Speakers

Danilo Russo, PhD, is a full professor of ecology, an international leader in bat research, and coauthor of A Natural History of Bat Foraging: Evolution, Physiology, Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation. In A Call to Protect Common Species: Bats as a Case Study (Conservation Letters, A Journal of the Society of Conservation Biology, 2025), he writes the following: “The ongoing biodiversity crisis highlights the need for targeted conservation efforts, yet the focus often remains on rare and endangered species. This overlooks the vital role of common species, which are the ecological backbone of ecosystems, supporting the stability and functioning of biodiversity. We argue that common species, especially their population dynamics and potential tipping points, are too often neglected and that their conservation is urgent. We illustrate this issue using bats (Chiroptera) as a model. This diverse mammalian order features key ecosystem service providers, including insectivores, pollinators, and seed dispersers. Bats are sensitive to anthropogenic pressures, and many species, including common ones, face population declines and the impact of ecosystem disruption. Research and conservation must urgently be expanded to include common species. Through case studies, we demonstrate how common bat species are indicators of environmental changes and the urgent need to monitor their populations. We provide recommendations for improving research, enhancing conservation policies, and adopting a more inclusive framework acknowledging the indispensable role of common species in ecosystem services and biodiversity.”

Dr. Russo's interests include habitat selection, resource partitioning, sensory ecology, social behavior, evolutionary biology, biogeography, and invasion ecology. Much of his research focuses on bats, but he also works on a range of other model organisms to answer the specific questions he is interested in. In 2019–2023, he chaired the Scientific Committee of the UNEP/EUROBATS Agreement (i.e., the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats). Dr. Danilo Russo has served as Editor-in-Chief of the top-ranking zoological journal Mammal Review. He was also the main proposer and Chair of the Management Committee of the EU COST Action CLIMBATS (CA18107). Professor Russo has published over 200 scientific articles in internationally respected journals, including Nature Communications, Current Biology, Ecology Letters, and Biological Reviews. He has conducted fieldwork in diverse regions and environments across the globe, from African rainforests to Israeli deserts and European beech forests. He is currently an Honorary Professor at the Museum für Naturkunde (Berlin, Germany) and at the University of Bristol (UK). Dr. Russo obtained his PhD in Zoology from the University of Bristol in 2002.

Jo Ann Baumgartner is the executive director of the Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) and coauthor of the recently released Protecting Birds in Agricultural Landscapes: Reduce risks to beneficial birds on the farm (2025), and many publications on the intersection between biodiversity conservation and agriculture, including beneficial birds, the conservation mandates within the National Organic Program regulations, and the co-management of food safety and conservation.  

Wild Farm Alliance focuses on farmland flyways, farmland wildways, and farmland waterways, advising farmers on the installation of nest boxes, perches, and other habitat features that support beneficial birds that provide pest control services. WFA helps farmers with the planting of hedgerows, habitat patches, and corridors that facilitate movement of beneficial species and links wild areas with farmland. The organization also supports the restoration of riparian buffers and protecting waterways across farms, improving water quality, reducing erosion, and protecting aquatic and terrestrial species. By publishing guides, offering webinars, creating short videos, hosting field days, and offering technical support, WFA enables farmers and land stewards to adopt wild farming practices. Before joining WFA, Ms. Baumgartner addressed crop, livestock, and fiber issues, was senior research editor for a book of California's rare wildlife species, and was an organic farmer for over a decade. For her Master's research in the Environmental Studies Department at San Jose State University, she studied bird predation of insects in apple orchards. Her undergraduate degree is in Soil and Water Science from UC Davis. Ms. Baumgartner is based in Watsonville, California, and has been with WFA since the organization was founded in 2001. 

Sam Earnshaw is the author of Hedgerows and Farmscaping for California Agriculture: A Resource Guide for Farmers (2018), which is an acclaimed tool in the protection of ecological balance and increased farm productivity. (The guide is available on the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) website.) Since 1996, Mr. Earnshaw has planted hedgerows, windbreaks, grassed waterways, and riparian plantings on over 100 farms. He continues to work on the design and installation of conservation plantings and is a Technical Service Provider with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Hedgerows and grassed waterways are increasingly being planted on farms and can have multiple functions, serving as: habitat for beneficial insects, pollinators and other wildlife; erosion protection and weed control; waterway stabilization; windbreaks; non-point source water pollution and groundwater pollution reduction; a surface water infiltration tool; a buffer from pesticide drift, noise, odors, and dust; living fences and boundary lines; biodiversity enhancement; and an aesthetic resource. Many hedgerow plants attract native bees and other pollinators, and some, such as citrus or other fruit trees and herbal plants, have economic returns. As with any planting, problems and issues can be dealt with through management practices.

In 1992, Mr. Earnshaw began working as Lighthouse Farm coordinator for CAFF, sponsoring monthly meetings and field tours for farmers, sharing techniques in biologically based farming techniques. His work with local California growers in Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Salinas, and Hollister through this program led to CAFF's leadership in land use and water issues on the Central Coast. In the mid-1980’s, he and his wife, Jo Ann Baumgartner, started their farm in Santa Cruz, California (Neptune Farms) and marketed organic vegetables and cut flowers to retail stores, farmers' markets, and wholesalers. Mr. Earnshaw has a degree from University of California Berkeley (1974) with studies in forestry.

