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| Pat Meyer and an island fox at Santa Barbara Zoo |
Friends of the Island Fox (FIF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation.
Tax ID# 84-5114320
FIF was originally founded in March
2005 by Pat Meyer. From 2011 to June 2020, FIF was affiliated with the Channel Islands Park Foundation and then Channel Islands Restoration.
FIF projects and programs - What We Do.
Friends of the Island Fox Brochure pdf
Contact Us At:
by phone: (805) 228-4123 or via e-mail: admin@islandfox.org
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| FIF Advisory Committee |
(*) Designates Board Members (left to right)
Michael E.
Lawshe, Mike Watling*, Keri Dearborn*, Dr. Rosanne Welch*, Douglas E.
Welch, Kim Pendergest, Peter Pendergest*, Kerry Lampkin, Pat Meyer*, Cindy
Kimmick
Keri F. Dearborn, FIF President & Program Director
Keri served as V.P. of Education on the Friends of
the Island Fox Board of Directors from 2005-2010 and Education Director from 2011-2017. She earned her BA from UCLA and her MA in Environmental Education from CSU San Bernardino in 2009. She's an educator, author, and science curriculum developer. When she heard an island fox barking in the wild in 2017, she knew the past 15 years had been a success.
To reach Keri regarding Friends of the Island Fox educational materials or programs:
(805) 228-4123 or keri@islandfox.org
Mike brings experience as a California Naturalist and a Naturalist volunteer with Channel Island National Park and National Marine Sanctuary. He has contributed to wildlife monitoring for Ojai Valley Land Conservancy restoration efforts as well as monitoring wildlife for California State University, Channel Islands as part of campus recovery efforts post the Springs Fire. Mike is certified in wildlife Track and Sign Interpretation from CyberTrack International, the international standard for wildlife tracking. He has followed the island fox recovery effort since 2000 and has been part of Friends of the Island Fox since 2016.
Dr. Rosanne Welch, Secretary
Rosanne is the Executive Director of Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting. She is a professor, author, and serves on the Editorial Boards for Written By magazine and the California History Journal. She once worked for the FOX network as a writer on Beverly Hills, 90210, but after several visits to see the island foxes in their natural habitat she now serves to protect a real California fox.
Peter Pendergest, Treasurer
Peter has been a FIF volunteer involved in island fox conservation efforts since 2006. He is Finance Director for World Wide Theatrical Marketing Procurement for Warner Brothers Studios and brings valuable financial experience to FIF. Peter is also a photographer. His photo of an island fox was the focus of FIF's first fundraising campaign.
Patricia M. Meyer, Director of Donor Relations and Fundraising
Founder
of Friends of the Island Fox, Pat
immigrated to the United States from England and completed her MBA
through the University of Redlands, CA. Following a career as
Vice-President of Personnel and
Administration in the insurance industry, Pat became interested in
zoology. She met Tim Coonan, fox
biologist at the Channel Islands National Park, as island fox
populations were plummeting. Coonan encouraged Pat to
start a nonprofit organization to support island fox recovery efforts
and Friends of the Island Fox was found in 2005. After directing FIF
since its inception, Pat now serves as Director of Donor
Relations and Fundraising. Her greatest thrill was having a wild island
fox mark her backpack as its territory.
To reach Pat regarding donations or fundraising for Friends of the Island Fox Program:
(805) 228-4123 or pat@islandfox.org
Lara Brenner, Board Member
Lara is a wildlife biologist and scientific writer who has been working with island foxes on Santa Catalina and Santa Cruz Island since 2017. She has a degree in Environmental Studies from Carleton College and a Master of Science in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana. In her spare time, she loves snorkeling, botanizing, and cooking. Lara oversaw the renewing traffic mitigation on Catalina to reduce the number of island foxes struck by cars.
Island Fox Friends
Catalina Island Conservancy
Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands Park Foundation
Channel Islands Restoration
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Fort Collins, CO, Foxes Baseball Club
Island Packers
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
NatureBridge
Road Scholar
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Santa Barbara Zoo
The Nature Conservancy
U.S. Navy
University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Friends of the Island Fox Education Programs Have Participated with:
California Science Teachers Association
California State University, Long Beach Science Teacher training program
Carpinteria School District Science Matters
Channel Islands National Park, Live Dive Program
Eaton Canyon Nature Center
Gold Coast Science Matters
Humane Society of Ventura Co.
LEAD USA
Los Angeles Environmental Education Fair
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden
Moorpark College Teaching Zoo
Placerita Canyon Park and Nature Center
Road Scholar (formerly Elder Hostel)
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Santa Barbara Zoo
Santa Monica Mountains Restoration Trust
Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area Science Fest
Ventura County Office of Education
Numerous elementary, middle and high schools throughout Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties
Various community and philanthropic organizations
