Panthera Strengthens Leadership with Appointments of Crystal Adams as Chief People Officer and Yves Pinsonneault as Chief Network Officer

Adams and Pinsonneault's backgrounds in mission-driven work and conservation will guide the organization's operations, partnerships and wild cat recovery efforts

NEW YORK, NY – Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, has announced two key leadership appointments through the hiring of Crystal Adams as Chief People Officer and Yves Pinsonneault as the newly-created Chief Network Officer (CNO).

Effective March 16, Adams joins Panthera, where she will lead the global people strategy and build the internal systems, culture, and talent infrastructure needed to support a diverse and internationally distributed team. Prior to Panthera, Adams led an independent human resources (HR) consulting practice, in which she served as a Chief Human Resources Officer for a portfolio of clients. She also previously served as Chief Human Resources Officer at International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), where she developed and executed a global HR strategy, led union negotiations and revamped the organization's compensation structure across multiple countries and legal jurisdictions. 

Pinsonneault joins Panthera on March 16 and will oversee the governance, compliance, and administrative operations of Panthera's network of regional hub offices and affiliate entities across 22 countries and four continents. The CNO works closely with senior leadership responsible for Finance, Human Resources, Global Communications & Marketing (GCM), Legal Support, and Business Development. Pinsonneault previously served as Special Advisor at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, supporting a national climate-smart forestry initiative in Canada.  

Panthera CEO Dr. Frederic Launay stated: "Crystal and Yves both bring exceptional depth of experience and a genuine commitment to mission-driven work that aligns perfectly with who we are as an organization. As Panthera continues to grow its global footprint, having the right people and institutional infrastructure in place is essential to delivering on our conservation initiatives. Their presence represents a step forward for Panthera, and ultimately, for the wild cats we work to protect."

With over 20 years of experience leading human resources across global, mission-driven organizations, Adams has held senior HR leadership roles at Amnesty International USA. Across organizations, she has provided HR leadership grounded in communication, cultural competence, and a deep understanding of organizational strategy. Adams brings unique skills for building values-aligned HR functions that reinforce a company culture, identity, and capabilities for sustainable growth.

"I'm thrilled to join Panthera at such a pivotal moment in its growth," said Adams. "Panthera's team operates across dozens of countries, cultures, and legal environments — and ensuring that every one of those people feels supported, valued, and equipped to do meaningful work is a challenge I find genuinely exciting. Building people-centered systems that allow a mission-driven team to thrive is work I'm deeply passionate about, and I can't think of a more inspiring mission to support than the protection of the world's wild cats."

With two decades of experience managing complex, multi-country conservation programs, Pinsonneault brings expertise in institutional coordination, governance, and network management. Prior to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, he served as Chief Development and Marketing Officer of Viridis Terra International, and held multiple positions with Conservation International, including Sustainable Landscapes and Seascapes Fellow, Vice President of Global Program Support, Acting Country Lead of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Senior Director of Field Program Management.

"Panthera's global network of regional hubs and affiliate entities is the backbone of its conservation impact, and I'm honored to help strengthen and grow it,” said Pinsonneault. “I look forward to working alongside such a dedicated team to ensure the operational and institutional foundation is in place to deliver on Panthera's mission for years to come."

These strategic appointments come as Panthera celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026 and accelerates its mission through some of the world's most ambitious wild cat conservation initiatives. The Tigers Forever program is aimed at increasing tiger populations by at least 50% over ten years across key sites in Asia, while the Jaguar Corridor Initiative connects and protects the species across its six million km² range from Mexico to Argentina. The Furs for Life program has distributed over 22,000 synthetic leopard fur capes to communities across southern Africa, saving hundreds of leopard lives each year. Since 2018, the Small Cats Program has expanded to protect 15 species across three continents, including a flagship Borneo initiative safeguarding five rare felids in partnership with local forestry, wildlife, and community rangers.

Together, Panthera's programs now span over 35 countries, engaging over 300 staff, 45 government partners, and some of the world's most critical wild cat landscapes