Christopher Lile, MA

OPERATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR 

Christopher Lile is the Operations & Communications Director for Project Coyote, ensuring smooth functioning operations and increasing the visibility of Project Coyote’s programs and advocacy efforts. With years of experience in carnivore education and advocacy, he strives to create and cultivate new wildlife advocates through science-based education, ethical fundraising, and interdisciplinary programs. 

Christopher grew up in the Appalachian mountains, developing a love of the outdoors and wildlife at a young age. This passion led Christopher to pursue an undergraduate degree in Biology from Gardner-Webb University before traveling to Madagascar and Tanzania to study lemurs, chimpanzees, and red-tailed monkeys. Although field research enhanced his appreciation for wildlife, he discovered a strong affinity for public outreach through blog writing for the Jane Goodall Institute, red wolf advocacy and fundraising with Defenders of Wildlife, and education and advocacy for wolves, coyotes, and foxes at Wolf Park.

After years of working with nonprofit organizations, Christopher decided to further his knowledge of the sector by obtaining a master’s in Philanthropic Studies from IUPUI and a Certificate of Fund Raising Management from the Lilly School of Philanthropy. Since then, he has worked to increase success in advocacy requests, empower youth to advocate for wildlife to help combat eco-anxiety, diversify revenue streams for nonprofits, and deepen connections between donors and their nonprofit. 

In his free time, Christopher can be found trail running, reading or listening to podcasts in a hammock, creating ceramics, using positive reinforcement training to empower animals in human care, or planning his next thru-hike adventure.