About Us

Sarah Mortimer, Executive Director
Sarah Mortimer joined Tortoise Group as the Adoption Coordinator in September 2015.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology with an emphasis in zoology from Northern Arizona University.  Sarah has always had a love for animals and an interest in nature.  She studied locomotion and limb morphology in mice for her undergraduate research project.  Her passion for animals makes it simple for her to be enthusiastic about educating the public about desert tortoises!  In her free time, Sarah loves being outdoors hiking, camping, and rockhounding.

I traveled a winding road to Tortoise Group. I was lucky to spend 42 years in dentistry, 25 of which involved treating the medically compromised. I earned my B.S. from the University of Southern California in 1970. After several years, I was honored to be accepted to Columbia University’s School of Human Nutrition, from which I graduated in 1982 with a Masters in Science. My research at Columbia led me to apply to Harvard’s School of Dental Medicine, where I could combine my biochemistry/nutrition background and research with medicine to treat medically compromised patients. After earning my DMD and MPH from HSDM and Harvard School of Public Health, I spent 5 years at UCLA running a residency program before joining the VA, where I also ran their residency program. After 20 years at the VA, I retired and moved to Las Vegas with my husband, Michael. When a contractor gave us two female tortoises in 2012, I realized I knew nothing about caring for the desert tortoise, so we joined Tortoise Group. Michael and I have spent the last four years enjoying our girls, volunteering for TG, and making great friends.

Charles Born, Adoption Coordinator
Before there were tortoises in my life, there were Cocker Spaniels.  I spent the first 40-plus years living with a kennel of AKC championship Cocker Spaniels.    When my globally-based marketing career demanded continual travel, we closed the breeding program and the kennel.  In 2014, we retired to Henderson.  Although we have no dogs, we are owned by two spoiled rescue cats, Elsa and Zar, and the always-hungry, always-on-the-move desert tortoise named Teddy.     I have to say Mojave Desert tortoises fascinate me.    It’s not a wonder people love their tortoises.  Working with the many Tortoise Group volunteers who are passionate about our Mojave tortoise friends is a pleasure.     Being the adoption coordinator reminds me of my days of carefully placing my cocker puppies into new homes.  I get such pleasure watching the excitement of new owners when they see their new tortoise friends.   Thanks to each of you who has opened your homes to our desert tortoises.   As we like to say, save a tortoise – save the environment

I’m originally from the UK, where I spent most of my life working to protect wild species in various jobs, and I gained my BSc in Environmental Science and MSc in Conservation Biology degrees.  My introduction to the desert tortoise occurred in 2012 when I visited Las Vegas for a few months, volunteered at the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and became fascinated with the desert environment.  When I moved to Las Vegas in 2016, I knew I wanted to continue my career as an ecologist/biologist, so I got a job surveying desert tortoises. However, later that year, things took a random turn, and I worked at a hotel on the Strip – for four years!  In 2021, I knew my time away from wildlife had been too long: I needed to be a biologist again!  So, I started with a company that conducts tortoise surveys and radio tracking (which is hard work, but I love it!), amongst other things.  Today, I’m an Authorized Biologist working on projects around Las Vegas/Henderson protecting the wild population of desert tortoises, and now I’m glad to join the Tortoise Group and help spread awareness of the captive population!  When not working, I enjoy being outside in nature, hiking, doing craftwork, and spending time with my family (which includes our two cats!).