Jamie Rappaport Clark

Jamie Rappaport Clark (born 1957 or 1958)[1] is an American conservationist and former government official working as the president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife.[2] She joined the organization as executive vice president in 2004.[3]

Jamie Rappaport Clark
Clark in 2013
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
In office
July 31, 1997 – January 20, 2001
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byMollie Beattie
Succeeded bySteven A. Williams
Personal details
Born1957 or 1958 (age 65–66)
New York City, New York, U.S.
SpouseJim Clark
EducationTowson State University (BS)
University of Maryland, College Park (MS)

Early life and education

Born in New York city, Clark attended Towson State University, earning a B.S. in wildlife biology in 1979. She received an M.S. in wildlife ecology from the University of Maryland, College Park.[2][4]

Career

Clark has been a lifelong participant in the conservation of wildlife. As a college student, she spent a summer at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where she released peregrine falcons back into the wild as part of a national recovery effort. Twenty years later, as the director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, she officially removed them from the federal list of endangered species due to the successful recovery efforts,[5] in which she participated.[6]

Clark has a long career in conservation, both inside the government, mostly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and with non-profit conservation organizations.[4][7]

In recognition of her expertise and achievements in endangered species conservation, President Bill Clinton appointed her as Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) in 1997, a post which she held until 2001.[8][9] During her tenure as director, Clark established 27 new refuges and added two million acres to the National Wildlife Refuge System.[10] While director, the Service worked with Congress to pass the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvements Act of 1997 Archived June 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine,[11] establishing wildlife conservation as the main purpose of all refuges.[12] The Service was involved in many successful efforts to recover imperiled wildlife during her tenure, including the bald eagle,[13] gray wolf[14] and the Aleutian Canada goose.[15]

As president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, Clark has been at the forefront of endangered species and habitat conservation in the non-profit community.[16][17] She has been frequently called on to testify on Capitol Hill, providing guidance to members of Congress on conservation issues.[18] Under her tenure, Defenders has played a key role in the reintroduction of bison to tribal reservations,[19][20] secured protections for right whales,[21][22] sea turtles and piping plovers[23] and many other species and habitats.[24] Workers at Defenders credit Clark with creating a toxic work environment[25] and a "culture of fear" surrounding a 2021 effort to unionize the organization.[26]

Honors and awards

In 2017 she was awarded the Rachel Carson Award by the Audubon Society for her life's work.[27]

Works

References
  1. Bernhardt, Gordon J. (December 2012). "Profiles in Success: Inspiration from Executive Leaders in the Washington, D.C. Area – Jamie Rappaport Clark" (PDF). Bernhardt Wealth Management. confirmed by the Senate in July of 1997, making history at the age of thirty-nine as the youngest person to serve as director
  2. "Defenders of Wildlife Announces New President". Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders. October 6, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  3. "Jamie Rappaport Clark Joins Defenders of Wildlife as New Executive VP". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  4. "USFWS/NCTC – History and Heritage: Jamie Rappaport Clark". training.fws.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  5. "Species Profile for American Peregrine Falcon". US Fish and Wildlife Service. November 10, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  6. "News Release | The Peregrine Fund". www.peregrinefund.org. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  7. "Jamie Rappaport Clark". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  8. "Press Release – Jamie Clark Confirmed Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" (PDF). US Fish and Wildlife Service. US Fish and Wildlife Service. August 1, 1997. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  9. "Interior Secretary Applauds Choice of Jamie Rappaport Clark". www.fws.gov. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  10. "National Wildlife Refuge System". www.fws.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  11. "PUBLIC LAW 105–57—OCT. 9, 1997" (PDF). US Fish and Wildlife Service. October 9, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  12. "Legislative Mandates – Refuge Improvement Act, National Wildlife Refuge System". www.fws.gov. Archived from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  13. "Bald Eagle Recovery". www.fws.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  14. "Species Profile for Gray wolf (Canis lupus)". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  15. "Endangered Species Program | ESA Success Story". www.fws.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  16. "Jamie Rappaport Clark | Endangered Species Coalition". www.endangered.org. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  17. Grant, Miles (January 26, 2015). "Conservation Groups, Native Organizations Celebrate Wilderness Recommendation for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – National Wildlife Federation". National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  18. "Jamie Rappaport Clark | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  19. "Wild Bison Brought to Fort Peck". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  20. Panzar, Javier (November 17, 2014). "After quarantine, bison find a new home on the range in Montana". Newspaper. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  21. "Feds Agree to Protect More Critical Habitat for Right Whales". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  22. Waymer, Jim (November 24, 2014). "Feds to expand right whale protected areas". Newspaper. Florida Today. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  23. "Cape Hatteras Protections Upheld". Defenders of Wildlife. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  24. "Success Stories". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  25. Bravender, Robin. "Environmental group staffers say it's a 'nightmare' to go to work". POLITICO. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  26. Kutz, Jessica. "Environmental activists turn talents inward—and unionize". Mother Jones. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  27. "The Rachel Carson Award Honorees". Audubon Society. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
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