The board members respresent people with complementary skills and expertise dedicated to conserve the Maasai Mara ecosystem and improve the lives of members of the local Maasai community.
Dr. DeVincent received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree from Tufts University in 1995. He was awarded a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1996 from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He also earned a B.A./M.A. degree in History from University of Cambridge in England in 1986.
Dr. DeVincent was employed as a full-time small animal Associate Veterinarian from 2006-2008. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
In 2008-2010, Dr. DeVincent was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Fellow within the U.S. Department of State. His principal responsibility involved international polar bear conservation policy. In the years 2011-2013, while working for the National Marine Fisheries Service of NOAA, Dr. DeVincent served as an inspector of the 27 marine mammal rehabilitation facilities authorized by the U.S. government within the United States.
From the fall of 2013 to January 2017, Dr. DeVincent resided in Copenhagen with his husband Rufus Gifford, who served as the United States Ambassador to Denmark during that time. Dr. DeVincent accompanied World Wildlife Fund of Denmark on two trips to Greenland in 2015 and 2016 focused on decreasing human – polar conflict issues. Since 2016 Dr. DeVincent has the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Karen Blixen Camp Trust. Dr. DeVincent is also a Faculty Fellow of the Center for Animals and Public Policy at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
Graduated as Cand. Hort. specialized in ‘Land use in Developing Countries’ from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University of Denmark in 1998. Field experience on conservation work in e.g. Latin America and Africa. African Wilddog (Lycaon pictus) Conservation, 2005-2007 (South Africa). Rewilding European Bison (Bison Bonasus), 2004-2005 (Poland). Guide and consultant on several field expeditions in Africa, 2002-. Member of the Danish Ministry advisory board for Zoological institutions, 2017-2020 (Denmark). Member of Scientific advisory board, Mara Elephant Project, 2015- (Kenya). Board member and Director Mara North Conservancy, 2012- (Kenya). Chairman Karen Blixen Camp, 2012- (Kenya). Species Committee member (European Endangered species Program, 2009- (Europe). Ceo. Ree Park – Safari, 2005- (Denmark).
Pernille Kallehave is a Research Advisor at Aarhus University (Denmark), and the Program Director of the Maasai Mara Science and Development Initiative (MMSDI), founded in 2014 by an interdisciplinary group of researchers at Aarhus University together with Karen Blixen Camp, Mararianta community and Kenyan universities. MMSDI wants to contribute to conserving the Maasai Mara ecosystem, its rich wildlife and culture through interdisciplinary research and development initiatives. The research network has mapped the many challenges of the Mara and several research and master student projects have started up. In 2017 the Danish researchers published their first article in Nature Open Science about the fencing of the Mara and the threats this poses to wildlife. Besides this mrs. Kallehave has worked in Karen Blixen Camp developing new ideas for the Educational Initiative, the village school and especially the women empowerment program.
Graduated as Cand. Merc. Aud from Copenhagen Business School of Economics in 1996. Director and Board member of Karsten Ree Holding Group in Denmark. Member of ExCo Mara North Conservancy, 2014- (Kenya). Board of Directors in Karen Blixen Camp, 2012- (Kenya), Africa tours Kenya Ltd, 2015 and Ree Park – Safari, 2009 (Denmark)
CEO & MD, Karen Blixen Camp
My name is Bo Kjellson and I work as Managing Director at Borås Zoo, Sweden. I have been working in the same zoo since 1973, but in different positions. I started as a keeper for elephants, rhinos and giraffes and ended up the keeper career with the big cats: lions, tigers and cheetahs. Worked as General Curator for several years until 2011 when I advanced as CEO. Practical skills, hunting and gun license and certificate for immobilization of animals with injection weapons. My passion for Africa has always been present and I went on my first safari to Kenya and Tanzania 1975. In the last 12 years, I have been a tour leader and organizer for safaris to different parts of Africa, once or twice/year. I am a dedicated person with wildlife experience and a genuine interest of conservation programs both in zoos and in wildlife. I believe that the zoo community can contribute to the wildlife by awareness, donation and education/information. Together we can make a difference!