Meet Our Team

Our team is dedicated to doing all we can to help conservation in Madagascar.

Many on our team donate their time so we can keep our overhead costs very low. Team members are compensated through stipends to fulfill specific work requirements when project budgets allow.

And, we are grateful to our volunteers, who use their talents to support lemur conservation through illustration, animation, writing, and more. Learn about volunteering for the Lemur Conservation Network.

Lynne Venart

Director

Lynne partnered with the IUCN Species Survival Commission to launch the Lemur Conservation Network in 2014, served as our Digital Communications Manager from 2014 to 2023, and is now the Director of LCN. Lynne has worked in design, marketing, and user experience for nonprofits and museums for over 20 years. She holds a Masters in Conservation Biology from Miami University’s Project Dragonfly program, and a Masters in Non-profit Arts Management from George Mason University. Lynne works full time for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Seheno Corduant-Andriantsaralaza, PhD

Madagascar Manager

Seheno is a biologist who earned her PhD from the University of Antananarivo in joint collaboration with the French Agricultural Research and International Cooperation Organization. Her doctoral research focused on seed dispersal of Malagasy baobab trees. Previously, Seheno worked for the NGO Reniala- Lemur Rescue Center, NGO Lemur Love, and taught at the University of Antananarivo. In addition to her role at the Lemur Conservation Network, Seheno is the Director of Operations for Association Fanamby.

Koloina Rafenoherilala

Assistant Coordinator

Koloina is a master’s student in Anthropology and Sustainable Development from University of Antananarivo. She has been a volunteer with the Lemur Conservation Network since 2023. She specializes in nutritional anthropology and she is passionate about nature conservation. She now works as a consultant at a research firm specializing in community development, education, and public health.

Laura Hemlock

Social Media Lead

Laura is a lifelong lover of all things natural who grew up in Minnesota digging up salamanders and chasing frogs. She has now translated her love of nature and background in filmmaking into a YouTube Channel for children, “Diggin’ Into Nature with Laura.” Laura holds a BA in Communications from Northwestern University and a MA in Biology from Miami University. She works full time as the Communications Manager for the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy at Dartmouth College.

Malagasy Science Communications & Education

• Miti Andrianina
• Demetrius Ella Harisoamalala
• Koloina Fenitra Rafenoherilala
• Koloina Rakotoarivelo
• Rojo Rakotoarisoa
• Diamondra Ranaivoson
• Charline Rasoarimalala
• Ny Ony Ratovonjanahary
• Stephie Raveloarison
• Naval Rojo

Spanish Outreach

• Mateu Antich Sánchez

English Science Communications & Education

• Coral Chell
• Kate Cioffi
• Jessica DeVille
• Kat Harris
• Helen Morris
• Rebecca Owens

2024 Miami University Project Dragonfly Students

• Alex Dorago
• Kerry Grey
• Christie Miller
• Sabrina Bernath

Illustration, Design, and Photography

• Sonia Antoine
• Mathias Appel
• Tim Iland
• Jessie Jordan
• Jessie Kwok
• Louise Miller
• Felinar Mr. Lemur
• Katy Tanis (Daughter Earth)
• Angela Tong

Lucía Rodríguez Valverde

Strategic Advisor

Lucía Rodriguez served as the Director of the Lemur Conservation Network from 2016 to 2023, and is now LCN’s Strategic Advisor. Lucia is a Costa Rican conservationist who specializes in psychology and is passionate about nature conservation, social development, and human wellbeing. She has worked in several different conservation and social initiatives in Costa Rica and Madagascar. She holds a Masters degree in Conservation Leadership from Cambridge University, and works full time for Bird Life International.

Kim Reuter, PhD

Kim co-founded the Lemur Conservation Network by reaching out to hundreds of researchers and conservation organizations, and crafting their content for our website and social media channels. A 2016 National Geographic Explorer and 2020 Churchill Fellow, Kim is a hybrid biologist and international development professional. Kim has over a decade of experience including at the senior management and executive level, and volunteers as a Deputy Chair of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group.

Christoph Schwitzer, Ph.D.

Dr. Christoph Schwitzer is the Vice Chair for Madagascar and Red List Authority Coordinator of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group. Christoph’s recent research focuses on how different critically endangered primates are coping with habitat degradation and fragmentation with regard to their behaviour patterns, food intake, population density, and parasite burden.

Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Ph.D.

Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy is a native of Madagascar who received his PhD in Physical Anthropology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is the Secretary General of GERP, a co-Vice-Chair of the IUCN/SSC Specialist Group-Madagascar, President of the International Primatological Society, and has studied lemurs for over 20 years.

Steig Johnson, Ph.D.

Dr. Steig Johnson is a biological anthropologist interested in population biology, community ecology, and conservation of nonhuman primates. He’s an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Calgary whose research focuses on the ecology, conservation and population biology of lemurs in Madagascar.

• Stephanie Canington, Science Communication Volunteer
• Ellen Weatherford, Science Communication Volunteer
• Bryan Vasquez, Zoo Outreach Volunteer
• Tif Lester, Science Communication Volunteer
• Molly Schafer (Feral Pony), Illustrator
• Ricardo Beltran, Illustrator
• Jak Walter, Illustrator
• Vololonirina Cynthia, Malagasy Science Communication Volunteer
• Brogan Mace, Science Communication Volunteer
• Matthew Moskwik, Science Education Volunteer
• Ellesse Janda, Science Education Volunteer
• Amber Wyard, Science Communication Volunteer
• Meghan Bohn, Science Communication Volunteer
• Elise Zienkowski, 2020-2021 World Lemur Festival Volunteer
• Katie Hallsten, Science Communication Volunteer
• Maddie Henning, Science Communication Volunteer
• Katy Tanis, 2020 World Lemur Festival Volunteer Illustrator
• Legloo Art, 2020 World Lemur Festival Volunteer Illustrator
• Narovana Erika Radavidrason, 2020 World Lemur Festival Volunteer

• Christina Burt, 2020 World Lemur Festival Volunteer
• Allie Dudash, 2020 World Lemur Festival Volunteer
• Nicole Troy, 2020 World Lemur Festival Volunteer
• Catherine Wysoczanski, 2020 World Lemur Festival Volunteer
• Natalie Park, Science Communication Volunteer
• Kristina Graves, Science Communication Volunteer
• Alice Scott, Science Communication Volunteer
• Corey Romberg, Director
• Fabiola Holiniaina Kjeldgaard, Community Outreach Coordinator
• Phil Reeks, Blogger
• Cecily Marroquin, Blogger
• Carmen Liberatore, Blogger
• Jen Miller, Social Media

2022 University of Michigan Graduate Students

• Yixuan Mao
• Yuxin Wang
• Zhiyuan Zhang