Helga Rainer is the current conservation program director of the Arcus Foundation, focusing on the great apes program in particular. Prior to her work with the foundation, Dr. Rainer worked on various conservation projects around the world, including the African Wildlife Foundation and the International Gorilla Conservation Programme in Uganda. In addition, she's worked as a consultant, researcher, and organizer for other environmental and developmental projects throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. Through years of experience in the field of animal conservation, she has become an expert in developing policy, strategies, and programs, successfully acting as an expert liaison between a variety of different stakeholders, including conservation leaders, policy makers, researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental agencies, and international donors. She earned her Ph.D. in geography and environment from the London School of Economics and Political Science. In addition, she has an M.Sc. in environmental science, policy and planning from the University of Bath, and a B.Sc. in genetics from University College London.