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Steve Gray
Head of Programmes - Extn: 281
Steve first joined Earthwatch in October 2002. After six years working on the development of corporate partnerships, Steve joined the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust as Head of Fundraising. He re-joined Earthwatch in September 2009, and is now Head of Programmes. In his current role, Steve oversees the delivery and financial management of a wide range of funded programmes in the UK and US that provide people from many different backgrounds with an inspiring Earthwatch experience. From corporate employees, to teachers, students and young scientists - the Programme team that Steve leads works with individuals joining Earthwatch field research projects worldwide to prepare them for their experience, and help them make a difference at work and at home on their return. The team also work in depth with partners from the corporate sector and government to build understanding of sustainability issues and support cutting-edge scientific research. These partners include HSBC, Shell, Ernst & Young and the Government of Oman.
Outside Earthwatch, Steve is an obsessive landscape photographer with a particular passion for the Brecon Beacons. He lives in the village of Kingstone, Herefordshire with his wife, son, and a Welsh Springer Spaniel called Ledley, who is named after the captain of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. - another of Steve's obsessions.
Claire Lippold
Programme Manager, Engagement - Extn: 829
Claire joined Earthwatch in March 2008 as a Programme Officer working with corporate employees to ensure they were prepared for their Earthwatch expeditions. She was also involved in the Capacity Development Programme and edited the REACH and CONNECT newsletters. She moved into her current role in July 2010, managing the Engagement aspects of various corporate programmes including those with HSBC, Land Rover, and Saudi Aramco.
Claire has visited teams on the following Earthwatch Projects as a facilitator: Climate Change in Fragmented Forests, Oxford, UK; Sustainable Forest Management in a Changing Climate, Gutianshan, China; Samburu Communities & Wildlife: Medicinal Plants, Samburu, Kenya.
Before joining Earthwatch Claire worked for the Bat Conservation Trust as a Helpline Officer where she answered questions, did contract work for Natural England and developed a healthy obsession with all things batty! She is a member of Oxfordshire Bat Group and is currently training for her bat licence.
Claire has a BSc (Hons) in Biology and an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation, both from the University of Leeds, where her passion for conservation (and bats) developed. In her spare time she enjoys baking, yoga, travelling and trying to grow things on her allotment.
Caroline Rodgers
Programme Manager, Engagement - Extn: 861
Caroline joined Earthwatch in October 2004 and was initially responsible for recruiting volunteers for Earthwatch's many worldwide expeditions for the Expedition Recruitment Department. She then moved to the Engagement team, coordinating various corporate, capacity-building and educator programmes, as well as championing educational activity within the department and Earthwatch as a whole.
Caroline is now Programme Manager in the Engagement Department and manages a range of programmes for corporate employees, teachers, young people and other groups taking part in Earthwatch field research projects.
An experienced traveller, Caroline lived in Egypt for three years, worked as a language assistant for two Austrian secondary schools, and participated in a 10-week biological census of the little-studied Pavacachi area of the Ecuadorian Amazon in 2003.
Caroline has a joint honours degree in English Language with German and is a keen artist. Before joining Earthwatch, she worked for the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) in Cambridge as a project officer for the Millennium Volunteers programme, placing young people in volunteering positions in order to achieve awards.
Ben Jack
Programme Manager, Engagement - Extn: 817
Ben joined Earthwatch as a Programme Officer in 2008 and moved in to his role as a Programme Manager in October 2010.
Outside of work Ben can generally be found imprisoned in the library, studying for an Advanced Diploma in Environmental Conservation, or more than likely dreaming of scuba diving, mountain biking or climbing!
Kay O'Regan
Programme Manager, Engagement - Extn: 853
After a 20-year career in the UK water industry, Kay joined Earthwatch in January 2006 to lead our partnership work with the mining and extractive sector. Building on a broad scientific background and a degree in Environmental Science with Water Engineering, she has expertise in integrating effective environmental management into core business practice and actively engaging hearts and minds. In developing these skills Kay completed an MSc in Quality Management at Cranfield University and is a lead auditor for both the ISO 9001 and ISO14001 standards.
