James Isiche

One of East Africa's most respected conservation voices, James Isiche oversees IFAW’s programmatic work across the continent, working with a team of Country Directors in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. 

He has developed and maintains a network of stakeholders, including funding agencies, politicians, and partner organisations. He drives key IFAW initiatives such as Room to Roam and the support of national legislation for sustainable landscape management and development. 

James is passionate about ranger welfare and the use of science, strategic partnerships, and community engagement to solve Africa’s conservation challenges. He believes that besides protecting wildlife, governments and conservationists must address the livelihoods of pastoralists and communities who coexist with the animals, particularly in fragmented habitats outside state protection, where the bulk of Africa’s rich biodiversity lives. 

A career game warden and conservation leader with more than 25 years of experience in managing wildlife in their natural habitats, James was Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Assistant Director for the Tsavo National Parks before joining IFAW as Regional Director for East Africa.