Areas of Expertise: Wildlife conservation, human-wildlife conflict, strategic planning, research design, campaign development, conflict assessments, project/program evaluation

As the Senior Manager for Field Conservation at Defenders, Serda serves as a liaison/advocate for field office staff and works closely with the Vice President of Field Conservation to ensure consistency across and support of Defenders’ Field Conservation programs, primarily Defenders’ coexistence work.

In addition to her role with Defenders, Serda is the Executive Director of the Armenian Environmental Network and a team and board member of The District Coyote Project.

Prior to joining Defenders, Serda managed a green stormwater infrastructure program for the National Recreation and Park Association, explored conflicts between people and natural resources in Armenia, and managed a non-lethal human-wildlife conflict management grants program and various advocacy campaigns for the Animal Welfare Institute. Serda was also a part of the 2009/2010 class of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program. In 2012, Serda conducted the first comprehensive survey of attitudes toward and conflicts with wolves and bears in rural villages in Armenia. As a recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship, she conducted sign surveys of wolves and bears in Armenia in 2014/15.

Serda holds an M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from George Mason University and a B.S. from Towson University in Animal Behavior and Photography/Film.