“Every day I feel more devastated by photos and reports of rhinos and elephants being poached, trophy hunting bans being lifted and general disregard for the crises that face animals and communities alike.  Although the focus of our organization is to help vulnerable and endangered species, the work that other organizations are doing in helping communities and animals to peacefully coexist is of vital importance. This is why we raise funds for the many other organizations that are already involved in these campaigns. If you'd like to support our valuable work please click here.

Suzanne Dean

President/Treasurer

Suzanne is a composer, musician and recording artist. She was an Associate Professor at Berklee College of music for 20 years. She’s received three world music nominations for her song Ngizohamba, an homage to the animals of Africa. She wrote the song in 2016, as part of a fund raiser for CROW, Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife, in Durban, South Africa. Having retired from teaching at Berklee, Suzanne has now dedicated herself to combining music and all kinds of art, with helping to save vulnerable and endangered species. She is also an avid photographer. As president of Artists for Wildlife Conservation she hopes to inspire other artists to join her in taking action.

Henry is most well-known for his iconic photographs of some of the most famous bands and musicians in folk, rock and pop from the 1960s and 70s. He has worked with the likes of Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, The Doors, Crosby, Stills and Nash, James Taylor and Mama Cass, just to name a few. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Life, People, Rolling Stone, High Times and Billboard. Henry is a partner in, and is exclusively published and represented by the Morrison Hotel Gallery. He continues to photograph and describes his journey this way: “Photography has been my passport, and I have arrived in the present, where I have always been, camera in hand. There! That says it best for me!” Henry has always loved animals and admired those who understand them and work as their guardians. “Jane Goodall would be one of my big heroes. I think as protectors of our earthly home, we all need to be aware of creatures we coexist with."

Eleanor L. Thomas

Treasurer 

Elly is a native of Long Island and spends summers on the North Fork enjoying the beaches and bays, beautiful sunsets, and outdoor activities on the Long Island Sound. She is an avid lover of nature, monitoring the annual arrival of the red tail hawk hatchlings with great affinity. Her career is in financial services, serving in both large and small settings principally holding accounting and operational roles. Elly holds an MBA in accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant. She currently works with investment businesses providing outsourced finance and compliance services. She has served on various boards, often in the role of treasurer. Elly has been a supporter of Artists For Wildlife Conservation (AFWC) since its founding and is thrilled to be part of its mission. Elly lives in New York City and spends time in Orient, New York. She is currently Treasurer of AFWC.

Johnny Ray Miller

Director 

Johnny Ray Miller lives and works in Northeast Ohio as a theatre educator, director, writer and promoter. He has produced more than 100 live stage productions including sold out concerts with David Cassidy and Davy Jones. He is the author of "When We're Singin' - The Partridge Family & Their Music," a book that chronicles the musical story of The Partridge Family. He worked with David Cassidy on the A&E Biography, "David Cassidy: The Last Session." Miller is a graduate of Kent State University, and a longtime advocate for the preservation of Wildlife, Animal Rights and Climate control.

Jocelynne Samu-Pittard

Director

Jocelynne lives in Michigan, working as a biologist with the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Raised by musicians, Jocelynne and her brother, Rick Samu, were taught the value of art and music from a young age. Her career passions led her to the environmental world where she received degrees from Miami University (OH) and the University of Edinburgh, but she has never lost that connection to music. This is one of the many reasons she is excited to be joining the AFWILDC team. She recognizes the importance of creating meaningful connections between people and the environment and how powerful those connections can be. She is hoping to help build these connections with artists and anyone passionate about wildlife. When not working, you can find Jocelynne reading, exercising, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Dr. Rick Samu

Director

Dr. Rick Samu is a practicing veterinarian trained in domestic, wildlife, zoo, exotic, and conservation medicine. Raised in a musical family alongside his sister, Jocelynne Samu-Pittard, he always had a strong affinity towards the arts and recognized their importance in education and expression. However, when his studies took him to the University of Cincinnati, he quickly fell in love with animals as a volunteer at the Cincinnati Zoo. Working at the zoo through graduation, he then shifted his focus from zookeeping to vet school and moved overseas to study at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. During his time there, he was involved in multiple wildlife and conservation projects in South Africa, Belize, and Guatemala, as well as multiple zoos within the US including Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Zoo Tampa, and Busch Gardens Tampa. After graduating in 2019, he completed an internship in Florida before moving to New York to pursue medical and surgical training in exotics and wildlife, and he’s currently pursuing postgraduate training in Conservation Medicine. He is thrilled to join the AFWILDC team as a director of social media and hopes that his efforts can help inspire more artists and wildlife enthusiasts to become involved in conservation in whatever way they can.