June has already been an exciting month, for the AES Board. First, we were pleased to welcome, Lindsey Eagan, as our newest Board Director as of June 3rd!
Lindsey has a background in animal care and training and has been working with Asian elephants at the ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico for almost 16 years. She has been a supporter of AES for years and an integral part in the massive success of our annual Pizza for Pachyderms event, consistently being amongst the top-earning hosts for this fundraiser.
When asked why she decided to accept the nomination to join the AES Board, Lindsey said “After being introduced to Asian Elephant Support, it was clear that there was a whole new avenue of education and conservation I could explore and contribute to even from my hometown…I truly appreciate that AES is need driven and contributes to the needs of each specific population of elephants and their surrounding communities, not just giving for very narrow types of Asian elephant issues.”
Her experience in the care and conservation of Asian elephants as well as her drive to help educate the public about the need to help this species are just the start of the reasons we are excited to have her join the team. With her energy and enthusiasm, Lindsey has jumped right in; joining us for our most recent Annual Board Meeting, where we focused on planning and long-term strategies to support elephants and the communities that care for and coexist with them.
Welcome to Asian Elephant Support, Lindsey. We are so very happy to have your dedication and expertise at the table and look forward to all of your continued contributions to the AES mission!
Then, with our newest Director onboard, the now five-member Board of Asian Elephant Support met during the first weekend of June for our customary, two-day-long Annual Meeting in which we work to renew our focus and commitment to the care and conservation of Asian elephants.
While a whole slew of issues developed at the last minute that made it impossible for us to meet in-person in Albuquerque, New Mexico as had been planned, we still managed to be incredibly productive. With Directors literally in every time zone from East to West coast, the team was able to meet via Zoom and share ideas, plans and some good laughs occasionally as well.
As the Board begins to put plans into practice, we are excited to share with supporters new projects that YOU have helped to fund with your generosity. We are also eager to share with you new opportunities to help us raise funds for ongoing work with partners in Asia. We hope you’ll stay tuned as we roll these plans out and continue to support the mission of AES – to care for and conserve Asian elephants!