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Fred O'Regan
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As President & CEO of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Fred O'Regan leads the organization from its headquarters on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Before becoming president of IFAW, Mr. O'Regan was Peace Corps' Regional Director for Europe, Central Asia and the Mediterranean, responsible for Peace Corps operations in 24 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Republics of the Former Soviet Union, North Africa and the Middle East. The region is comprised of 2,000 volunteers and staff, working in the environment, education and business development.

Before being appointed to the Peace Corps, Mr. O'Regan was Program Director with the Aspen Institute, heading a national action-research program on employment-generation and business development among the poor within the United States. He has also headed the Community Economics Corporation, a policy and consulting organization specialized in developing local-level economic and development programs in the U.S. and the Third World. In this capacity he advised major foundations, the World Bank and USAID on economic development programming. This work included the development of the first major lending programs in the black townships of South Africa. During the 1992-1993 academic year, Mr. O'Regan was Visiting Professor of Public and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University where he taught community-based economic development at the graduate level and guided research.

From 1984-1989 he headed the Kenya Rural Enterprise Program, an intermediary finance and training organization for small- and micro-enterprise development. This work included efforts to involve indigenous populations around game parks to participate in tourist-related activities and animal protection. He founded and co-directed the Development GAP (1977-84), and advocacy and consulting organization in international development. Mr. O'Regan was Program Director of the Community Action Program in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1974-77), and began his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland (1969-72).

He has published numerous articles and papers on international development and co-authored two books on development assistance policy and economic development among the poor.

Blog Entries by Fred O'Regan

Stopping Criminals From 'Making a Killing' on Illegal Ivory Trade

(2) Comments | Posted June 5, 2012 | 10:43 AM

While the ivory wars of the 1980s more than halved the African elephant population in a short decade, we're seeing a resurgence of poaching today that is proving bloodier than ever. Aided by the convenience of modern technology, transport and commerce, illicit trade in ivory to feed the escalating demand...

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Saving Whales: Now There's an App for That

(0) Comments | Posted April 5, 2012 | 3:40 PM

The endangered North Atlantic Right Whale swims through a sea of troubles. Each spring, the last 400 of these ancient creatures swim through my backyard just off of Cape Cod. Early settlers to these shores claimed these whales were so plentiful you could walk across the water on...

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Within the Animal Welfare Movement, Reasons for Hope

(8) Comments | Posted December 23, 2011 | 4:00 PM

As with many people, I find the end of the year a time of reflection. It's a good time to look back over the year, remember the goals and vision that give the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) a sense of purpose and see what progress we...

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The Future of Animal Welfare Depends on Keeping Our Kids' Eyes Wide Open

(0) Comments | Posted October 7, 2011 | 11:12 AM

A few things we know about kids: They say the darndest things. They're smarter than we give them credit for. They are the future. They can, and will, make a difference.

Okay, so these adages are well-worn or possibly even trite. However, they resonate with me today as we launch...

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On the Front Line in Africa to Save the Elephant

(0) Comments | Posted March 23, 2011 | 4:01 PM

With dust in my mouth earlier this morning, I could only marvel at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) team here in Tsavo working with the staff from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) as we take part in the first elephant collaring exercise since 1972.

...
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The United States Needs to Halt the Import of African Lion Trophies Now

(0) Comments | Posted March 1, 2011 | 12:34 PM

For many of us, thoughts of the African savanna are incomplete without the image of a lion. The fabled 'king of the jungle' is a part of the very fabric of Africa imagined by those of us living far from the home of these magnificent beasts.

It is inconceivable for...

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