Lily Maynard

I have a lifelong commitment to wildlife conservation and engaging with people around the environment.

I grew up visiting the Cincinnati Zoo where I learned to find awe in all species. More recently, I have been a zoo educator and program evaluator. I conducted biological research in laboratories at Smith College and ecological studies in communities in Belize, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Kenya. Yet, I shifted my ecologically focused perspective when I realized humans are the only ones who do conservation.

As a PhD student at the University of Florida, I am exploring the field of the human dimensions of conservation. I study how collaboration can enhance conservation. My master's degree focused on stakeholder collaboration in Kenyan communities, and for my doctoral degree I'm looking to zoos to examine whether organizational partnerships can increase conservation impacts. I believe in zoos' conservation potential, but I think that zoos' influence on large conservation objectives needs to be documented and further realized.

October 2016