Jamie Rappaport Clark

Jamie Rappaport Clark
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
In office
July 31, 1997 – January 20, 2001
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byMollie Beattie
Succeeded bySteven Williams
Personal details
Born1957 or 1958 (age 66–67)
New York City, New York, U.S.
SpouseJim Clark
EducationTowson State University (BS)
University of Maryland, College Park (MS)

Jamie Rappaport Clark (born 1957 or 1958)[1] is an American conservationist and former government official formerly working as the president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife.[2] She joined the organization as executive vice president in 2004.[3] In 2024, Andrew Bowman was appointed as the new president of Defenders of Wildlife.[4][5]

Early life and education

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Born in New York city, Clark attended Towson State University, earning a B.S. in wildlife biology in 1979. She received an M.S. in wildlife ecology from the University of Maryland, College Park.[2][6]

Career

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Clark has been a lifelong participant in the conservation of wildlife. As a college student, she spent a summer at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where she released peregrine falcons back into the wild as part of a national recovery effort. Twenty years later, as the director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, she officially removed them from the federal list of endangered species due to the successful recovery efforts,[7] in which she participated.[8]

Clark has a long career in conservation, both inside the government, mostly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and with non-profit conservation organizations.[6][9]

In recognition of her expertise and achievements in endangered species conservation, President Bill Clinton appointed her as Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) in 1997, a post which she held until 2001.[10][11] During her tenure as director, Clark established 27 new refuges and added two million acres to the National Wildlife Refuge System.[12] While director, the Service worked with Congress to pass the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvements Act of 1997 Archived June 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine,[13] establishing wildlife conservation as the main purpose of all refuges.[14] The Service was involved in many successful efforts to recover imperiled wildlife during her tenure, including the bald eagle,[15] gray wolf[16] and the Aleutian Canada goose.[17]

As president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, Clark has been at the forefront of endangered species and habitat conservation in the non-profit community.[18][19] She has been frequently called on to testify on Capitol Hill, providing guidance to members of Congress on conservation issues.[20] Under her tenure, Defenders has played a key role in the reintroduction of bison to tribal reservations,[21][22] secured protections for right whales,[23][24] sea turtles and piping plovers[25] and many other species and habitats.[26] In November 2023, Clark announced her intention to step down as President and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife sometime in 2024.[27]

Labor disputes

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While under Clark’s leadership, Defenders of Wildlife gained a reputation for toxic work culture. Employees criticized Clark for perpetuating an internal “culture of fear” within the organization.[28] The term was coined in a report summarizing the results of an internal survey of 144 staff members by the Avarna Group in 2021. “When asked who staff were afraid of, the primary source of fear was not immediate supervisors, but specific individuals on the Executive Team, including the CEO.”[29] On March 29, 2021, management staff spanning several departments at Defenders of Wildlife wrote a group letter to Clark citing efforts by Defenders of Wildlife’s executive team to sanitize the Avarna Group’s report. The letter also censured the executive team for downplaying, ignoring, or rejecting consistent themes of fear in previous organizational assessments conducted by the Raben Group and Stratton Consulting Group.[30] Defenders staff unionized with Office of Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) in July 2021. Clark refused to voluntarily recognize the union, Defenders United,[31] triggering an election sponsored by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in 2021.[32][33]

Matters worsened in 2022; according to an article by to Politico, “current and former staff blame Defenders CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark for setting the tone and establishing a ‘culture of fear’ within the organization. Upsetting Clark over even minor issues, they say, can result in getting fired.”[34] In August 2022, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found Defenders of Wildlife management had violated labor law by terminating a former employee for their union organizing efforts, failing and refusing to provide the staff union with information needed for contract bargaining, and bypassing the union and direct dealing with staff. [35] [36] [37] [38] Clark's name is listed alongside other Defenders of Wildlife senior managers as "supervisors of Respondent" in the subsequent Consolidated Complaint issued by the NLRB in December 2022.[39][40] In protest of these violations, the staff union held a 3 day rally in front of Defenders HQ in Washington, DC, and issued a public petition in February 2023 calling for Clark to negotiate a fair contract or resign as CEO, which garnered over 500 signatures.[41]

The above charges were settled between the parties in early 2023.[42][43] As of July 2024, however, several subsequent unfair labor practice (ULP) charges against Defenders of Wildlife management are still pending investigation by the NLRB.[44] According to the staff union, Clark deprived union members of access to improved leave benefits[45] and annual merit increases in late 2023.[46] Failed negotiations to resolve these issues led the union engaging in a 2-day ULP strike on July 9-10, 2024 — the first in the organization's 77-year history.[47][48][49]

As of July 2024, Clark had an approval rating of 26% on Glassdoor.[50]

Honors and awards

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In 2017 she was awarded the Rachel Carson Award by the Audubon Society for her life's work.[51]

