Rodney Jackson, President

Rodney is the leading expert on wild snow leopards and their high-mountain habitat. Rodney brings thirty years of experience to the Snow Leopard Conservancy, having worked closely with rural herders and farmers whose lives are directly impacted when snow leopards prey upon their livestock. Read his full biography.

Caroline Gabel, Chair

Caroline Gabel lives in Maryland, where she directs the Shared Earth Foundation, which supports endangered species and their habitats. Caroline is also active on the boards of Defenders of Wildlife and Rachel’s Network. She served as a Congressional staffer on the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation from 1970 to 1999. There she helped establish legislation to, among other things: protect and restore the backwaters and sloughs of the Upper Mississippi; protect and enhance water quality in the Great Lakes; improve aviation safety and security, channel highway money into bicycle and hiking trails, and historic preservation. Caroline is a licensed pilot, accomplished equestrian, and avid traveler. She saw a snow leopard during the 2007 winter Quest for the Snow Leopard.

Bob Wilson, Treasurer

Bob Wilson is active in a number of environmental organizations.  He is the former Chair of the Greater Farallones Association (formerly FMSA) board and is currently Treasurer and CFO.  He has been an active Beachwatch and SEALS volunteer.  He has served as the executive director of GFA.  He has been on the Sanctuary Advisory Council for the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.  He currently is CEO of Sanctuary Supporters LLC.  Bob is on the Board of Directors of the American Cetacean Society (SF chapter).  He is a director emeritus of The Marine Mammal Center, is currently Policy Liaison for TMMC and is a stranding and  animal care volunteer.  Bob is also a founder and former Board Chair of Polar Bears International (US) and Vice Chair of PBI (Canada).  He has been an advisor to organizations such as the Desert Tortoise Preservation Committee and Earthshare California.  He is an attorney and retired from the Federal government.

Carolyn MacKenzie, Secretary

Carolyn MacKenzie joined the Conservancy’s Board of Directors on April 16, 2020.  Carolyn always wanted to be a wildlife biologist. At age 20 she backpacked across Africa, India and the Middle East. She received her Master of Science degree in biophysics and a Bachelor of Science in zoology, both from the University of California, Davis. Along the way, her direction changed. She recently retired after a distinguished 40-year career in the field of Health Physics.

Carolyn’s broad experience includes the development of a computer-based international radiation safety training course for onsite test ban treaty inspectors, securing and disposing of dangerous radioactive sources for the University of California, systemwide and for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in global source security.

As an International Radiation Source Specialist with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, Carolyn led missions to 35 United Nations member countries to establish national strategies for the control of sealed radioactive sources. She participated in Technical Cooperation programs with Eastern European countries, China and Iraq addressing radioactive source location and recovery. She managed workshops and projects for source recovery in 10 African countries, and was technical lead on international standards development in the field of health physics. This work led to a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize shared by IAEA’s Director General and the approximately 2000 IAEA staff.

Carolyn is also the President of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, promoting peaceful dialogue and understanding among the world’s faith religions. This work is relevant to the Conservancy’s Land of Snow Leopard Network, and we look forward to having her council and guidance as the Network grows.

Mary Herrmann, Trustee

Mary Herrmann grew up in Minnesota, graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Medical Technology. She served as a teacher in the Peace Corps in Liberia from 1969 to 1971. After returning, she specialized in microbiology, and joined Virolab in Berkeley, CA, for 21 years, working in virology and immunology. Her work involved collaboration with leading research scientists on numerous ground-breaking epidemiological studies, including HIV-AIDS, Lyme disease, and Epstein-Barr virus. Mary has traveled extensively, including trekking in the snow leopard’s habitat in northern India.

Tshewang Wangchuk, Trustee

Tshewang Wangchuk is a Bhutanese wildlife biologist who brings nearly twenty years of field experience to our Conservancy Board of Directors. He has worked with Bhutan’s Royal Society for Protection of Nature as well as the national Nature Conservation Division. He coordinated WWF International’s Tiger Program, and has been actively involved in Bhutan’s extensive protected area management system.Tshewang serves as Executive Director with the Bhutan Foundation; he is also completing his doctoral degree at the University of Montana, with a thesis on snow leopard population genetics in Bhutan.