Vienna, Vir., May 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Jane Goodall Institute’s board of directors announced that as of March 21, 2017, Carlos Drews, who has a doctorate in zoology, joined the Jane Goodall Institute as the organization’s executive director. In this role, Drews is responsible for advancing the mission of the Institute building on the legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall, the organization's founder and UN Messenger of Peace. This mission includes promoting understanding and protection of great apes and their habitat, and inspiring individual action by young people of all ages to help animals, other people and to protect the world we all share. As he joins the Institute, Drews will be responsible for leading the organization’s staff of more than 200 conservation professionals in Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania and the United States.
On his new post Drews comments, “Having worked all my life with passion in the field of conservation stewardship, the position as JGI’s executive director is the most rewarding role I can play — allowing me to continue to work with African great apes specifically, and to build on my convictions about community-based conservation and the power of the young generation to shape a better world.”
Prior to taking on his current role at the Institute, Drews spent 13 years working for the World Wildlife Fund. Most recently, Drews served as the global director of species conservation at WWF International in Switzerland where he was responsible for engaging governments, NGOs, corporations and donors to rally behind a joint marine & terrestrial species conservation agenda. Previously at WWF, Latin-America & the Caribbean, Drews headed the regional species and fisheries team where he was instrumental in reducing the amount of sea turtles injured by long-line fishing in the Eastern Pacific.
As a child, Drews dreamed of studying animals in Africa. He realized this dream years later when he arrived in Tanzania as a graduate student researching psychological warfare in baboon communities – a study that earned him the John Napier Medal of the Primate Society of Great Britain.
“Great apes are exposed to habitat loss, disease, poaching and other threats," Drews remarks on threats to great apes. "They are a sensitive litmus test for our relationship with fellow creatures on Earth, given their close proximity to us: if we do not fix the way we treat and respect our closest living relatives, what chance may other animals have, I wonder?"
A native of Colombia, Drews earned his doctorate from the University of Cambridge and has carried out research into wildlife behavioral ecology in Africa and Latin America, which includes research on the behavioral ecology of primates as well as caimans. He also holds a masters in biology from Munich’s Ludwig-Maximilians as well as a masters in applied biology from the University of Cambridge.
A longtime admirer of Jane Goodall and her work, Drews works to preserve and build on Goodall’s legacy at the helm her namesake Institute. Working with a talented staff located all over the world, Drews unites the Institute's team and positions it to ensure long-term success of their conservation efforts.
Reflecting on his new work with Goodall, Drews shares, “Remarkably for me, this position gives me the opportunity to be mentored by an outstanding conservation leader that I have very much admired for at least three decades. I feel strongly committed and determined to equip JGI to move sustainably towards Jane Goodall´s vision.”
About the Jane Goodall Institute
The Jane Goodall Institute is a global community conservation organization that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall. By protecting chimpanzees and inspiring action to conserve the natural world we all share, we improve the lives of people, animals and the environment. Founded in 1977 by Dr. Goodall, JGI makes a difference through community-centered conservation and the innovative use of science and technology. We work closely with local communities around the world, inspiring hope through the collective power of individual action. Through Roots & Shoots, our youth-led community action and learning program, young people in nearly 100 countries are acquiring the knowledge and skills to become compassionate conservation leaders in their own backyards.
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Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f06504b5-3a3c-4684-b56b-08f823769d97
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fda04319-5edf-421c-82d6-e0abadb9623b