As Executive Director of Bat Conservation International, Nina Fascione guides the Austin, Texas-based organization in its efforts to protect bats and their habitats around the world through innovative programs that blend education, research and conservation.

Nina, a conservation professional for 25 years, assumed leadership of BCI on March 1, 2010. She had previously been Vice President for Field Conservation Programs at Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., where she managed Defenders’ largest division, with 30 staffers at nine regional offices dedicated to endangered species and habitat conservation. She has also held positions with the Wildlife Habitat Council and the Zoological Society of Philadelphia.

Nina serves on the executive committee of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Collaborative, an international group working to further conservation goals by alleviating conflicts with humans. She is also a co-founder and board chair of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders, a leadership training program for up and coming wildlife professionals. Nina was co-chair of the American Zoo and Aquarium’s Bat Taxon Advisory Group from 1991-97, coordinating strategic planning and implementation of conservation and breeding programs for threatened bats.

Nina has a Master of Applied Anthropology and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Maryland, where she examined the human component of wildlife conservation. Nina has authored dozens of journal articles, book chapters and technical reports covering various topics in wildlife science and conservation, and edited the Island Press book People and Predators: From Conflict to Coexistence.

Dave Waldien joined Bat Conservation International (BCI) in 2004 to lead BCI’s efforts in Mexico. Since then, he has supervised conservation programs throughout the United States, including the Bats and Mines, Western Subterranean, Indiana Myotis and Water for Wildlife programs. He has been directing BCI’s operations since March 2010, and also oversees the strategic growth of BCI’s Bats of Latin America & the Caribbean Program and Conservation of Philippine Cave-Bats Program.

Dave has worked with bats and other wildlife for nearly 20 years, focusing extensively on finding a balance between conservation opportunities and management issues. He received a B.S. in Biology from Southern Oregon University, an M.S. in Forest Science and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from Oregon State University. Dave serves as a trustee of Philippine Bat Conservation and is a member of the steering committee for the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign.

Ed Arnett is Director of Science and Policy at Bat Conservation International (BCI). He joined BCI in 2004, serving as Program Coordinator for the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative from 2004 to 2010. He received a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Montana State University, an M.S. in Zoology and Physiology from the University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. in Forest Science from Oregon State University. Prior to working at BCI, Ed was a research biologist for Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service. He is a member of the Ecological Society of America, The Wildlife Society (National and Texas Chapter) and is a past president of the Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society.

Ed has studied bats since 1995, focusing extensively on habitat ecology of forest bats. He led research efforts on bats and wind energy development since 2004 and served on a federal advisory committee that developed recommendations for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines for wind energy and wildlife, and chaired The Wildlife Society’s technical review committee on wind energy impacts on wildlife. He has published nearly 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters and popular articles.

Ed oversees international wind energy issues, advises the Executive Director and staff on science and policy issues, provides guidance on development of regulations, policies and guidelines with Federal and state agencies and local governments, and oversees special projects for BCI.