Leigh Baker
Leigh is a conservation biologist and a graduate of the Yale School of the Environment. Her love of nature began at Jack Hanna’s Columbus Zoo in Columbus, Ohio. Holding her mother’s hand at the bald eagle exhibit, Leigh listened as her mother explained why some species were endangered and how people worked to save them. Leigh’s interest in becoming a wildlife biologist was fully supported by her father, who led her to believe that she should travel widely and pursue her passions, even in fields that women did not widely populate. Leigh holds a master’s degree in environmental management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, focusing on international wildlife conservation and protected areas management. She earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from UMASS, Amherst and conducted her research in intertidal marine zones at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. Her work to conserve species has always been anything but boring: she helicopter net-gunned and radio-collared pronghorn to determine critical migration routes, hung blood lures in mountain lion research studies, camera-trapped grizzly and black bears, mitigated road crossings for mule deer and helped reduce moose-vehicle deaths, improved trumpeter swan habitats, retro-fitted fences to make them more wildlife friendly for bison, and worked to re-introduce the first of the wolves returned to Yellowstone National Park. In all her years of wildlife research in the field, she has been approached by a grizzly bear, followed for a day by a coyote, charged by a mama moose (twice), chased by an elk, sniffed by a deer, raced by pronghorn, barked at by prairie dogs, growled at by a mountain lion, startled by thumping grouse and enamored by an unexpected nest of burrowing owls. She has gracefully navigated a field of bison during the August rut and narrowly avoided a rattlesnake strike.
Leigh has worked both internationally for the Wildlife Conservation Society and regionally as the Executive Director of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation. She honed her expedition leadership skills at the Teton Science School in Jackson, WY and at NatureBridge in the Marin Headlands, CA. She holds certifications in outdoor education and environmental education and is a Wilderness First Responder. Leigh believes that small efforts by committed citizens can change the world, and this inspiration drives her to share with guests her expertise as an Expedition Leader. She guides throughout North America from Alaska to Baja with a focus on U.S. national parks. Leigh is enthralled by all that life has to offer. Her passions lay not only in wildlife conservation but, most importantly, in spending time with her husband, twin daughters and son. She looks forward to guiding your next adventure.
Upcoming Adventures with Leigh:
Hidden Yellowstone & Grand Teton Safari
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