CHICAGO, IL, February 1, 2012 –/WORLD-WIRE/– Kinship Foundation today announced that Jim Tolisano will be resigning from his position as Director of Kinship Conservation Fellows, effective October 1, 2012.
Tolisano will transition to a full-time role with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to engage more fully in a new program with which he has been assisting for the past year. He will be leading the development of innovative natural resource management and biodiversity conservation projects in collaboration with extractive industries and other business groups operating in globally significant landscapes.
“For many years the conservation community has targeted industry, and particularly extractive industry as the enemy of nature conservation,” Tolisano explained. “Our new program with the Wildlife Conservation Society will show that another relationship is possible, one in which conservationists and industry work together as neighbors and partners to ensure the long term ecological and economic viability of these landscapes.”
Tolisano has served as Director of Kinship Conservation Fellows since July 2006, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the program by blending his work as a conservation practitioner with his background in teaching and training. His global experience and conservation expertise made him instrumental in developing program curricula and recruiting faculty for the last five years. Under his leadership, Bellingham, Washington became the Kinship program’s new home.
“Jim’s dedication, adaptability, and extensive on- the-ground experience have allowed Kinship to grow and evolve. He has fostered strong relationships with Fellows and his leadership at Kinship will be greatly missed,” said Karie Thomson, Chair of the Kinship Foundation Board.
Tolisano will continue in his duties through September 30, 2012. A search committee for the next director will be appointed by Kinship Foundation in the coming weeks.
“Kinship fully lives up to its name by creating strong community bonds among its members,” Tolisano reflected. “The program provides a stimulating environment for all participants that deepens and nurtures our commitment to the very challenging work we do as conservationists. I feel honored to be a member of this community.”
Kinship Conservation Fellows is a ground-breaking environmental leadership program that emphasizes market-based solutions to environmental problems. Kinship’s dynamic global network of 174 Fellows in 46 countries and 6 continents is collaborative, entrepreneurial, and dedicated to effective conservation.
For more information go to http://www.kinshipfellows.org, or contact Cat Rabenstine at catherine.rabenstine@kinshiptrustco.com or 312-803-6200.