Dr. Crystal Mogensen

Originally from the UK, Crystal undertook research in the Maasai Mara from 2007-2014 and began her engagement with The Maa Trust in January 2015. She has lived in the Maasai Mara full time since 2011. For her undergraduate studies she assessed the environmental impacts of tourism inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve and then for her Masters she examined the definition of ecotourism and the extent to which conservancies conform. For her Ph.D. she went on to investigate how development is defined within the Mara, and the extent to which conservancies contribute. This Ph.D. forms the research basis for many development interventions undertaken by The Maa Trust and she is living her dream implementing her research findings and realising impactful sustainable community development interventions. Crystal met her husband Niels, who works for the Mara Predator Conservation Programme, in the Maasai Mara where they are now raising their son and daughter.