, providing support to teams thinking about human impacts, behavior, and decision-making.

Kathrynlynn Theuerkauf supports Pew’s environmental programs and strategic planning efforts focused on marine and coastal systems. She leads research and technical support on a variety of topics, including coastal and marine conservation, aquaculture, and fisheries management. As a marine scientist, she has research experience in evaluating trends in marine biodiversity, impacts of invasive species, and ecosystem services, as well as in coastal restoration and conservation efforts. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology and marine science from the College of William and Mary and a master’s in marine ecology and conservation from North Carolina State University.

Rebecca Harris works throughout Pew's environment portfolio to aid climate and conservation policy initiatives, support scientific research, and bolster cross-collaboration among projects. Her work covers organization and coordination of institutional representation at international climate and nature conferences, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. She also provides individual project support to Pew's seaweed farming, ocean governance, and preventing plastic pollution teams. Before joining Pew, Harris interned at the U.N. Environment Programme, where she worked on Sustainable Development Goals. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in history and American politics from the University of Sussex and a master's degree in democracy, governance, and environmental policy from Georgetown University. 

Neel Inamdar is a senior officer at Pew where he helps lead the development of innovative sustainable financing mechanisms that advance Pew’s large-scale conservation efforts. His work includes developing financing solutions for Enduring Earth and helping Pew’s coastal wetlands team secure financing streams to deliver countries’ nationally determined contributions under the Paris climate agreement.

Megan Jungwiwattanaporn supports Pew’s crosscutting environmental policy team, providing expertise and coordination to advance Pew’s engagement in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, World Trade Organization, International Union for Conservation of Nature, and International Seabed Authority.

Masha Kalinina supports Pew’s environment projects and partnerships, with a primary focus on designing and executing political strategies to deliver campaign objectives. Between 2018 and 2022, she played a lead role in advancing Pew’s efforts to secure a new 10-year global biodiversity framework under the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity. The framework, which was successfully adopted on Dec. 19, 2022, will help protect and conserve at least 30% of the planet’s terrestrial, freshwater, and marine areas by 2030.

Keith Lawrence leads a team of Pew experts on conservation finance, climate mitigation and adaptation, and economic approaches to conservation. Lawrence also provides guidance to several Pew projects, such as preventing ocean plastics and protecting coastal wetlands and coral reefs.

Guinnevere (Winnie) Roberts directs Pew’s conservation support and conservation science teams, focusing on securing evidence-based policy outcomes that support healthy and resilient ecosystems and coordinating Pew’s engagement in multilateral forums and meetings, including the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations General Assembly. Roberts also supports the development and implementation of Pew’s conservation projects, helping advance their objectives and guiding alignment across Pew’s environmental portfolio.

Lauren Swaddell works across Pew’s environment portfolio to secure conservation outcomes that provide long-term benefits for both nature and people. She supports Pew’s engagement in international forums, marine protected areas, Pacific conservation, Indigenous engagement, and climate change.

Courtney Durham Shane works on energy and conservation policy across sectors and political perspectives at the subnational, national, and international levels, in support of practical, durable solutions. Her background includes work with governments, development banks, and civil society to design and implement policy, strengthen institutions, and engage a broad range of stakeholders.

Ellen Ward, Ph.D., works with Pew’s conservation support team, where she focuses on furthering climate adaptation and resilience solutions in the U.S. and internationally.