OUR
VISION
We stand with our world's wildlife.
EMPOWER. PRESERVE. EDUCATE.
SFW is dedicated to the conservation of Africa's most threatened species and empowering the next generation of conservation leaders.
The Poaching Crisis
55 elephants are illegally slaughtered every day for their tusks.
OUR
MISSION.
Our mission is to save some of the world's most endangered wildlife by training and supporting wildlife rangers, empowering local communities, and supporting our local partners and their conservation projects and initiatives.
We believe if you’re on planet Earth, you have a role to play in combating our environmental crisis.
WHO
WE ARE.
SFW is a registered 501c3 non-profit founded in Rockland County, New York, working overseas in Southern Africa. We have spent years on the ground in Africa and our team is an extremely professional and dedicated group of volunteers scattered across the globe who are passionate about wildlife conservation. Our headquarters and base of operations is located just outside of the Kruger National Park, which also happens to be home to the largest numbers of rhinos left on the planet.
WHAT
WE DO.
We aim to contribute towards real and lasting conservation solutions on the African continent. Alongside our partners, we train and support wildlife rangers, provide financial and direct support to community education and outreach projects, and collaborate with our partners on wildlife rescues, de-snaring operations, rhino dehornings, and more. We also work to build a bridge between good people who want to help and credible, vetted conservation organizations here in Southern Africa.
CRITICAL GAPS.
Our organizational philosophy is that we should provide help where help is needed most. This has resulted in extensive time in Southern Africa with conservation experts, rangers, and communities, trying to understand training, education, and funding gaps. Medical training for rangers, anti-poaching working dogs, and education programs from primary school through university are significant areas of need we have identified. Simultaneously, we are working to build a portfolio of skills in areas we have assessed to be in serious need. As we continue to enhance our capabilities, we will be able to provide more advanced and diverse training and education for wildlife rangers.
We can either come together and protect them, or do nothing, and watch them disappear forever.
MEET
OUR TEAM.
We are a dedicated and diverse group of conservationists from all over the world.
JOHN GARCIA
PRESIDENT
Board Member
John founded SFW in July 2017 in order to take action to combat what he sees as the biggest crisis of our generation: the extremely accelerated rate of extinction.
John lives in South Africa and spends his time training Game Ranger units in need, providing necessary gear and equipment to these same units, assisting in field conservation missions, and collaborating with other NGOs and nonprofits in the region.
MICHAEL TERRELL
DIGITAL DIRECTOR
Board Member
Michael has never met an animal he did not immediately connect with, which inspired him to join the conservation movement. An accomplished business development specialist with a history in marketing and data analytics, Michael is responsible for data and campaign management at SFW.
His deep passion and concern for wildlife serve as his daily motivation for achieving SFW's organizational goals.
CARLY ROCHE
VETERINARY
TECHNICIAN
Carly is a Certified Veterinary Technician who trains and mentors new U.S. Army Veterinarians.
She is an Army veteran who served 20 years in the U.S. Army as a Veterinary Technician caring for military working dogs. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management - Fish and Wildlife, and her thesis was focused on South African laws and protections of the most illegally trafficked mammal on the planet--pangolins.
Her passion is wildlife medicine and conservation.
JENIK RADON
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Board Member
Adjunct Professor at the School of Public and International Affairs, Columbia University, where he teaches in the areas of sustainable natural resource development, small state development and corporate responsibility. In particular he focuses on risk and strategic management, sovereignty and human rights, especially environment, minority rights (including social license), transparency and anticorruption.
Among his many accomplishments, Jenik is the recipient of SIPA’s “Top Five” teaching award and was selected as a Fulbright Specialist (2012) at the Law School of Makerere University, Uganda, in the extraction industry and serves as a member of the Board of Advisers of Stevens Business School.
RICH GRAHAM
TRAINING ADVISOR
Rich, a former Navy SEAL operator and sniper, joined SFW Conservation in 2020 to provide his expertise and support. As the founder of Full Spectrum Warrior, a Florida-based company, Rich has trained thousands of individuals globally, including citizens, law enforcement, and military personnel. His extensive experience and leadership in specialized training have made him an invaluable asset to our team.
Rich's role at SFW Conservation focuses on advising and training personnel in best practices across key operational areas. We are proud to have him as a key partner in our mission.
ROBBIE HAIRFIELD
Board Member
Robbie is the founder of Wildlife & Co., an organization focused on raising awareness for the world's most endangered wildlife, such as rhinos, elephants, orangutans and other key indicator species. His work also includes humanitarian efforts to bring aid, education and support to the communities living beside these wildlife. His efforts, in collaboration with well-known conservation photographers, aided in ending the Tampur Dam project, saving 4000+ hectares of pristine forest, home to Sumatran tigers, rhinos, elephants, orangutans, and many other species.
Always in pursuit of connecting with the best leaders in wildlife conservation, Robbie met John Garcia at a charity event in San Diego benefiting SFW, and has been a supporter ever since. “Everyone has the God-given ability to make the world a better place. That change happens when we make the conscious decision to speak up and take action.”
CHRISTIAN GILLIAM
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Christian has been photographing for the past 10 + years professionally. He has done work in various fields from high fashion to travel and exploration. Graduating with a BFA in photography from SUNY Purchase, his focus has always been documenting international issues in disadvantaged areas.
Christian has always had a passion for genuine causes that make a positive difference in the world and always has been an avid outdoorsman which led him to pack up his things and join the efforts of SFW.
His goal now is to bring the SFW story to viewers around the globe.
ANDREW VILD
TRAINER
Andrew is a qualified field operations and leadership instructor with a background in the Australian Army, where he specialized in planning, operations, leadership, and scenario development.
Passionate about wildlife protection and empowering frontline conservation teams, Andrew creates practical, purpose-driven training experiences that are both challenging and engaging.
CONOR KEANE
TRAINER
Conor is an Australian Army veteran with 10 years’ experience specializing in small team tactics, planning, and leadership. As a qualified combatives instructor, he brings a special interest and expertise in self defense and apprehension drills which are essential to rangers on the frontline.
Conor is passionate about delivering world-class, reality-based training to rangers and supporting community-led conservation efforts.
AARON REICHERT
TRAINER
Aaron is an Ottawa-based SWAT team member in Canada’s Capital City, Ottawa. He is a certified Instructor and Subject-Matter Expert in many of the tactics used for high-risk arrests, vehicle assaults, and warrant executions.
In 2011, he served as a United Nations Police Officer in Haiti, where he developed a passion for conservation and for equipping people with knowledge and tools to protect the planet. Since 2020, he has been a SFW Trainer, merging policing and tactical experience to combat poaching and safeguard Southern Africa’s wildlife.
KIHAN GARCIA
TRAINER & ADVISOR
Kihan Garcia is the CEO of Fliight Technologies, focused on developing innovative drone and sensor technology to solve real-world challenges.
With experience across aircraft integration, field operations, and complex regulatory environments, he is passionate about building practical, scalable systems that strengthen conservation efforts and help protect endangered wildlife.
OUR
PARTNERS & SPONSORS.
