MEET THE
TEAM
Rich is the Director and Chief Executive Officer for AWE
Richard Reading, Ph.D. is the Vice President of Science and Conservation at Butterfly Pavilion. He serves as an Adjunct Professor within the Department of Biology at the University of Denver; Affiliate Faculty with the Department of Agricultural Biology at Colorado State University; and a Fellow with the University of Nebraska’s Center for Great Plains Studies. Rich was appointed to the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission in 2022, where he now serves as Vice Chair. Dr. Reading received a Ph.D. and three Master’s degrees from Yale University in Wildlife Ecology and Human Dimensions of Wildlife and an Honorary Doctorate from the National Education University of Mongolia.
In 2020, Rich was honored to receive the Order of the Polar Star, the highest honor from the Mongolian National Government for expatriates, for contributions to conservation. He has conducted or overseen projects in dozens of countries, working primarily on grassland and arid ecosystems on six continents, with a focus on the Great Plains of N. America, the steppes and deserts of Mongolia, the savannahs and deserts of Botswana, and the Altiplano of Peru. His work focuses on developing pragmatic, effective, and interdisciplinary approaches to the conservation of wildlife and protected areas through research, capacity development, and working with local people and governments.
Dr. Reading serves on the boards of directors or advisors for several non-profit organizations in the U.S. and overseas; serves as an associate editor for 5 scientific journals; has published over 240 scientific papers and book chapters; written dozens of popular articles; and written or edited 10 books.
Helen is the Chief Operating Officer for AWE
Helen Trotman was born in the United States and spent her childhood living in various places around the world, with years in both England and Australia. She has a BFA from the Art Center School of Design in Photography and had a successful career as an advertising photographer in New York City for 17 years. In 2010, she co-founded and ran Epic Kites Kiteboarding with her husband Dimitri.
AWE was created and inspired by her love of wildlife and the wish to join a community that seeks to protect endangered species and support the local communities. She has spent extended time in Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Dimitri is Director of Communications, Outreach, and Innovation for AWE
Dimitri Maramenides was born in Athens, Greece and was also raised in Cameroon, Africa. He speaks multiple languages allowing him to connect with a wide variety of people.
Growing up in Cameroon, he had a unique and unusual upbringing, which allowed him to take care of and look after many orphaned animals, including elephants, monkeys, and chimpanzees. He continues this love and passion in his role at AWE.
Meghan Rubinstein is the Community Engagement Officer for Action for a Wild Earth.
Meghan Rubinstein has a BA in Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University and a Masters in Non-profit Management from Regis University. Meghan worked at Denver Zoo for ten years in both the Education and Conservation Department. She has worked with schools, non-profits and community groups in Mongolia, Peru, Botswana, Vietnam and Sumatra, helping to build local capacity to educate and promote conservation, while increasing opportunities for alternative livelihoods.
Meghan believes that in order to conserve wild places and wildlife, you first have to help meet the needs of the local community.