About - LEADERSHIP

Daniel Hilliard, Ph.D. : Executive Director 
and Chief Executive Officer.

Dan Hilliard is an environmental sociologist and area specialist for Brazil and the Southern Cone countries of South America. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Latin American Studies from Tulane University, a B.A. in International Affairs and Political Science from the University of New Hampshire, and a certificate of Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership. 

Most recently, Dan has been a Sponsored Researcher at the Rockefeller Archive Center, a Contributing Editor for the U.S. Library of Congress’ Handbook of Latin American Studies, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute. He is a member of the AZA’s Professional Development Committee, and chairs the Committee’s Scholarship Task Force. 

Since 1996, Dan has served as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zoo Conservation Outreach Group (ZCOG), a nonprofit organization that promotes zoo and aquarium-based wildlife conservation efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean Basin. During his tenure, Dan has developed multiple partnerships with zoological facilities, conservation NGOs, and governmental agencies in the United States and Latin America to help advance regional wildlife conservation initiatives for endangered species native to the Americas. In addition, he has worked in partnership with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and regional conservation training centers in Mexico and Brazil to establish professional development scholarship programs for Latin American zoo, aquarium, and conservation practitioners. Since 2000, these programs have provided professional development and training opportunities for over 100 “future conservation leaders” from 15 different countries in Latin America and the 
Caribbean Basin. 

Today, ZCOG’s Conservation Training Scholarship Program provides more scholarship funding for AZA Professional Training Program courses than any other organization. According to a recent AZA report, ZCOG is also ranked as AZA’s 5th most referenced conservation partner.*

The University of New Hampshire Magazine highlighted Dr. Hilliard’s work with ZCOG in its Winter 2011 edition. 

For additional information, contact Dan Hilliard, Ph.D. at dhilliard@auduboninstitute.org

* Out of 582 conservation partners listed in the report.