People 

GLOBIO was founded by Gerry Ellis with a core of talent and resources from his two-decade photojournalism career, but quickly expanded to include a wide range of exceptionally talented and dedicated people from children’s publishing, technology, the arts, business, and the education community. Each individual involved brings a unique skill set, and a deep personal passion, to connecting kids in global learning and dialogue.

Staff

Executive Director/ Founder
Gerry Ellis created and founded GLOBIO as an outgrowth of the Wild Orphans project in the late 1990s. As a professional naturalist and photographer, Gerry has worked extensively throughout the world. He was a member of World Wildlife Fund's initial biodiversity research team in New Guinea. Gerry has experienced first hand the rapid loss of global biodiversity and its impact on children's lives while working on books such as America's Rainforest.

Director of Information and Interactive Technologies
J. Griffin Walker oversees the development and expansion of all of the multimedia communication and learning tools that GLOBIO provides to children. He is responsible for both back-end and front-end technology design, with particular emphasis on creating resources and tools that are kid-friendly and engaging to users throughout the world. Griff combines an extensive knowledge of hardware, software, and programming languages with expertise in interactive applications and graphic design. Prior to joining GLOBIO, he served as webmaster at AAA Oregon/Idaho.

Director of Database and Information Technologies
Kelly Jones oversees the design and development of the powerful database that enables the rich flow of media to reach kids.   Prior to joining GLOBIO, she served as database specialist at AAA Oregon/Idaho.

Visual ARC Media Manager
Dung Ho manages the cataloging and use of over 150,000 rich media assets (photographs, video, audio, animation, and maps) maintained in the Visual ARC, GLOBIO's multimedia archive. With a background in photojournalism, she serves as GLOBIO's liaison with media professionals around the world who seek permission to license images from the Visual ARC or who are interested in donating their work for use by GLOBIO. Dung also trains and supervises GLOBIO's student interns.

Board of Directors

Keith Crisco, Board Chair, is President, Chairman of Asheboro Elastics Corporation, Asheboro, NC. He brings oversight with a perspective of international business, global economics and strong board experience. Keith serves as Chairman, Board of Trustees, Pfeiffer University, former Chairman, N.C. Center for Public Policy Research, Raleigh, NC., as member of Dean's Advisory Council - North Carolina School of Public Health.

Doug Gastich, Secretary, focuses on new media-rich streaming solutions, and the architecture and development of eLearning solutions for Fablevision. He loves to create engaging multimedia strategies and tools that tell a story and connect with broad user groups. In step with the growth of the Internet itself, Doug has worked as architect and technical producer of quality websites, CD-ROMs, museum kiosks and even PDA-based WiFi media applications. He has completed successful projects across many industries, with a focus on children's education, corporate learning and development, and high-tech marketing. He has worked with many leaders in these industries, from Fortune 500 companies such as Staples, Starwood Hotels and Cisco Systems, to PBS and the Baltimore Children's Museum.

Leslie Coolidge is an assurance partner with KPMG LLP's Chicago office. She is one of KPMG's top technical resources, having been designated as one of the firm's SEC Reviewing Partners. She previously served as a partner in KPMG's Department of Professional Practice, where she was the firm's representative on the AICPA's Accounting Standards Executive Committee.

Gerry Ellis founded GLOBIO as an outgrowth of the Wild Orphans project in the late 1990s. As a professional naturalist and photographer, Gerry has worked extensively throughout the world. He was a member of World Wildlife Fund's initial biodiversity research team in New Guinea. Gerry has experienced first hand the rapid loss of global biodiversity and its impact on children's lives while working on books such as America's Rainforest. He previously served as Board Chair for the nonprofit Rhino Trust.

Polly Hix has enormous international travel experience and senior board experience.  She serves on the board of the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and founder of the Museum’s Dinosphere’s Polly H. Hix Paleontology Prep Lab. She is a board member of the Black Hills Museum of Natural History and Indianapolis Zoo. Indianapolis Zoological Society,  The Eiteljorg Museum of Native American and Western Art, Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, South Dakota, The Indianapolis - Marion County Public Library Foundation.

Todd Trzcinski has nearly 25 years experience managing accounting systems and departments for both privately- and publicly-held corporations. For the past three years, Trzcinski has been leading the accounting department as Controller of Fios, Inc., one of the largest electronic discovery service providers in the United States. Prior to joining Fios, he served as Controller for several privately-held growth companies, including Christensen Electric and Envoy Global. Other major companies in which Trzcinski has served include Consolidated Freightways and CNF Transportation. Trzcinski specializes in developing and managing corporate business plans, managing costing models, helping companies prepare for growth and expansion, and ensuring accounting systems and personnel are utilized to their full potential.

Photographers

Ken and Mary Campbell have recently donated the bulk of the wonderful underwater and wildlife photo collection to GLOBIO. In addition,these fine photographers are continuing to photograph around the world on GLOBIO's behalf. When not traveling they present travel programs in support of GLOBIO to elementary schools in the northeast USA.

Michael Durham is one of finest specialty nature photographers in the world. His unique style of high-speed and sensor triggered nocturnal photography has created glimpses of biodiversity few have even imagined. Michael's donation of time and imagery to GLOBIO is of enormous value.

Gerry Ellis has been an internationally renowned wildlife and nature photographer for over twenty years. His credits and awards rank him among the top in the world. He is currently coordinating new photo and video projects for GLOBIO’s Visual ARC.

Dr. Katherine Feng was GLOBIO's China Panda Project photographer. She has over a decade of travel experience throughout China photographing wildlife, landscapes and indigenous cultures in many of China's less visited areas.

Michael Wilhelm is a gifted photojournalist and award-winning environmental photographer. His specialties include documenting river system, US salmon and neo-tropical migrant songbirds. Michael is a valued member of GLOBIO's founding Board of Directors.

Christian Ziegler is contributing his wildlife images of tropical Central America to further enhance Glossopedia™. Children delight in his wonderful images of insects and other small animals created from their perspective.