Patrick Bergin

Dr. Patrick Bergin has more than 25 years’ experience in Africa. He spent six years working inside Tanzania National Parks, one of the leading national wildlife conservation agencies on the continent. Bergin first joined the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) as a field-­‐based community officer and served in a number of roles before becoming Chief Executive Officer in 2002. Under his leadership, AWF has evolved into a pan-­‐African organization working to advance wildlife conservation and sustainable development on the continent. Bergin was instrumental in launching African Wildlife Capital (AWC), an impact-­‐investing subsidiary of AWF that is spurring the growth of tourism, agriculture and other enterprises in conservation landscapes throughout sub-­‐Saharan Africa. AWC integrates conservation covenants into each financing arrangement to safeguard the natural resources and ecosystem services on which people and wildlife depend. Bergin also oversaw the launch of AWF’s innovative Classroom Africa program, which is establishing a network of primary schools in conservation landscapes throughout Africa. In September 2013, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior appointed Bergin to the President’s Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking. As part of the eight-­‐member Council, Bergin helped guide the drafting and implementation of the U.S. National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking. He is also an active participant at a number of global forums, including the World Economic Forum and the Boao Forum for Asia.