NEW YORK, NY, September 6, 2007 - Wildlife Trust, the organization that empowers local conservation scientists worldwide to protect nature and safeguard ecosystems and human health, announced the election of Sheila Patel to its Board of Directors.

Ms. Patel comes to Wildlife Trust with an extensive background in finance. She is currently the head of U.S. Derivative Sales and co-head of U.S. Institutional Sales for Goldman Sachs. She also serves on the board of Pine Street, the firm's innovative leadership development initiative.

Ms. Patel's finance and leadership activities extend beyond the walls of her office. She teaches a special advanced seminar on Equity Derivatives at Columbia Business School and is a senior advisor and former co-head of the Goldman Sachs Equities/FICC Women's Network. Ms. Patel is also a member of Princeton University's Women in Leadership Initiative and 100 Women in Hedge Funds, a global association of over 6,000 professional women committed to professional development initiatives and philanthropy. "Wildlife Trust's leadership and innovation is inspiring. I am very excited to be a part of the organization and look forward to supporting their efforts and helping them grow,"

Ms. Patel earned her B.A. in Politics and Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University, followed by an MBA from Columbia University in 1997. She and her husband reside in New York City with their son.

About Wildlife Trust

Wildlife Trust empowers local conservation scientists worldwide to protect nature and safeguard ecosystem and human health. Wildlife Trust is a conservation science innovator and leverages research expertise through strategic global alliances. Wildlife Trust pioneered the field of Conservation Medicine, a new discipline that addresses the link between ecological disruption of habitats and the effects on wildlife, livestock and human health.

Founded in 1971 by British naturalist and author Gerald Durrell, Wildlife Trust has built its reputation on 35 years of global research, education, training and experience. Research and conservation work in the United States include programs in the metropolitan New York area, Florida and along the coast of the Southeastern U.S.

Internationally, Wildlife Trust trains and supports a network of scientists around the world to save endangered species and their habitats and to protect the health of vital ecosystems. Wildlife Trust created the first egalitarian international network of science-based conservation organizations called the Wildlife Trust Alliance and is a founding partner organization of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, a unique think-tank of prestigious academic institutions.

Visit www.wildlifetrust.org to read more.

Media Contact:
Anthony Ramos, Wildlife Trust
Director for Marketing & Communications
ramos@wildlifetrust.org
212/380-4469

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