Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Hires New Executive Director

MILLWOOD, Va. - May 14, 2015 - PRLog -- The Board of Directors of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center s announced today that it has hired David B. Bancroft as its new executive director.  Founder Belinda Burwell, D.V.M. will remain as director of wildlife services, and continue to serve on the BRWC board of directors.  This announcement comes on the heels of the March 22, 2015 groundbreaking for the new BRWC facility.

“David brings years of environmental and administrative experience to BRWC that we feel is essential for the further growth and development of the organization” said Lisa Goshen, newly-elected chair of the BRWC board of directors.

Bancroft was president of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the premier environmental partnership organization in the seven-state, Mid-Atlantic region focused on habitat, agriculture, forestry and development.  More recently, Bancroft led sustainable agriculture initiatives when he partnered with Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Farms as the founding executive director of Organic Voices/Just Label It pushing for federal labeling of GMO (genetically modified) foods, and was chief operating officer of the US Healthful Food Council promoting “farm to table” REAL Certification of restaurants.  Earlier in his career, Bancroft served as deputy executive director of the Council of the Great Lakes Governors, executive vice president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, and director of Washington DC Relations at the University of Wisconsin Foundation, working with Donna E. Shalala.

“One of the reasons I came to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is the cutting-edge work of Belinda Burwell in the rescue and rehabilitation of native animals as well as in wildlife education,” said Bancroft.  He continued, “While tracking trends in wildlife disease and injuries ranging from bald eagles to red fox to cottontail rabbits and other species, she led the Center in serving close to 1,900 animals in 2014.”

The BRWC ensures the preservation of native wildlife in areas where habitat has been disturbed and animals are endangered.  The Center rescues, provides veterinary care for, and rehabilitates injured, orphaned, and sick native wildlife with the goal of releasing them back into the wild.  Burwell stated, “With the anticipated opening of a new facility in 2016, giving us the much needed space to provide rehabilitative care to native wildlife and educational services to the public, and now with David bringing his environmental and administrative experience to our team, we will be able to fulfill our vision as a leader in wildlife conservation and environmental education.”

Bancroft is a resident of Germantown Maryland and owns a home in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Master of Science in Technology and Policy from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

“The BRWC is lucky to have two dedicated professionals like David and Belinda who bring complementary skills and abilities to the organization.” said Goshen.  She continued, “Together they will help foster the next stage of growth for BRWC as we move into our new facility and meet the mission of ensuring the future of our region’s wildlife.”

About Blue Ridge Wildlife Center. The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is a non-profit, 501(c)3 charitable organization for wildlife conservation and rehabilitation located in Clarke County, Virginia.  The center assists the native wildlife of Northern Virginia and Northeastern West Virginia, and does not charge for services.  Because the organization does not receive any local, state or federal funding, it is completely dependent on private donations.  For more information, please visit www.blueridgewildlife.org.