Our Team
Tasman Rosenfeld, Chair of the Board
Tasman is an evolutionary biologist and science educator based at Harvard University. He has coordinated amphibian and reptile conservation efforts across the United States and neotropics. He is particularly interested in the intersection of environmentalism, science, and the arts; to learn more about his conservation-related music and photography, find @tasmanology on Instagram.
Charles Baker, Vice Chair
Charles is a naturalist with a background in herpetology, environmental studies, and conservation. Charles has orchestrated numerous conservation endeavors both locally and in the Neotropics, which ultimately led him to discovering his affinity for Honduras.
Carlos Mercado Lara, Treasurer
Carlos is from Florida but is the son of two Honduran parents. His love for his Honduran roots has led him to do educational and conservatory work in Honduran public schools. Carlos studied biological engineering and management at MIT and currently is a consultant at Oliver Wyman
Jeanette Torres, Administrative Aid
Jeanette Torres Martinez is a Honduran biologist who graduated from the National Autonomous University of Honduras. She has volunteered with the Hydrobiology Laboratory in the University working with water quality in the Ecotoxicology Unit. She has also worked with Operation Wallacea as a camp manager in Cusuco National Park. She facilitated the running of the expedition, organizing the logistics of national and international students and researchers, and participating in the surveys. She’s currently working with a Honduran non-profit organization called ilili, which aims for the conservation of marine ecosystems focusing on sharks and rays. She has been passionate about amphibians and reptiles, and she’s eager to continue to learn about their ecology and conservation.
Hermes Vega is the Research Director of MAPANCE, the cooperative management agency of Celaque National Park and adjacent protected areas in Lempira, Honduras.
Hermes Vega, M.S., Director
James Muchmore, Director
James Muchmore is a conservationist with a background in communication design. With a Masters in communication and packaging design from Pratt Institute and over 15 years of experience in the corporate design world, he has taken his learnings and now applies it to conservation. An avid birder, herper, and amateur orchid nerd!
Josiah Townsend, PhD, Director
Josiah Townsend is a Professor of Biology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Research Associate of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Centro Zamorano de Biodiversidad, and Instituto Hondureño de Investigación en Biología y Ambiente; and was a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Scientist in Honduras from 2019-21. Dr. Townsend has over 25 years’ experience studying the herpetofauna of Honduras, and his work has led to the discovery of 27 new species of amphibians and reptiles, including 21 species that are endemic to Honduras, and over 140 scientific publications and notes, including the books Conservation of Mesoamerican Amphibians and Reptiles, Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Cusuco National Park, Honduras, and The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Honduran Mosquitia. He has participated in IUCN Red List Workshops and activities for Honduran amphibians, Central American reptiles, and Honduras reptiles (National Red List), and also leads research focused on the conservation biology of the Bay Islands herpetofauna, including the endemic Utila spiny-tailed iguana, Ctenosaura bakeri.
Mason Theurer, Director
Mason is a geospatial analyst and GIS researcher, currently completing his Master’s degree with the University of Florida. His research and interests are centered on land conservation and land cover change analysis. He primarily studies conservation in Florida but is expanding his efforts to include larger regions of the United States and beyond, including Honduras.
Chuck Theurer, Director
Chuck is a Master Naturalist in the state of Florida who has always been concerned with conservation of natural areas. He has lent a hand in multiple land conservation efforts, with the likes of figures such as Jim Thomas. He offers insight and help into environmental objectives wherever he can.