She has a great interest in sustainable development and in reconciling the needs of communities and the environment. In a voluntary capacity, she acted as a bridge between the private sector and a water and sanitation NGO for more than 10 years. She is convinced that collaborative partnerships can be catalysts for positive change and completed the Cambridge Programme for Industry Postgraduate Certificate in Cross Sector Partnership in 2004.
Kay has been a public speaker for more than 15 years and is always passionate and entertaining. Her recent highlights include speaking on 'Valuing Biodiversity' at the 2006 EU Environmental Conference, Green Week in Brussels, on 'Environmental Management' at Oxford University Centre for Continuing Education, and on 'Cross-Sector Partnerships' at the Cambridge University Programme for Industry. She is also a keen chef (and gourmand) and tries to work off the calories through enthusiastic, if not yet totally proficient, belly dancing.
Emily Albers
Programme Officer - Extn: 809
Emily joined Earthwatch in May 2008 as a Receptionist/Administrative employee. In June 2009 she started working as a Programme Officer in Engagement. She is working with Shell (Project Better World), Mitsubishi and Newmont employees to support them throughout their fielding process. Furthermore, Emily is involved in a new programme, run in collaboration with UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Shell, in which World Heritage Sites participants, with help of Shell employees develop a business plan to manage their site in the future.
Originally from the Netherlands, Emily lived two years in Stuttgart (Germany) until August 2007. Since then, she has been living in Oxford.
In the Netherlands, Emily studied Journalism and wrote for different newspapers and magazines for about nine years. In Germany, she worked as a Project Assistant at a translation agency. Emily has a strong interest in different cultures, animals and outdoor activities. In her spare time she enjoys biking, hiking, travelling and writing poetry.
Gareth Partridge
Programme Officer - Ext: 672
Gareth joined Earthwatch in September 2010 as a Programme Officer. Working on the HSBC Climate Partnership he helps ensure that the staff from HSBC are prepared and ready for their expeditions. He also works on the “Inspiring the Next Generation” programme sponsored by Saudi Aramco as well as facilitating the Bluewater programme.
Prior to joining Earthwatch Gareth worked at Oxford City Council and before this as an intern analyst at an environmental consultancy in Oxford. He also had a great deal of fun working as a Conservation Trainee with Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) where he did many hands on conservation tasks, led volunteer groups and carried out numerous flower, mammal and insect surveys. He has also been an unpaid analyst at WWF where he worked on water, carbon and ecological footprints.
Gareth spent three brilliant years studying for a BA in International Relations at Keele University where he was also lucky enough to spend time on exchange at the University of Toronto. He also has an M.Sc. in Sustainable Development from the Centre of Environmental Strategy at the University of Surrey.
Outside of work Gareth loves snowboarding and enjoys walking, bike riding, surfing and generally being outside. He also runs a local football group and plays (poorly) twice a week. Other interests include vegan cooking, reading, music and making things.
Kate Grounds
Programme Officer - Ext: 661
Kate joined the Engagement team at Earthwatch at the start of October 2010, and is involved in some of the corporate programmes, including HCP, BAT and McDonalds, the Educator programme, and the Capacity Development programmes. She also helps the Public Programmes department part time.
Kate has a passion for wildlife conservation and animal behaviour, and has specialised in primatology. She began her education studying Biological Anthropology for her undergraduate degree at Durham University, which led her to conduct research in South Africa on vervet monkeys for her dissertation. Following the completion of her BSc, she spent three months volunteering in Uganda studying the behaviour of wild chimpanzees for a PhD students at the Oxford Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCru). She then joined WildCru for a couple of temporary research assistant/pastoral care positions in 2008/2009 before working for a couple of months radio-tracking breeding Great Tits for the Oxford University ornithology department in Wytham Woods.
After this, her increasing interest in conservation and primates led her to study for her MSc in Primate Conservation at Oxford Brookes University, conducting research on the endemic and endangered toque macaque in Sri Lanka, and investigating how ecotourism could potentially contribute to their conservation.
In her spare time Kate's hobbies include indulging her creative side with jewellery making, needle felting and wildlife photography, enjoying a good cup of coffee with friends, and she regularly likes swimming, walking and cycling (and snorkelling when the opportunity comes along!). She hopes to do further travelling in the future and stay involved in primatology.