Our Board is an accomplished group of leaders who keep us focused on our mission. The team brings diverse expertise and experience to ensure a unique perspective.
Board of Directors
Dr. Rob Swihart
Rob conducted undergraduate work at Butler University and Purdue University, obtaining a B.S. in Wildlife Science from Purdue in 1979. He graduated from Minnesota with a M.S. in Wildlife in 1981 and then moved to the University of Kansas to work on a Ph.D. as an Honors Fellow. He received his Ph.D. in Ecology in 1985. In 1986, Rob accepted a position as a research ecologist with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, where he investigated non-lethal methods for managing crop damage by wildlife in commercial nurseries and orchards. Since joining the faculty at Purdue in 1991, Rob and his students have conducted numerous studies examining the impact of agriculture and habitat loss/fragmentation on vertebrates. Rob has published over 100 manuscripts in scientific journals. He is presently the Head of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue.
Vickie DeNicola
Vickie DeNicola joined White Buffalo in 2012 as Vice-President. She has participated in numerous wildlife-related field research and management projects. She is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Trento C3A/Fondazione Edmund Mach studying the movement ecology of white-tailed deer in suburban environments. Vickie brings a unique perspective to WBI with many years of senior leadership experience from well-known organizations, including The Walt Disney Company, Hasbro, and ESPN, where she was focused on innovation with new technology. Her work was featured in the Wall Street Journal and received 2 Primetime Emmy nominations with one win. Vickie received an M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. Her research interests include the use of biologging data to answer questions about animal movement, behavior, and resource usage, as well as the application of technology and techniques to address human-wildlife conflict.
Gary Aurora
Dr. Robert Warren
Robert J. (Bob) Warren is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia, where he worked as a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources from 1983 until his retirement in 2016. From 1979-1983, he was on the Wildlife Faculty at Texas Tech University. He received a B.S. from Oklahoma State University and M.S. and Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. Bob's research interests included management of wildlife populations in parks and urban/suburban areas, predator ecology and management, and wildlife physiology. He is a Fellow and Past President of The Wildlife Society (TWS) and received the TWS Excellence in Wildlife Education Award in 2013 and the TWS Aldo Leopold Memorial Award in 2014.
Dr. Anthony DeNicola
Dr. DeNicola is the founder and President of White Buffalo Incorporated. In 1988, Tony received a B.S. in Biology from Trinity College of Hartford, CT, and a M.S. from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 1990. He completed his Doctorate work at Purdue University in Wildlife Ecology in 1996. His dissertation was entitled "Control of reproduction in overabundant white-tailed deer populations." He is a member of the National Animal Damage Control Association, the Society for Conservation Biology and The Wildlife Society. In addition to being certified as a wildlife biologist by the Wildlife Society, he held/holds research affiliate positions with Yale University, University of Illinois, Rutgers University, Trinity College of Hartford, and the Denver Zoological Society. Dr. DeNicola has 30+ publications in reputable scientific journals and has presented at numerous professional conferences. Tony’s professional interests are behavioral/ecological approaches to wildlife damage control, wildlife reproductive control, and control of introduced vertebrate species. Most recently he has been involved with international research efforts assisting colleagues with capturing endangered Argali Sheep in Mongolia and working with the Royal Government of Bhutan to establish a wild pig management program.
Gary is currently employed by the New Haven Board of Education as a teacher at the Hyde Leadership School. He is certified to teach Social Studies (grades 7-12) and has done so for 15 years. He has served as Dean of Students for three years. Also, Mr. Aurora has coached four varsity level sports teams over the last ten years. He received a BA from Colgate in Political Science and his J.D. from Quinnipiac School of Law. Gary also has obtained a 6th Year Certificate in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), and is certified in school administration. He has conducted diversity workshops for the Anti-Defamation League and been a guest speaker in an Anti-Bias course held at SCSU the last six semesters. Gary also is licensed by the State of Connecticut as a foster and adoptive parent.