James A. Kushlan is a scientist by background, specializing in wetlands and waterbird biology and conservation. He has authored over 200 scientific papers and eight books on these and other topics. He earned his PhD from the University of Miami and has been awarded two honorary doctorates of science. He has held the posts of senior scientist with the National Park Service at Everglades National Park, professor of biology at Texas A&M – Commerce, and professor and department chair at The University of Mississippi, director of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and research associate at the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Kushlan is the founder and chair of the North American Waterbird Conservation Initiative, former member of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative U.S. Committee, former Chair of Bird Conservation Alliance, past president of the American Ornithological Union and the Waterbird Society, and past editor of the journal Waterbirds. He is the founding chair of Heron Conservation – the IUCN Heron Specialist Group. He has previously served on the boards of American Bird Conservancy, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, HistoryMiami, John Cabot University, Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, and Wetlands International. In addition to the Everglades Foundation, he currently serves on the boards of American Ornithologists’ Union, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Advisory Committee of the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences, Waterbird Conservation for the Americas, and the Zoo Miami Foundation, which he chairs. He and his wife, Kirsten Hines, reside in Coconut Grove, Florida, and Annapolis, Maryland.