2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS [Bios below]

Officers

President – Robert Villa

Vice President – Patrick Brown

Secretary – [Vacant]

Treasurer – Maggie Fusari

Appointed Directors

Editor of Sonoran Herpetologist – Howard Clark

Program Chair – Robert Villa

Conservation Chair – Dale Turner

Directors

John Ginter

Karina Hilliard

Hill Johnson

Cassidy Lee

Lee Oler

Anthony Pawlicki

Ryan Perry

Michael Ruff

Administration and Programs

Membership

Maggie Fusari

Public Outreach

Patrick Brown

Website Administration

Patrick Brown

Media Contact

Robert Villa

Charles H. Lowe Herpetology Research Fund & Sonoran Desert Toad Fund

Robert Villa

Jarchow Conservation Award

Don Swann

Herpetological Information Hotline

Board Biographies

Robert Villa – President

Robert is a lifelong lover and student of the Sonoran Desert region, exploring and documenting its bio-cultural diversity (often with violin in tow). His love of nature began with a little tortoise his great grandmother gave him and has grown up with. He has published personal and peer-reviewed articles, edited manuscripts, and worked with various television productions including BBC, National Geographic, and Vice. In November of 2019 he had the honor of meeting Sir David Attenborough while filming for the production of the series Green Planet for the BBC.

Robert is a Research Associate and Curator of the Greenhouse and Garden at the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill. His herp species of interest have been turtles and tortoises, rattlesnakes, and most recently Sonoran Desert Toads in his efforts to thwart its unsustainable demand from psychedelic users. He has presided THS for several years unchallenged and will continue work with the board of directors to fulfill the THS roles and mission; including extending communications with herpetologists and students in Mexico.

Patrick Brown – Vice President

A proud fifth-generation Texan, Patrick Brown has made Tucson his longtime home.  Patrick earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Arizona, and now works as a firefighter, EMT, and technical rescue and hazardous materials technician for the Northwest Fire District in Tucson.

Influenced by his father’s enthusiasm for herpetology, Patrick has had lifelong interest in reptiles and amphibians.  Aside from personal herping adventures in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, his herpetological resume includes field studies for various researchers at the University of Arizona, the USGS, and in the private sector.

To further the mission of the THS, Patrick has assumed responsibility for the THS website and has worked to update the Society’s online membership portal.  Once public gatherings become safer, Patrick would also like to become involved in the THS’ Speaker’s Bureau and explore opportunities for field trips in Arizona and Sonora.

Vacant – Secretary

 

Ryan Perry – Treasurer

My name is Ryan Perry and I am hoping to join the THS board. I have been a member the past few years and would like to take on a more involved role. Herps have always been my favorite animals, especially reptiles which I have 15 years of experience keeping. Most of my experience with non profit groups comes from my time running college organizations; during which I held various positions. My responsibilities included running events, handling finances, working with sponsors, coaching and training, tracking memberships, and filling out paperwork. I also have experience running clubs and events as a high school teacher. If I become a board member, I hope to use my experience to further our education and outreach efforts. I would also like to organize regular hiking and herping events around Tucson.

Howard Clark – Editor Sonoran Herpetologist

Howard has 30 years of professional wildlife, ecology, and research experience focused on the fauna and ecosystems of California. He is a Certified Wildlife Biologist® (The Wildlife Society [TWS]) and a Certified Senior Ecologist (Ecological Society of America) whose work as an ecological consultant has included extensive baseline inventories, surveys for rare animals, and habitat assessments for species including blunt-nosed leopard lizard, burrowing owl, San Joaquin kit fox, giant kangaroo rat, and Mohave ground squirrel, among many others. Howard began his career with the Endangered Species Recovery Program where he spent seven years as a wildlife biologist while he completed his bachelor’s degree at CSU Stanislaus in 1998 and his Master’s degree at CSU Fresno in 2001. His thesis addressed the interactions between the endangered San Joaquin kit fox and the non-native red fox in Kern County, California. He developed his consulting skills while working for H. T. Harvey & Associates for 10 years and Garcia and Associates for three years before joining Colibri Ecological Consulting in 2016, which is now a Verdantas company. Howard was awarded the Raymond F. Dasmann Award for Professional of the Year by The Western Section of TWS in 2015, the Champions of Wildlife award by the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of TWS in 2020, and the Distinguished Service Award by the international TWS in 2025. His commitment to the biology community includes serving as an instructor for TWS workshops on blunt-nosed leopard lizard, San Joaquin kit fox, and small mammals and volunteering since 2014 as the Layout Editor for the Western Section’s journal Western Wildlife. During leisure time, Howard enjoys hiking, geocaching, and playing Pokémon Go with his daughter and wife.

