I’m an ecologist, herpetologist, and lifelong conservationist with a deep-rooted passion for the natural world. My fascination for reptiles, especially snakes and lizards, has helped to shape my career to date. I have been fortunate to work as Project Manager on the Snakes in the Heather project to help conserve reptiles in the lowland heath habitats of southern England and to gain field experience abroad, such as working as a Field Assistant on the Pygmy Blue-tongue Skink Recovery Program in Australia. I have a varied work history that has allowed me to build a unique skillset, including customer service as well as conservation-based skills such as report and grant writing, project management, fieldwork, research, GIS (using ESRI ArcGIS and Q-GIS platforms), and stakeholder engagement. I enjoy training, mentoring, and inspiring like-minded people, sharing knowledge, and delivering impactful conservation projects. I am known for my enthusiasm and conscientiousness, and being analytical and organised. I take pride in achieving high standards in my work. Outside of work, I have played the drums for 30 years, enjoy mountain biking, and I am an avid traveller. My adventures often combine my love for reptiles with exploring the natural world and connecting with conservation efforts worldwide. With a creative streak, I blend my artistic skills and lateral thinking to enhance conservation resources.

My background is mainly in species conservation, education and capacity exchange. I researched mother-young interactions in gorillas and chimpanzees, in captivity and the wild. After that, I worked for three years in Indonesia, where I developed and implemented youth ambassador and community engagement programmes on local and regional scales. I co-founded WildHub, a community of nature conservation professionals, in 2020 and work as their Community Lead. I am furthermore on the Advisory Board of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent where I obtained my PhD on capacity development for conservation in 2022.

I am a passionate communicator and researcher with an extensive background in the environmental humanities and social sciences, dedicated to exploring and fostering connections between people and nature. Based between Sweden and the UK, I work in academia as a researcher and lecturer, teaching courses in environmental law, historical ecology, and disaster risk management. I actively contribute to non-profit organisations promoting conservation and animal welfare. I work with Faunalytics, translating complex research into accessible insights for evidence-based advocacy; write feature articles for Ubuntu Magazine spotlighting conservation initiatives; and serve as Community Advocates Coordinator at WildHub, driving strategic communications and leading initiatives that connect and empower conservation practitioners worldwide. When I’m not working, you’ll find me hiking forest trails with my dog or enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Dominique Thompson