Who are we?

FOUNDER

Janna Giacoppo, a photographer with a film background, has always been driven to address human-wildlife conflict. While working on her documentary feature One But Many, her commitment to this cause deepened. Years of research and interviews revealed that community-led conservation is the true path forward for both people and wildlife. Moved by the lack of media coverage and inspired by her Indigenous roots, Janna co-founded the Human-Wildlife Project to advocate for change and support solutions rooted in sustainable and equitable practices.

One But Many is slated for distribution in 2025. For information, visit onebutmanydocumentary.com

FOUNDER

Lorinda pursued a career in conservation after a rhino poaching incident on the wildlife preserve in South Africa, where she’d lived virtually her entire life. Having grown up with the rhinos on the property, the loss was profound, and Lorinda set out to develop a proactive anti-poaching solution. To this end, she partnered with other prominent conservationists to develop methods to chemically devalue rhino horns to deter poachers, co-founding Rhino Rescue Project and a producer on One But Many.

Lorinda has a Master's degree in Strategic Marketing Management from the University of Pretoria (UP) and a research doctorate (Ph.D.) in the same field from the London School of Economics. She is passionate about educating a global audience about the human/wildlife conflict and how this overarching issue is often the root cause of more well-publicized activities like poaching. 

FOUNDER

John is a safari guide and wildlife photographer. He was born and raised in the Lower Zambezi Valley, in one of the communities where the first initiative for Painted Wolves is being launched. He has worked with various organizations, safari camps, and lodges, gaining valuable experience in wildlife camp and lodge management. This expertise has led him to establish and run his own safari company.

FOUNDER

Andrew, born in Zambia, grew up in a remote part of the country where the complexities of human-wildlife conflict were evident early on. From bush pigs and baboons raiding village crops to buffalo, hippos, and elephants causing damage—even kudu grazing on his father's tobacco field—Andrew witnessed firsthand his father's noble, but often unsuccessful, attempts to resolve these issues without harming the animals.

This upbringing gave Andrew a deep understanding of the challenges rural communities face and what they need to survive. After school, his learning continued with a long career as a nature guide in the tourism industry. Over the past 15 years, Andrew’s work has taken him to the highlands of Ethiopia, the forests of West and Central Africa, the plains of East Africa, and numerous national parks and reserves across Southern Africa, each with its own distinct approaches to human-wildlife conflict, often through eco-tourism and its funding.

His travels have broadened his perspective, teaching him how solutions vary depending on the region, the local communities, climate, and economic factors. Andrew finds it incredibly rewarding to be part of the effort to address these challenges and contribute to meaningful solutions where possible.