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Cary Institute appoints new president

Photo by lee

Following a distinguished career at the Wildlife Conservation Society, Dr. Joshua Ginsberg will assume the role of president of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies this fall. His appointment is the culmination of an international search undertaken by the Cary Institute’s Board of Trustees. After seven years of transformative leadership, Dr. William Schlesinger retired this summer.

“We are thrilled at Dr. Ginsberg’s appointment. He has been an inspiring leader at one of the world’s most respected conservation organizations,” commented Board Chair Irene Banning. “He is passionate about science and its essential role in improving society. Under his direction, we will continue to advance our core research programs, pursue a diversity of financial support, and continue translating scientific findings to citizens, decision makers, and educators.”

Ginsberg received his PhD from Princeton University and his B.S. from Yale University. His career in conservation science spans 35 years and several continents. During the 80s and 90s, he led ecology and conservation projects in Asia and Africa. In 1996, he began his tenure with the Wildlife Conservation Society, taking on a series of senior management roles that benefitted from his scientific, fiscal, and administrative expertise.

“The Cary Institute counts among its staff some of the finest minds in ecosystem science. Their work has been instrumental in understanding and protecting the ecosystems that support life,” Ginsberg remarked. “I look forward to building on the organization’s 30-year track record of success, and bringing science to bear on the management of natural resources, biodiversity, and human health.”

In Ginsberg’s post as Senior Vice President of Conservation Programs, he oversaw initiatives in North America, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the marine environment – including fundraising and managing an 87 million dollar budget.

“Josh Ginsberg has helped build the reach and impact of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s global program for 18 years,”
said Wildlife Conservation Society President Dr. Cristián Samper. “We will miss his strategic thinking and strong management. As he leaves to run the Cary Institute, we know we will find connections to continue working with him on a variety of ecological and biodiversity issues.”

Throughout his career, Ginsberg has been engaged in the academic research community. An adjunct faculty at Columbia University since 1998, past appointments include: Research Fellow in Ecology at the Zoological Society of London, Honorary Research Fellow and Lecturer at University College London, and Research Fellow at Oxford University.

He is on the boards of the Open Space Institute and Catskill Mountainkeeper, and is a founding board member of the Blacksmith Institute, a not-for-profit that focuses on pollution remediation in the developing world. As a Diplomacy Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he has provided guidance on international conservation issues, including matters relating to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and African biodiversity.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Ginsberg this fall!