Leigh Henry
Director, Wildlife Policy, Wildlife Conservation

Leigh leads policy efforts related to wildlife conservation. Since joining the WWF family in 2001, Leigh’s work has focused heavily on wildlife crime, marine species conservation, and spearheading WWF’s engagement in CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and the International Whaling Commission. She has played a key role in our efforts to combat illegal tiger trade and to ensure the survival of wild tigers through improved international and U.S. policies, and is currently leading the WWF network’s efforts to phase out tiger farms. She was a core member of the WWF network’s Stop Wildlife Crime campaign, which helped to secure unprecedented global and U.S. leadership to end poaching and wildlife crime, as well as WWF’s campaign to save Mexico’s critically endangered vaquita porpoise. Leigh remains committed to ending the threat posed by bycatch and entanglement in fishing gear to the world’s whales, dolphins and porpoises – the same threat that has driven the vaquita to the brink of extinction.
“My 'field work' takes place in the offices of government agencies and international conference halls. While the work may not be glamorous, it’s critical; without the legal framework to support our conservation efforts, we won't succeed.”
In The News
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Gizmodo
America’s Hidden Big Cat Problem
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NPR
Pandemic Causes China to Ban Breeding of Bamboo Rats and Other Wild Animals
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The Hill
"Tiger King" Highlights Why America's Big Cats Must Be Protected
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New York Times Magazine
China’s Mixed Messages on the Global Trade in Endangered-Animal Parts
More on Leigh
Title
Director, Wildlife Policy
Education
- Master of Studies in Environmental Law, Vermont Law School
- B.A. Cultural Anthropology with a Minor in Environmental Studies, James Madison University
Areas of Expertise
- International and U.S. wildlife conservation policy
- International and U.S. wildlife trade policy
- CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
- IWC (International Whaling Commission)
- Tiger trade and conservation
- Government advocacy
- Whale, dolphin and porpoise conservation