Thomas Roush joined the NRDC Board in 1985 mindful of the scientific rigor with which the organization pursues its issues. At Columbia University Medical Center, Dr. Roush did basic cell biology research on chemical carcinogenesis at the Institute for Cancer Research and taught toxicology at the School of Public Health. He established a multispecialty medical facility in Soho, where he practiced internal medicine. He has helped create several land preservation projects, including a 9 million acre preserve in the Himalayas of Tibet and Nepal and he developed several investment entities in film media, the hospitality industry and alternative investment strategies. He graduated from Amherst College in 1966 with a B.A. In Biology and Psychology and in 1973 received an M.D. Degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He lives on Shelter Island in New York.