Dr. Thomas Leuteritz is a herpetologist and conservation biologist for the U.S. Government, responsible for scientific evaluations and recommendations pursuant to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Before joining the government, Thomas worked as the director of the Smithsonian’s Gabon Biodiversity Program managing a country program to reduce the effects of the oil industry on biodiversity. He has also worked extensively based in California as Senior Scientist for the Redlands Institute on GIS and Decision Support Systems; and as the director of the Behler Chelonian Conservation Center, an environmental non-profit, working in Mexico and Madagascar.

Thomas is an accomplished field biologist and has conducted research on turtles and tortoises in Madagascar, South Africa, United States, and Canada. He holds graduate degrees in Environmental Biology and Public Policy from the George Mason University; and Systematic Biology from the University of Michigan. As an Assistant Professor he has taught Conservation Biology at both the University of Hawaii and at the University of Redlands.