Tony Able has a dedicated career championing clean water and healthy ecosystems. He retired in 2022 after 35 years of distinguished service with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). During his tenure, he specialized in natural stream and wetland restoration, contributing his expertise to a wide range of environmental issues, including watershed management, groundwater remediation, hazardous waste cleanup, non-point source pollution, wetlands protection, and water quality management. Mr. Able’s work with the Southeast Beaver Alliance focuses on how beavers can serve as critical partners in the restoration of streams and wetlands to promote environmental health. As part of his outreach, he leads educational tours at Legacy Park in Decatur, Georgia, which provide opportunities to see beaver ecology in action. Mr. Able also provides education about innovative techniques, such as fencing and flow devices, that allow humans to manage flooding and damage to infrastructure effectively, thereby decreasing human-beaver conflict concerns.

He is deeply involved in a variety of conservation efforts, currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land, where he helps to conserve natural landscapes and build public parks that benefit local communities and ecosystems.  He is also a dedicated volunteer with Trees Atlanta, where he plants native trees to support local biodiversity and ecosystem restoration. Mr. Able holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Georgia Southwestern University and a Master of Science in Geography from Western Kentucky University. His lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship continues to drive his work and volunteer efforts, making a lasting impact on the natural world and the communities he serves.

Jay is a co-founder and executive director of Beyond Pesticides, with a 40-year history of working with communities nationwide on toxics and organic policies and practices. Jay has successfully fought to remove from the market hazardous pesticides and helped draft pivotal local, state, and federal organic law, including the Agricultural Productivity Act, which established sustainable agriculture programs at USDA, and the Organic Foods Production Act, which created the USDA organic certified food label. In 2010, he was appointed by the Obama Administration to a 5-year appointment to the National Organic Standards Board, where he served as chair of the Crops Committee. He is a recipient of Rodale Institute’s Organic Pioneer Award, 2021. He has written extensively, testified before the U.S. Congress and state and local legislatures, been published in major newspapers, and appeared on national and local news networks and talk shows, while editing Beyond Pesticides’ quarterly journal Pesticides and You and Daily News. Jay has a Bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College and Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Jabeen Taiba, PhD, is a postdoctoral research associate in the Water, Climate, and Health Program. In a study, “Exploring the Joint Association Between Agrichemical Mixtures and Pediatric Cancer,” published earlier this year, Dr. Taiba and colleagues write: “Nebraska's age-adjusted incidence rates for childhood cancers are among the highest in the US. Previous studies indicated associations between agrichemical exposures (atrazine and nitrates) and pediatric cancer rate, assuming single pollutant exposure. We evaluated the joint association between the agricultural mixture and pediatric cancer. . . We observed a statistically significant positive association between the 32 agrichemicals and overall pediatric cancer and subtypes.”

Dr. Taiba is formally trained as a multidisciplinary researcher and an epidemiologist and has prior experience in clinical research, public health practice settings, and using large datasets. Her research interests include understanding the impact of environmental exposures on the genome to protect human health. Her current research is primarily focused on understanding the effects of environmental mixtures on human health, specifically exploring relationships between pesticide mixtures and pediatric cancer, congenital anomalies, and other health outcomes. Through this work, Dr. Taiba aspires to contribute new evidence that can be translated into human disease prevention and strengthen science in public policy.

Dr. Taiba received her PhD from the Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area (MSIA) program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, after receiving an MPH from the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine.

Carolina Panis, PhD, is Associate Professor of Medicine at Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE, Brazil) and Visiting Researcher at Harvard University and the University of Arizona. She holds postdoctoral fellowships in Oncology (INCA) and Pathology (UEL), focusing on breast cancer genomics, immunopathology, and chemoresistance. Her research investigates the impact of pesticide exposure on cancer aggressiveness and tumor immunopathology mechanisms. Dr. Panis coordinates the Tumor Biology Laboratory and the Micropollutant Residue Analysis Laboratory at UNIOESTE, and collaborates with leading institutions in Brazil and abroad.

Dr. Panis runs a laboratory that researches cancer biology, focusing on human breast cancer and hematological neoplasia. Most of the studies have investigated the role of oxidative stress and inflammation and the environmental risk factors that may determine disease prognosis, especially in rural women occupationally exposed to pesticides. The introduction of a recent literature review by Dr. Panis and coauthor Bernardo Lemos, PhD, states, “Breast cancer (BC) is the most diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Both genetic and nongenetic risk factors influence this multifactorial disease. In the last two decades, BC incidence has increased by approximately 0.5 % per year, but the reasons for this steady increase have remained unclear. Overall, BC remains a significant global public health challenge despite significant advances in disease diagnosis and treatment.” The study notes, “It is estimated that genetic predispositions contribute to up to 10 % of BC cases, related to a specific group of well-documented heritable risk genes, including mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.”

In their review, “Pesticide exposure and increased breast cancer risk in women population studies,” released last year, Dr. Panis and coauthor write that a number of pesticides “can increase the risk of BC development through various mutagenic and nonmutagenic mechanisms and can act directly as carcinogens or indirectly as biochemical modifiers and hormonal deregulators. The underlying mechanisms include endocrine disruption; genotoxicity; epigenetic changes; enhanced cell migration, invasion, and. . .” more.

Dr. Panis received her PhD in Experimental Pathology from Londrina State University.