Dedicated to Saving Mountain Lions

Staff

John Ziegler, MD, FASA

Co-Executive Director, Board Member
Park City, Utah

John Ziegler MD, FASA is the most recent addition to the Board of the Mountain Lion Foundation. John lives in Park City UTAH with his wife and three dogs.  He is an accomplished clinical researcher, cardiac anesthesiologist and critical care physician who has had a lifelong interest in wildlife photography and conservation fields of all kinds, especially those focused on carnivores.

He was a founding Board member of the Vital Ground Foundation and is a former member of the Hogle Zoo Board where he also Chaired the Conservation Committee. Currently, John is Vice-President of the Humane Society of Utah while also serving as an HSU Board member. In addition, he is currently a member of the Central Regional Advisory Council for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources where he helps provide feedback to the Utah Wildlife Board as they oversee wildlife management programs throughout the state.

Member of the Board of Directors since 2025

Fauna Tomlinson

Co-Executive Director, Board Member
Lake Tahoe, California

Fauna Tomlinson’s passion for the big cats of the world initially started with the Indian Bengal tiger and the snow leopard, which led to many trips to India and Nepal. She now works closer to home on native lion and coyote issues.

From Tahoe, her home base for the past three decades, she works in real estate and serves as the Sierra Nevada Representative for Project Coyote.

Fauna also serves on the California Council of Wildlife Rehabilitators.

Being on the board of Mountain Lion Foundation offers her a chance to make a difference on behalf of America’s lion in a new and exciting way.

Member of the Board of Directors since 2020

Elizabeth Sullivan

Co-Executive Director, Board Member
Cotati, California

Elizabeth held a dual career in wealth management and law.

She was a wealth management advisor for a private firm and provided financial advisory for financial consulting firms like Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo Advisors. Her work included planned giving and legacy consulting to non-profits and individual estates.

As an attorney, she practiced in environmental litigation and toxics litigation including cases involving mitigation of several Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites. She has also spent time as pro-bono counsel on habitat and land use issues.

At age six, she volunteered to clean local marshes, and her lifelong concern for wildlife has carried on since then to include a wide range of efforts, including penguin behavioral studies at San Francisco Zoo in college and feeding orphaned chicks at wildlife rehabilitation centers. When it comes to preventing the loss of wildlife species, she firmly believes that every individual counts.

Member of the Board of Directors since 1996

Board of Directors

Bob McCoy

Chair
Sammamish, Washington

An interest in researching Puma concolor led Bob to the Mountain Lion Foundation. That was in 2009. Shortly thereafter, he successfully worked to stop the Washington Cougar Hounding Pilot Program, formed the Washington Cougar Coalition (WA Cougar), and become the Foundation’s Washington State field representative. Since then, Bob and volunteers successfully stopped several bills that would have harmed cougars. In 2013, Bob represented the Foundation on a panel at the 13th Mountain Lion Workshop in Utah. In 2015, Bob spurred WA Cougar to appeal the Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission’s failure to follow proper procedure in setting cougar hunting guidelines. Humane Society of the United States’ lawyers authored the administrative petition to the governor that achieved the first overturn and rollback of a citizens’ commission ruling in Washington state history. As part of a small coalition of groups and individuals, Bob helped in getting new commissioners appointed (2021 – 2023) that gives a majority vote to prioritize science over extractive “opportunity.” Bob frequently testifies for carnivores, and participates in outreach and education events. He is 100% committed to the Foundation’s mission. Bob has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration.

Member of the Board of Directors since 2016.

Dr. Chris Tromborg

Vice Chair
Davis, California

Dr. Chris Tromborg is an emeritus  Professor of Biological Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Animal Behavior and Cognition at Sacramento City College and a former lecturer in Psychobiology, Perception, and Advanced Animal Behavior at the University of California, Davis. His research interests include captivity and behavior, with an emphasis on behavioral enrichment through environmental engineering, Animal Communication, and Wildlife Conservation, emphasizing Felids.

Along with serving on the Foundation’s board, he also serves on the Board of Directors of The Feline Conservation Foundation, and is a past board member of The African Wild Dog Conservancy.

Member of the Board of Directors since 2010

Bruce Rylander

Treasurer
Wilsonville, Oregon

Bruce joined the board of the Mountain Lion Foundation in 2022. As treasurer, he ensures the board sees good, clear data to inform decisions.

Bruce is a retired executive director from an international computer software company. Prior to that he was an executive director with an international cellular company. He has a great depth of experience forming high-powered structured and unstructured teams with a focus on operational and financial analysis.

Past volunteer positions include board treasurer positions with two non-profits in Washington’s San Juan Islands.

Bruce holds a bachelor of arts in English, a master’s in business administration and a graduate level certificate in program management.

Donald Molde, M.D.

