The Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) is pleased to announce that Ted Jonas has been elected to the Fund’s Board of Directors, effective from January 19, 2017. Ted, who managed law firm DLA Piper’s entry into the Georgian market in 2005, has served as a member of the Fund’s Advisory Board since December 2014, and is a resident of Tbilisi. It is expected that Ted’s permanent presence in Georgia will further strengthen CNF’s operational efficiency in the region.
“CNF is very privileged that Ted joined the Board. His expertise and experience in the region will be very important for CNFs future development” says Chair of CNF’s Board of Directors, Eva Witt.
“Ted brings a new dynamic to the CNF Board – with not only his passion for conservation and legal expertise, but his intimate knowledge of the region itself” says Geof Giacomini, CNF’s Executive Director. “I look forward to learning from and working with him to ensure sustainable conservation impacts in the South Caucasus.”
An American citizen and Georgian permanent resident, Ted brings nearly 30 years of relevant experience to CNF’s management structure. Having worked for several prominent law firms and the U.S. Congress in the United States, Ted moved to Georgia in the mid-1990s, where he managed the National Democratic Institute’s parliamentary programs in Tbilisi. Ted joined the global law firm DLA Piper in 2005 as a partner, facilitating the establishment of its Georgia office and overseeing the firm’s development as the leading international law firm in the country. In addition to continuing to act as a senior counsel to DLA Piper, Ted is actively involved in local environmental and urban heritage preservation causes. Ted holds degrees in history and law from Cornell University.
About CNF
Founded in 2007 with the support of international donor and conservation organizations, including the German Development Bank KfW, Conservation International (CI) and the World Wildlife Fund, CNF is a conservation trust fund with over 35 million EUR under management. The organization continues to develop its endowment with the generous support of individual and corporate donors. CNF provides direct budget support and technical assistance to the protected area agencies of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, helping to build local capacity and improve the management of the national parks. CNF’s core mission is “supporting people and conserving nature” in the Caucasus.
