Ryan C. Richards is a Senior Conservation Policy Analyst at the Center for American Progress, covering a variety of topics, including ecosystem restoration, natural climate solutions, forestry, and private lands. Previously, Dr. Richards worked on conservation domestically and internationally. He conducted his doctoral research on reforestation incentive programs in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and was a Fulbright visiting researcher at the University of São Paulo-ESALQ, Brazil, and the Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, Brazil. Dr. Richards spent six years with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute as a graduate fellow and program associate for the Global Tiger Initiative. He has also worked on habitat restoration projects with farmers in Namibia, South Africa, and the US state of California’s Central Valley. Dr. Richards earned a master of science degree in conservation biology and a master’s in public policy in environmental policy from the University of Maryland and a PhD from George Mason University. He can be reached at ryan.clark.richards@gmail.com.