Trustees

The board members represent people with complementary skills and expertise dedicated to conserve the Maasai Mara ecosystem and improve the lives of members of the local Maasai community.

Stephen J. DeVincent, M.A., D.V.M., M.A., Co-chairman

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 1985/1986.

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 2011-2013he  worked for the National Marine Fisheries Service of NOAA.

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.

Jesper Stagegaard, CEO Ree Park, Co-chairman of the trust

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, Ma (Law), journalist, research advisor, secretary of the trust

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.

Ronald Mutie, CEO & Managing Director, Karen Blixen Group

Bo Kjellson, Chairman of Borås Djurpark Wildlife Conservation Fund

In the recent past Bo Kjellson worked as Managing Director at Borås Zoo, Sweden. His passion for Africa has always been present and he went on his first safari to Kenya and Tanzania 1975. In the last 12 years, he has been a tour leader and organizer for safaris to different parts of Africa, once or twice/year. He is a dedicated person with wildlife experience and has a genuine interest in conservation programs both in zoos and wild spaces. He believes that the zoo community can contribute to the wildlife by awareness, donation and education/information.