Secretary
Reno, Nevada

Donald Molde is a retired psychiatrist; former board member, Defenders of Wildlife, 20-year board member, Nevada Humane Society; and long-time Nevada wildlife activist defending carnivores and opposing fur trapping. Don developed the initial brief and served as the Nevada plaintiff in WildEarthGuardians lawsuit against Nevada Wildlife Services, which was settled to great advantage to wildlife in 2016. Don is currently suing the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners to protect non-target species, including mountain lions, from fur trappers. Don is the co-founder of the Nevada Wildlife Alliance, and is widely regarded as the expert on mountain lions in the state. Dog owner, bird-watcher, and Nevada back country enthusiast, Don has endless energy for wildlife and the environment.

 

Toby Cooper

Board Member
Eastsound, Washington

Financial Advisor, Former Program Director of National Issues, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington DC; Former Staff, National Parks and Conservation Association, Washington DC.; 1968 U.S. Olympian; Former Board Member, California Center for Wildlife (now Wildcare), Vivamos Mejor, Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation (now Acterra).

Elizabeth Sullivan

Co-Executive Director, Board Member
Cotati, California

Elizabeth held a dual career in wealth management and law.

She was a wealth management advisor for a private firm and provided financial advisory for financial consulting firms like Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo Advisors. Her work included planned giving and legacy consulting to non-profits and individual estates.

As an attorney, she practiced in environmental litigation and toxics litigation including cases involving mitigation of several Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites. She has also spent time as pro-bono counsel on habitat and land use issues.

At age six, she volunteered to clean local marshes, and her lifelong concern for wildlife has carried on since then to include a wide range of efforts, including penguin behavioral studies at San Francisco Zoo in college and feeding orphaned chicks at wildlife rehabilitation centers. When it comes to preventing the loss of wildlife species, she firmly believes that every individual counts.

Member of the Board of Directors since 1996

Fauna Tomlinson

Co-Executive Director, Board Member
Lake Tahoe, California

Fauna Tomlinson’s passion for the big cats of the world initially started with the Indian Bengal tiger and the snow leopard, which led to many trips to India and Nepal. She now works closer to home on native lion and coyote issues.

From Tahoe, her home base for the past three decades, she works in real estate and serves as the Sierra Nevada Representative for Project Coyote.

Fauna also serves on the California Council of Wildlife Rehabilitators.

Being on the board of Mountain Lion Foundation offers her a chance to make a difference on behalf of America’s lion in a new and exciting way.

Member of the Board of Directors since 2020

John Ziegler, MD, FASA

Co-Executive Director, Board Member
Park City, Utah

John Ziegler MD, FASA is the most recent addition to the Board of the Mountain Lion Foundation. John lives in Park City UTAH with his wife and three dogs.  He is an accomplished clinical researcher, cardiac anesthesiologist and critical care physician who has had a lifelong interest in wildlife photography and conservation fields of all kinds, especially those focused on carnivores.

He was a founding Board member of the Vital Ground Foundation and is a former member of the Hogle Zoo Board where he also Chaired the Conservation Committee. Currently, John is Vice-President of the Humane Society of Utah while also serving as an HSU Board member. In addition, he is currently a member of the Central Regional Advisory Council for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources where he helps provide feedback to the Utah Wildlife Board as they oversee wildlife management programs throughout the state.

Member of the Board of Directors since 2025

Field Volunteers

Robin Parks

Field Volunteer, Events
San Diego, California

Jane Santorumn

Julian Mountain Lion Project, Depredation Deterrence & Response, Field Volunteer, Events
Julian, California

Mike Poremba

Field Volunteer, Depredation Prevention and Response, Events
Jackson County, Oregon

Science Advisory Council

Chris Tromborg, PhD

Science Advisory Council Chair
Professor of Psychobiology and Animal Behavior at Sacramento City College and lecturer in Psycho-Physics and Animal Cognition at the University of California, Davis.

Bob McCoy

Chair

Cristina Eisenberg, PhD

Chief Scientist Emerita, Earthwatch Institute
Graduate Faculty Oregon State University College of Forestry Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Rodney Jackson, PhD

Executive Director, Snow Leopard Conservancy

Laurie Marker, PhD

Executive Director, Cheetah Conservation Fund

Carter Niemeyer

Retired USFWS trapper, Conservationist

Laura Prugh, PhD

Prugh Lab, Associate Professor of Quantitative Wildlife Studies, University of Washington

Jennifer Verdolin, PhD

Assistant Professor of Practice, School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona

Carolyn Whitesell, PhD

Assistant Cooperative Extension Human-Wildlife Interactions Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Half Moon Bay

Rob Wielgus, PhD

Retired Professor/Director of Large Carnivore Conservation Lab , Washington State University