Sylvia Fallon Email & Phone Number

Washington Dc

Joined NRDC’s newly created Science Office as a founding member to help establish and grow the scientific capacity and expertise needed to support the organization and its advocacy work. I ensure that science is integrated into all aspects of NRDC’s decision making from the creation of specific research reports to the development of complicated cross-programmtic policy positions. As a member of the Science Office’s leadership team I am integral to all aspects of the Office including hiring, staffing, budget management and overall development of the Science Office’s strategic direction.- Assess and develop systems for ensuring that science is foundational to NRDC and supports the organiziation’s strategic priorities. - Serve on Future of Work Leadership Team with an eye towards equity. As a senior leader in my organization I am serving on a Leadership team run by our Chief Operating Officer to devise plans for how to return to the office in a way the promotes safety, productivity, culture and equity.

Washington Dc

Selected to serve as interim Chief Science Officer after the departure of previous CSO. I oversaw all of the operations of NRDC’s Science Office including strategic planning, budget development, and management responsibilities for a growing team of scientists, policy analysts and administrative professionals.- Served on executive decision-making structures as a key thought partner for the President and other senior leadership; Played an active and collaborative role in developing and shaping the institution's advocacy and policy positions and ensuring they are grounded in scientific principles and understanding. - Fostered a culture of collaboration within and across NRDC’s science community and served as an internal advocate for science and scientists within the institution.

Washington Dc

After an organizational restructure, I was promoted to direct the newly created Wildlife program. I led an amazing team of 10-15 advocacy experts and programmatic staff across the US and China, working together to defend endangered animal populations by promoting coexistence practices, reining in toxic pesticides, and stemming international trade of species. My team created innovative advocacy initiatives that strengthen wildlife conservation policies and expand protections for vulnerable species including gray wolves, grizzly bears and pollinators.KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THIS ROLE:✓ Championed efforts protecting the Endangered Species Act by defending against administrative and legislative attacks, and amplifying communications and outreach to public through strategic partnerships.✓ Led multifaceted advocacy campaign to protect pollinators by combining litigation and legislation with corporate accountability – leveraging international pressure and media to drive policy changes that will reduce pesticide use and promote pollinator habitat. ✓ Marshalled support for ballot initiative to reintroduce wolves to Colorado to expand nation-wide recovery and restore balance within region’s ecosystem.

I was appointed to a new role to help expand the organization’s reach and develop strong policy positions. Under my leadership, our division grew from 6 to 10 advocacy experts. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THIS ROLE:✓ Led a collaborative process to develop and introduce pollinator and wildlife trade campaigns as part of cross-functional teams, broadening scope and impact of our work on critical species. ✓ Shed light on devastating impact of glyphosate use within U.S. agriculture on monarch butterflies, increasing awareness and setting the stage for future policy changes. ✓ Thwarted U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s attempt to eliminate ESA protections from wolves. Reviewed the agency’s proposed rule and provided expert opinion regarding the scientific validity and potential consequences of Fish and Wildlife’s proposal. —>Recruited to serve on elite scientific peer review panel that exposed scientific inaccuracies of the agency’s proposal as part of effort led by NCEAS (National Center for Environmental Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara). ✓ Authored numerous technical comments and steered strategy behind numerous species-specific Endangered Species Act petitions and agency decisions with particular focus on those reliant on genetic data.

In this role I supported critical wildlife protection initiatives through research and outreach efforts. I increased our engagement within the scientific community and established and nurtured strong working relationships with scientists in adjacent agencies. I authored numerous technical comments on multiple federal agency actions and provided expert testimony in federal court filings. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THIS ROLE:✓ Authored successful petitions to add vulnerable species to Endangered Species Act including insular population of false killer whales, Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whale, and whitebark pine.✓ Protected gray wolves from removal from ESA list by providing expert witness testimony and convincingly illustrating detrimental consequences for species upon removal based on complex scientific arguments grounded in genetic theory.

Ms, Biology

Bs, Ecology, Behavior, Evolution

Phd, Ecology, Evolution, Systematics