John Ginter – Director

John is a naturalist with a deep love and appreciation for the Sonoran Desert. As a young man, John visited the desert southwest and promptly realized that this was the place for him.  He has worked as a wildlife biologist in the region for over 30 years and is grateful for the many countless hours spent enjoying the Sonoran Desert as a wildlife biologist and naturalist.

Margaret H. Fusari – Director

I served the THS as treasurer for ten years (2015-2025). I retired from 27 years at UC Santa Cruz where I served as Director of the Natural Reserves and Lecturer for Environmental Studies and Biology. I am a herpetologist, environmental physiologist, biologist, and educator. I came to Tucson in January 2010 from two years in Peace Corps, México. I now serve as a Docent for the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and as a board member of the Desert Tortoise Council.

Cassidy Lee – Director

My passion for herpetology began at a young age in Alabama, where my dad and I would capture tadpoles from our backyard pond, studying their metamorphosis each week. This fascination has blossomed into a fulfilling career; I now capture and study tadpoles professionally. Since 2018, I’ve immersed myself in the field, starting with volunteer field trips for frog surveys and bullfrog trapping through my college biology club, then working in multiple university lab’s and non-profit groups. Currently, I work with frogs and toads in our National Parks, and volunteer with The Catalina State Park Nature Program. I want to be on the board of the Tucson Herpetological Society (THS) because I believe in THS’s missions in conservation, research, and education. I am convinced that the key to protecting reptiles and amphibians for generations lies in effectively communicating research findings to the public. THS plays a crucial role in this by funding innovative research and translating it into engaging educational outreach, and I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my expertise and passion to advance these vital initiatives.

 

Lee Oler – Director

Lee Oler is a musician, turtle and amphibian lover, and environmentalist. She believes environmentalism is 98% political and works to get progressive candidates elected.

Anthony Pawlicki – Director

Anthony Pawlicki is a wildlife biologist currently working in the Goode lab at the University of Arizona. He graduated from the University of Maine in 2017 with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology. During his time in Maine, he wrote his senior thesis on the effects of climate and habitat on the distribution of northern water snakes in Maine. After graduating, Anthony moved to Arizona to begin working with Matt Goode on studying flat-tailed horned lizard reproduction. He has also worked on projects involving Mojave Desert tortoises, Gila monsters, Mexican garter snakes, Sonoran sidewinders, and multiple other reptile and amphibian species. During his free time, Anthony volunteers with the Catalina State Park Nature Program where he helps educate people on local wildlife and how to interact with snakes.

Hill Johnson – Director

Michael Ruff – Director

Dale Turner – Director

I am a long-time member of Tucson Herpetological Society. Trained in herpetology at University of Arizona, I recently retired from a career in conservation that included stints with the National Park Service and two decades with The Nature Conservancy. I bring both academic and field-based knowledge of reptiles and amphibians, having worked throughout southern Arizona and northern Sonora, and been lead or coauthor on many peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and technical reports. I have experience with a variety of nonprofits, having been among the founders of Sky Island Alliance and serving on its board for 20 years. I served on the board of THS from 1997 to 2001, including terms as President and Vice President. If elected to this board again, I will bring my experience with conservation issues and strategies into discussions about how THS can be most effective in current and potential projects.