Amie has worked in international wildlife and nature conservation throughout her career. After earning a university degree in Art History, her first stint was with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For many years, she worked with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) to coordinate scientific input into CITES policy processes. Also with IUCN, she collaborated in the development and application of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Categories and Criteria, including their application to marine species. She served as the staff focal point for SSC Specialist Groups focusing on reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and marine species.

An expert in international wildlife policy processes, Amie has extensive experience in designing and overseeing the implementation of field-based conservation efforts, among them species population surveys and fisheries monitoring programs. Her work in the Caribbean has included conducting a CITES-commissioned review of marine turtle management in the Wider Caribbean and leading The Ocean Conservancy’s efforts to assist in the design and designation of what is now the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve in the San Andres Archipelago.

The conservation of sharks and rays has been a major focus of Amie’s work for several decades. She has conducted analyses on shark finning for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), analyzed national and regional shark legislation for the (US) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and others, and, with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), led a partnership that developed a 10-year global conservation strategy for sharks and rays.

In addition to her technical expertise in wildlife conservation, Amie brings to IIF experience in fundraising, strategic planning, and program development and administration.