Who We Are — Pride Lion Conservation Alliance

The Pride Alliance was founded by six women with proven success leading lion conservation projects across Africa.

COLLEEN BEGG, PhD is Co-founder and Director of Niassa Lion Project in Mozambique. She has lived in Niassa Reserve – one of the largest and wildest protected areas in the world – with her family since 2003. Colleen has 25 years of field conserv… — **COLLEEN BEGG, PhD** is Co-founder and Director of Niassa Lion Project in Mozambique. She has lived in Niassa Reserve – one of the largest and wildest protected areas in the world – with her family since 2003. Colleen has 25 years of field conservation experience including work with honey badgers, cheetah, wild dog and lion.
Colleen’s conservation programs employ more than 50 local Mozambicans and help protect more than 1,000 wild lions and other large carnivores in the Reserve. She works in close collaboration with the Mozambican government and many conservation partners to ensure that NLP's efforts align with national and regional strategies for carnivore conservation. Colleen received her PhD from the Mammal Research Institute in South African and is a member of the African Lion Working Group and the IUCN Cat Specialist Group. Colleen is deeply committed to Niassa, its communities, and its wildlife.

SHIVANI BHALLA, PhD is Founder and Executive Director of Ewaso Lions in Northern Kenya. A fourth generation Kenyan, Shivani has lived and worked with the Samburu community since 2002. Shivani’s passion and commitment to Kenya’s lions has earned… — **SHIVANI BHALLA, PhD** is Founder and Executive Director of Ewaso Lions in Northern Kenya. A fourth generation Kenyan, Shivani has lived and worked with the Samburu community since 2002. Shivani’s passion and commitment to Kenya’s lions has earned her outstanding recognition in the conservation field, including the 2014 Whitley Award, 2014 National Geographic Emerging Explorer, and the 2013 Rabinowitz-Kaplan Prize for the Next Generation in Wild Cat Conservation.
Shivani vividly recalls her first wild carnivore siting while on safari in Samburu with her family at 8 years old, and has dedicated her life to lion conservation through community engagement and collaboration in the field. Shivani received her PhD from Oxford University in Zoology, focusing on lions living in community areas. She is a member of the African Lion Working Group, IUCN Cat Specialist Group, and KWS Large Carnivore Taskforce.

AMY DICKMAN, PhD is Director of WildCRU's Ruaha Carnivore Project (RCP) in Southern Tanzania. As a result of closer collaboration through Pride, RCP has now merged with Lion Landscapes to form one organization working across some of the most important landscapes left for lions.

Amy received her PhD from the Institute of Zoology/University College London, has more than 20 years of field experience in large carnivore conservation, and has authored over 80 scientific publications and book chapters. She is the Kaplan Senior Research Fellow in Wild Felid Conservation at Oxford University and serves on the IUCN Human-Wildlife Conflict Task Force, the IUCN Cat Specialist Group and the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group. Amy and her team have won multiple awards for their conservation work, which has successfully reduced threats and empowered local communities in key landscapes for both wildlife and people.

STEPHANIE DOLRENRY, PhD is Co-founder and Director of Science of Lion Guardians based in Maasailand, Kenya and across sites in East Africa. Stephanie has studied human-wildlife conflict throughout North America and East Africa, and has spent th… — **STEPHANIE DOLRENRY, PhD** is Co-founder and Director of Science of Lion Guardians based in Maasailand, Kenya and across sites in East Africa. Stephanie has studied human-wildlife conflict throughout North America and East Africa, and has spent the last 10 years leading a team of lion researchers and Maasai warriors. Stephanie received her PhD from University of Wisconsin, Madison and is a member of the African Lion Working Group, Society for Conservation Biology and The Wildlife Society, and is a research affiliate with the Conservation Conflict Research Institute at the University of Cape Town.
Stephanie’s grit and dedication to conservation research, combined with her steadfast commitment to partnering with local communities, has warranted her profound success in reducing retaliatory killings of lions and program growth resulting in Lion Guardians earning the St. Andrews Prize for the Environment.

LEELA HAZZAH, PhD is Executive Director and Co-founder of Lion Guardians. Leela has worked on conservation issues in East Africa for more than 15 years, where her research focuses on understanding the predictors and motivations behind lion kill… — **LEELA HAZZAH, PhD** is Executive Director and Co-founder of Lion Guardians. Leela has worked on conservation issues in East Africa for more than 15 years, where her research focuses on understanding the predictors and motivations behind lion killing in Maasailand, Kenya.
Leela’s innovative and culturally appropriate collaborations have seen dramatic results in this region, earning her numerous awards including CNN Heroes, Future for Nature Award, St. Andrews Prize for the Environment, Young Women Conservation Biology Award by the Society for Conservation Biology, Wings WorldQuest Award, Fulbright Fellowship, and Jordan Prize for African Studies. Leela received her PhD from University of Wisconsin, Madison and serves as an affiliate faculty member at Colorado State University and University of Cape Town. Leela possesses an intense passion and drive to continue strengthening and expanding her efforts to protect lions living on community lands.

ALAYNE ORIOL-COTTERILL, PhD is Founder and Director of Lion Landscapes. She began her field conservation and research career in 1991 and, over the past 25 years, she has spent more time in the field with wild lions than nearly any conservationist al… — **ALAYNE ORIOL-COTTERILL, PhD** is Founder and Director of Lion Landscapes. She began her field conservation and research career in 1991 and, over the past 25 years, she has spent more time in the field with wild lions than nearly any conservationist alive today. Her vast experience working with diverse teams throughout East and Southern Africa, along with her commitment to research and natural aptitude and resourcefulness in the field, has positioned her as a unique leader and conservation strategist.
Through Lion Landscapes, Alayne uses innovative research and conservation initiatives to increase the capacity of stakeholders to manage and conserve their large carnivore populations, in landscapes that are important to the long term survival of lions. Alayne has a PhD from Oxford University, is a member of the African Lion Working Group and recipient of two Panthera Kaplan Graduate Awards.