Led by the Honorable Lindsay Thomas, the ICCF Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated conservationists with solid experience in international policymaking. It governs the work of the ICCF, and through the staff, coordinates the ICCF Advisory Board, Advisory Council, and Conservation Council to fulfill the ICCF’s mission.

Congressman Thomas served for six years as president and chief executive officer of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Congressman Thomas represented the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as the director of state governmental affairs. His career also includes service as U.S. Congressman from Georgia’s First District from 1982 to 1993. From 1998 to 2002, Congressman Thomas served as the Federal Commissioner of the Georgia, Florida, and Alabama Tri-State Water Compacts. He was recently elected chair of the Georgia Corporation for Economic Development, a public/private sector marketing initiative.

Kaush Arha served as Deputy Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks from 2008-2009. A conservation management consultant, Dr. Arha has served as Associate Solicitor for Indian Affairs at the Department of Interior and as a White House Fellow. He has also worked as an attorney with the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP. Dr. Arha was Special Policy Advisor for Species Conservation for the Wyoming Game and Forest Commission. Dr. Arha holds a Ph.D. in wildland resource science and Masters of Science in agricultural and resource economics from UC-Berkeley, an MA in Energy & Resource Management from Boston University, a B.A. from St. Stephens College in Delhi, India, and a degree from Stanford University School of Law. He was a visiting scholar at Oregon State University in 2002. Dr. Arha was a Boone & Crockett Club Fellow at University of California-Berkeley.

Sharon Archer is a nationally recognized interior designer and the wife of Congressman Bill Archer. She has served on the boards of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, National First Ladies Library, Meridian International Center, Congressional Club, Congressional Spouses’ Fellowship, Republican Women’s Federal Forum, International Club #1 of Washington, March of Dimes, Ford’s Theatre, Former Members of Congress Auxiliary, and many others. She has chaired the First Lady’s Luncheon, 1995 Ambassadors Ball, 1998 Meridian International Center Ball, Holding Little Hands for the Americas Luncheon, Cancer Research & Prevention Foundation Gala, March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, and A.T. Childrens Project Fundraiser. She is also co-editor of the Congressional Club Cookbook.

Elected to Congress in 1984, Congressman Callahan was named Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations in 1995. During the six years he chaired this subcommittee, he worked to protect America's interests and investments around the world. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Congressman Callahan worked to develop and finance a new national energy policy. He served in the U.S. Navy and served in state government for 12 years before running for Congress.

John Gantt was a central figure in the establishment and development of the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF). Mr. Gantt ran the day-to-day operations of the ICCF for 4 years, during which he managed the foundation’s Congressional, donor, and partner relations and communications, U.S. Congressional briefings and corporate and NGO events, and coordination and escort of Congressional Field missions to Africa and Latin America. Mr. Gantt has extensive experience on Capitol Hill, coordinating with Members of Congress and their staff as well as high-level representatives of multiple U.S. agencies, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Before joining ICCF, Mr. Gantt served as Program Director for the ICCF’s predecessor organization, the International Conservation Partnership (from 2004-2006), working closely with the U.S. Congressional leadership of the International Conservation Caucus.

Mr. Gantt has supported development programs in both Africa and Latin America. He has worked extensively in organizing and hosting visits of Heads of State and foreign dignitaries to the United States and has coordinated with numerous foreign embassies and ambassadors. 

Mr. Gantt has a B.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, a MSc from the London School of Economics and an MBA from the University of Cambridge.

Vance Martin joined WILD as president in 1984 after 15 years in international small-business and non-profit management. An innovative leader known for bridging the interests of people and nature, he has lived extensively overseas, worked in over 40 countries, and helped to establish many non-profits. He has served on the boards of numerous organizations such as the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Friends of Peace Parks, Conservation & Preservation Charities of America, Fulcrum Publishing, Wilderness Foundation (South Africa), Wilderness Foundation (UK), and others. He is also the founder and current co-chairman of the IUCN Wilderness Task Force, and has edited and authored many publications, including most recently Wilderness, Wildlands and People: A Partnership for the Planet, the plenary proceedings from the 8th World Wilderness Congress (Anchorage, Alaska, 2005). A native of the U.S. Piedmont region, he graduated magna cum laude from West Virginia University.