Lisa and a Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo. Photo by Jonathan Byers.

Lisa Dabek: Senior Conservation Scientist and Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program Director Woodland Park Zoo
Biography 2021

Lisa is Senior Conservation Scientist at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, and is the Founder
and Director of the community-based Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP)
in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Since 1996, she and her team have worked in partnership
with indigenous landowners, scientists, students, educators, government officials, and
healthcare professionals to study and protect the wildlife and rainforest habitat of PNG.
In 2009, TKCP and the local community created PNG’s first Conservation Area,
protecting over 180,000 acres of rainforest habitat for the endangered Matschie’s tree
kangaroo and other threatened species.

Lisa earned her Ph.D. in Animal Behavior and Conservation Biology from the University
of Washington. Her bachelor’s degree is in Biology and Environmental Studies from the
University of California at Santa Cruz.

Lisa is an Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of Washington’s School of
Environmental and Forest Sciences, and Affiliate Researcher at the University of Papua
New Guinea.