Distinguished author, ornithologist and conservationist, Robert is a leading expert on the birds of South and Central America. He served as Rainforest Trust’s President from 2012 to 2021 and has continued his service as President Emeritus since 2021. He also served on the Board of Directors from 2020 to 2026.

He previously served as Director of International Conservation at the National Audubon Society and of the Center for Neotropical Ornithology at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Bob is the author of seven books on Neotropical birds, including the acclaimed Birds of South America, Birds of Ecuador, Birds of Panama and Hummingbirds of Ecuador.

He holds a B.A. in history from Princeton University, an MS in zoology from Duke University and a Ph.D. in forestry and environmental studies from Yale University. He has been awarded the Eisenmann Medal from the Linnaean Society of New York (2001), the Ralph Schreiber Award from the American Ornithologists’ Union (2011) and the Arthur A. Allen Award from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (2013).