Alistair Pole

With over 20 years of experience in wildlife research and conservation management working with African governments, protected area authorities, and local communities, Alistair provides ongoing oversight for the breadth of AWF’s projects across the continent. He also oversees the organization’s Classroom Africa program, which delivers conservation through education. Alistair obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen, focusing on African wild dogs in Zimbabwe's Gonarezhou National Park and Save Valley Conservancy, where he later initiated a successful African wild dog conservation program. After completing his Ph.D., Alistair served as the Managing Director of Chishakwe Ranch in Save Valley Conservancy, of which he was a member of the executive committee for 10 years. He joined AWF in 2014, overseeing the management of Simien Mountains National Park in Ethiopia and Manyara Ranch Conservancy in Tanzania.