MCA Staff

Michael W. Klemens, Ph.D. , Founding Director

Michael W. Klemens received his doctorate in conservation biology and ecology at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom.  He received his BS (Education) and MS (Zoology) from the University of Connecticut. He is a Senior Conservationist at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and has been on the scientific staff of the American Museum of Natural History since 1979.  His career is founded on almost three decades of herpetological research in the United States and Africa.

Dr. Klemens’ research has led him to the conclusion that, in order to bring about tangible conservation results, scientific research cannot be conducted outside of its social, political, and economic context. Based on this conclusion, Dr. Klemens founded the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance (MCA), a WCS program, in 1997 to bridge the gap between conservation science and land use planning processes. Through MCA, he has translated biological data and conservation concepts into planning tools that achieve better conservation at local and regional scales. Specifically, the MCA has created five multi-town conservation planning compacts, in Connecticut and New York.  These compacts seek to improve biodiversity conservation at the inter-municipal level by intelligently planning for the needs of both wildlife and people.  This pioneering approach to balancing the needs of ecological and human communities has led to interest in Dr. Klemens’ work both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Klemens has also authored numerous publications pertaining to the distribution and conservation of amphibians and reptiles, as well as papers on the effects of suburban sprawl on wildlife and ecosystems.  His most recent book, Nature in Fragments: The Legacy of Sprawl, is the definitive book on this subject to date.  He strongly advocates that scientists have a responsibility to actively engage in conservation efforts and to this end, he serves on local, regional, and national steering committees and technical advisory boards. 

Danielle T. LaBruna, M.A., Outreach Coordinator & GIS Analyst
Danielle T. LaBruna earned her BA in Anthropology from James Madison University and her MA in Conservation Biology from Columbia University. In her position as Outreach Coordinator & GIS Analyst, she draws upon both her anthropological and biological backgrounds, which she believes are equally vital for finding solutions to conservation problems. 

Kevin J. Ryan, B.T., Program Officer

Kevin J. Ryan joined the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Metropolitan Conservation Alliance in 2003 as a field herpetologist, responsible for collecting data on the distribution of reptile and amphibian species within towns working in cooperation with MCA’s “biotic corridor” projects.  He was promoted to Program Officer in 2005, and while still conducting field surveys, serves as the program’s office manager.  In addition to his office managerial tasks, Kevin plays a role in maintaining MCA’s biological databases, coordinates with the MCA’s programmatic partners, and provides outreach to the general public.

Mr. Ryan earned an Associates Degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Technology in 1999 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Management in 2001, both from SUNY Cobleskill.  He worked for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources collecting life-history data on nesting loggerhead sea turtles on Ossabaw Island.  He also worked for a land surveying company shortly before joining the MCA.