Growing up in Brazil and Switzerland, Suwanna Gauntlett, environmentalist and conservationist, developed an appreciation for endangered wildlife conservation at a young age. An encounter with a captured and tortured wild jaguar would inspire her to pursue this appreciation into a career. Suwanna went on to pursue her undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees, so that she could begin consulting for wildlife conservation organizations. After years working with various organizations to help an abundance of different wildlife, Suwanna created the Gauntlett Group, a pioneer in sustainable development that brought environmental management training to over 100 North American companies. Around this time, Suwanna also joined the Global Survival Network, which she helped to transition into Wildlife Alliance. Suwanna and her team recognized the flaws of traditional nature conservation and that many pre-existing organizations were not taking enough direct action to save the declining forests and wildlife. 

Wildlife Alliance takes a direct, hands-on approach to nature conservation with their initiatives and programs. Specifically, Wildlife Alliance employs a Wildlife Rescue team to actively step in and combat poaching and illegal trade. The organization notes that forests and their wildlife are tied to a tight timeline, and a couple more years without action will result in their permanent demise. Wildlife Alliance is also passionate about educating future generations through their mobile education unit in Cambodia that teaches the value of environmental sustainability. With a dual concentration in direct action and an environmental curriculum, Wildlife Alliance is working vigorously to support sustainable development and empower countries to enforce wildlife regulations.