Tom has been involved in environmental education and conservation since the start of his professional career.  He spent his 20s working as an outdoor educator and wilderness guide throughout the United States, including New Hampshire, Minnesota, Florida, Oregon and California (where he spent four years living and working in Yosemite National Park).

In 1991, Tom shifted the focus of his career to environmental policy and advocacy, starting as co-founder and executive director of the Bozeman, Montana-based Predator Conservation Alliance (now Keystone Conservation).  After thirteen years there, Tom took over the helm of American Wildlands, a Bozeman-based conservation organization addressing the need for wildlife movement corridors.  During that time, Tom also served on a number of Boards, including the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads, and Predator Friendly, Inc. (a wildlife-human conflict reduction program).

Between his two stints as executive director, Tom spent seven months traveling around the world, a trip that sparked his love of international travel and a desire to expand his career to an international focus.  He formally made that career shift in late 2009, and spend the next two years researching and training in different sectors of international development:  clean energy, small and medium enterprise development, impact investing, sustainable community development, and climate change.

Tom received a B.S. from the University of Oregon in Recreation and Park Management (1984), and is presently pursuing a Master of International Policy and Practice (evening classes) from The George Washington University.  He joined iLCP's staff in April, 2012, and is thrilled to be working at the intersection of three of his loves:  environmental conservation, international perspectives, and communications.

Conservation and travel are what drive him both professionally and personally. Mikael is a world traveler that has visited 65 countries and conducted expeditions or projects in over 25 countries. After completing his undergraduate studies in Anthropology at the George Washington University, he went on to work with The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) until 2009 as the Director of Special Events. At TIES, he was responsible for organizing the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) that annually brings together leaders in the field of ecotourism to discuss current trends and topics.

In 2009, Mikael worked with the iLCP team to organize the WILD SPEAK Conservation Photography Symposium at the 9^th World Wilderness Congress held in Merida, Mexico. In 2010, Mikael completed a 9-month media expedition throughout Southern and Eastern Africa along with Brazilian travel and conservation photojournalist, Haroldo Castro. The father-and-son journey led them through 18 countries and over 24,000 miles, from South Africa to Sudan, and back with the objective of publishing enlightening material on conservation, culture and sustainable tourism.

Mikael is completing a Master’s degree in sustainable tourism management, at the George Washington University, School of Business. Mikael brings years of tourism experience, organizing effective field expeditions and passion for photography and conservation to iLCP. Managing iLCP’s Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition Program (RAVE) and Tripods Initiatives, Mikael joined the team in the summer of 2010, as the Director of Expeditions.

Prior to joining the iLCP in 2010, Mark spent 24 years working at the National Geographic Society where he filled a wide variety of rolls, honed his love of photography and the environment, and evolved his technical skills to keep pace with new technology. In those years, it was his privilege to travel with some of Geographic's great photographers and thinkers and work with the scientific leaders of our time.

Early in his career, his wide range of technical skills were put to use in producing live events ranging from press conferences and lectures to national events such as the National Geography Bee and the International Geographic Competition.  Mark achieved a number of little-known firsts while at National Geographic including becoming the first National Geographic digital audio editor (in filmstrip production), and producing the first live National Geographic webcast.  Mark produced live performances for artists ranging from Cubanismo!, Oscar Lopez, and Sierra Maestra, to Dewey Balfa, Bonnie Rideout, and Maggie Sansone.

Mark later moved to the Digital media group at National Geographic where he was a Field Producer and Producer of NGNews online.  In these roles his responsibilities included a particularly memorable trip to Antarctica, where he produced live video, photographic, and news updates during a 44 day scientific exploration aboard an icebreaker.  In addition to his news responsibilities, Mark served as a member of the science crew, in spite of two broken ribs suffered at the launch of the expedition.

From News, Mark moved to the Research Conservation and Exploration (RCE) division, which operates several grant-making bodies including the Committee for Research and Exploration, the Expeditions Council, and the Conservation Trust. Mark worked with the RCE on funded scientific, research, and exploration projects and was responsible for working with grantees and the editorial outlets of National Geographic to identify and promote evocative stories to feature in National Geographic Media.  During his time with the RCE, Mark managed the hundreds of thousand of images produced by Explorer-in-Residence (and iLCP Advisory Board member) Mike Fay on his Africa Megaflyover project. Mark’s photos have been published in the National Geographic magazine  and in numerous news stories for National Geographic Online

Mark received a B.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park in Radio, Television, and Film Production with a minor in Theatre.

Meghan got exposed to photography at an early age, with both her mother and god mother encouraging her to learn, and pursue her passion in, the art.  The encouragement worked, as Meghan has been involved in photography for the past 15 years.

Meghan brings a variety of experiences that make her well-suited to be iLCP’s photo editor.  She started college as a marine biology student at the University of San Diego in 1997, so she knows the underwater world.   However, her interest in photography led her to enrolling in a semester abroad program at American Intercontinental University in London in 1999 – where she studied, yes, photography.

Having the ability to travel to various countries in Europe during her time abroad, Meghan was inspired to finish her undergraduate studies at American Intercontinental University, gaining a BA in Visual Communications (with an emphasis in photography) in 2001.

In her post-undergraduate career, Meghan assisted 4 photographers in London working on both editorial and advertising shoots, before deciding to take the next 6 months off and travel the world.  On her return to the states in 2003, she began her graduate degree at New York Institute of Technology, graduating with an MA in Advertising, and concentration in Media Law, in 2005.

Meghan then began her career of a Photo Editor at various publications in New York City.  Her work experience has included Travel Savvy Magazine, Forbes.com, ForbesTraveler.com, Travel + Leisure.com, Food & Wine.com and Departures.com.  Meghan joined the iLCP’s staff in 2010 and is now the Director of Visual Assets.   She loves travel, live music and the outdoors.

Shree Laxmi  Karmacharya has a double MBA degrees in General Management and Finance. Shree is multilingual and is fluent in English, Hindi/Urdu, Nepali, which is her national language, and Newari, her ethnic language. Shree was also a pharmacy license holder in Nepal; she managed her own pharmaceutical business while she was finishing up her master’s degree.

She graduated in General Management from one of the prestigious schools in Nepal, Ace Institute of Management, Kathmandu affiliated to the Pokhara University. After graduation, she worked as a Human Resource manager in one of the big manufacturing companies in Nepal, Goldstar Pvt. Ltd. Company.

In September 2009, she also earned a US master degree in Finance from Strayer University, Alexandria Campus, while working as an Assistant Business Office Manager focusing on A/R and collection at the same school before she joined International League of Conservation Photographers, iLCP in January, 2010 as an Accounting Supervisor.