Court Whelan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Natural Habitat Adventures
I have been in both the conservation travel and philanthropy space for over 20 years. Having guided, planned, researched and storytold on many adventures, while also being a conservation biologist by training, I have deep knowledge of both the academic and industry side of things
Describe any previous or current experience you have working with nonprofits, foundations or conservation organizations.
I work closely with Nat Hab Philanthropy and World Wildlife Fund and directly overseeing philanthropy, conservation, and travel programs, all revolving around sustainable travel experiences that provide incentives and income for local communities.
Describe any current or previous experience in fundraising and development.
By proxy, I have been involved in fundraising, to an extent, throughout my travel career. I've not been a professional development officer or fundraiser, but am versed in the realm quite a bit.
Why are you interested in serving on the ATCF board?
I believe that there is tremendous power in what we do in the conservation travel space, and as a member and partner of ATCF (Nat Hab) for many years, I admire what you all do very much and feel like I can help.
What specific skills, perspectives, or networks would you bring to help advance the ATCF’s mission and impact?
In addition to being quite familiar with ATCF and tangential organizations, I have a broad-ranging perspective of the travel industry. I began my career studying ecotourism, biology, and conservation through the PhD level, while also working in the travel industry for the last 20 years. In addition to the conservation and sustainability side of things, I’m also a guide/expedition leader and have extensive field experience to couple with the industry, office, and academia side of things.