Administrative, Management, and Leadership Experience
Early Academic Leadership
At Western Illinois University, Randall Eaton served as President of Beta Beta Beta, the Honorary Biological Sciences Society. The group promoted conservation and hosted events, including the Audubon Screen Tour. During graduate school at the University of Washington, he founded the Conservation, Education, and Action Council. This coalition of faculty and graduate students from 11 departments promoted the Wilderness Bill and helped save the Pike Street Market.
Athletic Leadership
Eaton captained the basketball team at the University of Nairobi, where he also competed in track and field. Later, he captained the powerlifting team at Purdue University.
Global Conferences and Policy Impact
While at Purdue, Eaton conceived and led the First International Conference on the World’s Cats. Held in California, it featured 30 scientists and 300 delegates. The resolutions and outreach led to U.S. and international protections for wild cats. These efforts supported the creation of the World Wildlife Fund’s Project Tiger and the IUCN Cat Group. He also organized two additional conferences, edited their proceedings, and managed all logistical and financial aspects.
Public Awareness Campaigns
In 1972, Eaton collaborated with public figures to organize a nationally televised fashion show highlighting threats to spotted cats. Celebrity participants modeled faux furs while conservation messages reached a broad audience.
Conservation Foundations and Programs
At the University of Georgia, Eaton founded and directed ISCES, which conducted field research on jaguars, ocelots, and maned wolves. The organization also exposed wildlife smuggling operations. He led red wolf and cheetah propagation efforts, trained staff, and managed public communications.
Wildlife Safari Development
While completing his doctorate, Eaton developed and directed Wildlife Safari in Oregon. He oversaw all phases: planning, infrastructure, staffing, animal acquisition, and publicity. His outreach attracted twice the projected visitor count in the park’s first year. The park became the first in the Western Hemisphere to successfully breed cheetahs at scale.
Zoo Master Planning
At Woodland Park Zoo, Eaton helped develop the first U.S. zoo master plan focused on naturalism and social behavior. The plan elevated the facility’s national accreditation status.
Marine Fauna Surveys and Orca Conservation
As Team Leader for Washington’s Departments of Game and Ecology, Eaton led a two-year study of marine shoreland fauna. He later founded the Orca Society, creating field stations, mentoring students, and editing a widely praised magazine. Membership reached 15,000 within six months.
Scholarly Publishing
Eaton launched and edited the journal Carnivore: Interfacing Biology, Anthropology, and Environmental Studies. The editorial board featured world-renowned scholars such as Niko Tinbergen, E.O. Wilson, and Gary Snyder.
Whale Conference at the Smithsonian
He co-organized a pivotal international conference on cetaceans and ethics, which helped advance global whale protections.
Academic Administration and Public Programs
As Chair of Natural Sciences at Old College–Reno, Eaton led faculty, developed an environmental studies curriculum, and organized influential lecture series. He edited proceedings from major events, including The Human/Animal Connection and Animals as Teachers.
Wildlife Park Visioning and Public Engagement
He served as President of the Great Basin Zoological Society, where he developed master plans and engaged agencies and the public. He also conceived and promoted the Orca Project, a long-term orca research program in British Columbia. The project received global media attention for befriending wild orcas.
Elephant and Marine Theme Initiatives
In the mid-1980s, he co-founded the Asian Elephant Survival Foundation, which helped shape ivory awareness campaigns later adopted by the World Wildlife Fund. He also developed bioregional attractions in Mexico, including Mundo Maya and a dolphinarium.
Publishing and Media Production
Eaton directed Sacred Press and Sacred Productions, releasing books and award-winning documentaries. His films aired on national networks and received top industry honors. He managed the full production and promotion processes.
Gold Coast College and Adult Education
While in Costa Rica, Eaton founded Gold Coast College, a school for adult learners. He recruited instructors, managed operations, and developed curricula on diverse subjects, including ecology and the arts.
Professional Speaking and Advocacy
Eaton returned to North America to speak at universities and conferences on conservation, education, and rites of passage. His book From Boys to Men of Heart became a foundation for workshops and keynote presentations.
The Dolphin and Whale Society
In 2010, Eaton founded the Dolphin and Whale Society. He curated an advisory board, promoted the organization globally, and gathered contributions from leading thinkers in science and Indigenous wisdom.