Works

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References

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  1. ^ Bernhardt, Gordon J. (December 2012). "Profiles in Success: Inspiration from Executive Leaders in the Washington, D.C. Area – Jamie Rappaport Clark" (PDF). Bernhardt Wealth Management. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014. confirmed by the Senate in July of 1997, making history at the age of thirty-nine as the youngest person to serve as director
  2. ^ a b "Defenders of Wildlife Announces New President". Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders. October 6, 2011. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  3. ^ "Jamie Rappaport Clark Joins Defenders of Wildlife as New Executive VP". Defenders of Wildlife. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  4. ^ Bravender, Robin (May 8, 2024). "Conservation group announces new boss". E&E News by POLITICO. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife Announces Andrew Bowman as Next President and CEO | Defenders of Wildlife". defenders.org. May 8, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "USFWS/NCTC – History and Heritage: Jamie Rappaport Clark". training.fws.gov. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  7. ^ "Species Profile for American Peregrine Falcon". US Fish and Wildlife Service. November 10, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  8. ^ "News Release | The Peregrine Fund". www.peregrinefund.org. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  9. ^ "Jamie Rappaport Clark". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  10. ^ "Press Release – Jamie Clark Confirmed Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" (PDF). US Fish and Wildlife Service. August 1, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  11. ^ "Interior Secretary Applauds Choice of Jamie Rappaport Clark". www.fws.gov. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  12. ^ "National Wildlife Refuge System". www.fws.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  13. ^ "PUBLIC LAW 105–57—OCT. 9, 1997" (PDF). US Fish and Wildlife Service. October 9, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  14. ^ "Legislative Mandates – Refuge Improvement Act, National Wildlife Refuge System". www.fws.gov. Archived from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  15. ^ "Bald Eagle Recovery". www.fws.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  16. ^ "Species Profile for Gray wolf (Canis lupus)". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  17. ^ "Endangered Species Program | ESA Success Story". www.fws.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  18. ^ "Jamie Rappaport Clark | Endangered Species Coalition". www.endangered.org. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  19. ^ Grant, Miles (January 26, 2015). "Conservation Groups, Native Organizations Celebrate Wilderness Recommendation for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – National Wildlife Federation". National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  20. ^ "Jamie Rappaport Clark | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  21. ^ "Wild Bison Brought to Fort Peck". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  22. ^ Panzar, Javier (November 17, 2014). "After quarantine, bison find a new home on the range in Montana". Newspaper. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2014.[dead link]
  23. ^ "Feds Agree to Protect More Critical Habitat for Right Whales". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  24. ^ Waymer, Jim (November 24, 2014). "Feds to expand right whale protected areas". Newspaper. Florida Today. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  25. ^ "Cape Hatteras Protections Upheld". Defenders of Wildlife. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  26. ^ "Success Stories". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  27. ^ Bravender, Robin (November 6, 2023). "Embattled conservation group leader heads for exit". Politico. Retrieved May 25, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ "E&E News: Defenders of Wildlife staffers decry 'culture of fear'". subscriber.politicopro.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  29. ^ Rajagopal, Aparna; Holliday, Ava (May 24, 2021). "Listening Session Report" (PDF).
  30. ^ "E&E News: Defenders of Wildlife staffers decry 'culture of fear'". subscriber.politicopro.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  31. ^ Bowlin, Nick (October 28, 2022). "Feds claim Defenders of Wildlife unlawfully fired union-organizing staffer". High Country News. Retrieved May 27, 2024. At Defenders, however, the leadership resisted the staff's union push. In July 2021, when CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark was presented with a request to voluntarily recognize the union – more than 75% of the eligible staff had signed union cards – she refused to do so (several other prominent green groups voluntarily recognized staff unions).
  32. ^ "Notice of Election". National Labor Relations Board. July 30, 2021.
  33. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife Notice of Election". National Labor Relations Board. July 9, 2021.
  34. ^ Bravender, Robin (June 16, 2022). "Environmental group staffers say it's a 'nightmare' to go to work". E&E News by POLITICO. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  35. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife | National Labor Relations Board | Case 05-CA-290774". www.nlrb.gov. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  36. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife | National Labor Relations Board | Case 05-CA-287533". www.nlrb.gov. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  37. ^ Bowlin, Nick (October 28, 2022). "Feds claim Defenders of Wildlife unlawfully fired union-organizing staffer". High Country News. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  38. ^ "POLITICO Pro: NLRB finds environmental group violated labor laws". subscriber.politicopro.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  39. ^ "NLRB Issues Formal Complaint Against Defenders of Wildlife". DEFENDERS UNITED. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  40. ^ Bravender, Robin. "E&E News: Unions file labor complaints against green groups". subscriber.politicopro.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  41. ^ Defenders United. "Tell Jamie Clark to Negotiate a Fair Union Contract, or Resign as CEO of Defenders of Wildlife". actionnetwork.org. Action Network. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  42. ^ "E&E News: Conservation group reaches settlement with ex-employee". subscriber.politicopro.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  43. ^ "Trial Avoided: Defenders Guilty of 4 Unfair Labor Practice Charges". DEFENDERS UNITED. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  44. ^ "Search | National Labor Relations Board". www.nlrb.gov. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  45. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife Celebrates Labor Day by Denying New Parental Leave Benefits to Union Members". DEFENDERS UNITED. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  46. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife CEO Jamie Clark Deprives Union Staff of Annual Raises". DEFENDERS UNITED. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  47. ^ Bravender, Robin (June 14, 2024). "Fuming Defenders of Wildlife staffers move toward strike". E&E News by POLITICO. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  48. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife Union Announces 2-day Unfair Labor Practice Strike". DEFENDERS UNITED. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  49. ^ Bravender, Robin (July 8, 2024). "Staff set to strike at Defenders of Wildlife HQ". E&E News by POLITICO. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  50. ^ "Defenders of Wildlife Overview". Glassdoor.com. July 10, 2024.
  51. ^ "The Rachel Carson Award Honorees". Audubon Society. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
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