The Team
Wildlife Unit
The NYC Parks' Wildlife Unit promotes coexistence between people and urban wildlife. As an informed resource for citizens and policymakers, the Wildlife Unit serves as an ambassador for New York City’s diverse wildlife communities. The Wildlife Unit seeks to create a future for New York City where wildlife is a familiar, understood, and indispensable part of our urban landscape.
Richard Simon
Richard is the founding Director of New York City’s first unit dedicated to promoting coexistence with urban wildlife. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from College of Staten Island, and an M.P.A. from the Baruch School of Public Affairs. Richard manages a portfolio of diverse projects that include conservation of endangered migratory shore birds, population control of white-tailed deer, and mapping of the city’s breeding bird of prey populations.
Amber Krauss
Amber is a Wildlife Program Coordinator for the Wildlife Unit. She holds a B.S in Wildlife Science from SUNY ESF. Amber started her career working with shorebirds in 2019. She continues her shorebird work in NYC by helping manage the city owned Rockaway beach Endangered Species Nesting Area (RBESNA). Amber also manages all of the Wildlife Units game cameras used across the city for mesopredator studies.
Alexis Pristina
Alexis is a Wildlife Program Coordinator for the Wildlife Unit. She holds a B.A. in Zoology from the State University of New York at Oswego. Each year, Alexis plays a pivotal role in managing the Rockaway Beach Endangered Species Nesting Area (RBESNA). She is also responsible for assisting with other projects the Wildlife Unit is working on, as well as helping to procure items needed to keep operations running smoothly.
Sara Rudolph
Sara is a Project Development Coordinator for the Wildlife Unit. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Austin Peay State University of Clarksville, Tennessee. Sara specializes in urban wildlife health. Her work includes building and evaluating programs, policies, and response plans for Parks and coordinating surveillance, prevention and management strategies to protect the health of wildlife and strengthen conservation.
Sylvia Wood
Sylvia is a Project Development Coordinator for the Wildlife Unit. She holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Professional Certificate in GIS from Michigan State University. Sylvia supports the unit’s diverse projects with data analysis, mapping, and report writing, and plays a key role in managing the city’s Deer Impact Management Plan as well as broader communications and outreach efforts.
Sunny Corrao
Sunny is the Public Engagement Coordinator for the Wildlife Unit. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Nevada, Reno, and an M.A. in Environmental Conservation Education from New York University. Sunny crafts events and education materials that foster a sense of coexistence between New Yorkers and urban wildlife.
Mark Pastore
Mark is a Field Technician for the Wildlife Unit. He holds a B.S. in Natural Resources Conservation with a concentration in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. Mark began his work in 2015 as part of TreesCount! and later contributed to shorebird monitoring efforts. He now serves as the lead on the unit’s Raptor Nest Monitoring Project, where he oversees monitoring activities, engages with community scientists, and evaluates the status of raptor populations across the city. His work supports efforts to protect raptors from rodenticide exposure and strengthen urban conservation initiatives.
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
NYC Parks is the steward of more than 30,000 acres of land — 14 percent of New York City — including more than 5,000 individual properties ranging from Coney Island Beach and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. NYC Parks' mission is to plan resilient and sustainable parks, public spaces, and recreational amenities, build a park system for present and future generations, and care for parks and public spaces.
The City of New York launched the WildlifeNYC campaign to increase public awareness about urban wildlife. Visit the WildlifeNYC website at nyc.gov/wildlife to learn more about urban wildlife—from cutting edge management practices to volunteer events and fun facts.
