All Speakers

Yves OLATOUNDJI

Programme Officer - IUCN Green List

IUCN

With a strong academic background in biodiversity conservation and over eight years of experience in protected and conserved areas management, Yves Olatoundji has a solid track record in ecological…

Francesca VITALI

Wildlife veterinarian

Smithsonian Institution

Dr. Francesca Vitali, a wildlife veterinarian and research associate at the Smithsonian's Global Health Program in Kenya, is dedicated to advancing wildlife medicine within the conservation and One…

Dorothy ABADE

African Natural Capital Alliance

Dorothy is the Head of the African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA) Secretariat and Africa Lead for Nature Finance & TNFD at FSD Africa, where she leads efforts to drive systemic change in nature…

FADI GHANEM

President

GHADI

Fadi Ghanem is the founder and President of Ghadi Environmental Association, a Lebanese national organization dedicated to protecting the environment, preserving natural diversity and preventing…

Yan GAO

Engineer

Land Consolidation & Rehabilitation Center, MNR

Abdo Kaseem Alsharif

Assistance of Deputy Minister for Int. Affairs and Climate

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture

Anand Punja

Director of Stakeholder Relations

Forest Stewardship Council International

Anand has worked on sustainability through its different core lenses (Social, Environmental and Economic) for 25+ years now at varying scales from local level to international. Anand has held…

Javier MÁRQUEZ

Executive Director

Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza

Javier Marquez Executive Director of Defensores de la Naturaleza, has worked on conservation and sustainable development actions for more than 27 years. With extensive experience working with local…

Jessica Judith GREFA HUATATOCA

Piatua Resiste

I am an indigenous Kichwa woman from the town of Santa Clara, Ecuador. I trained as a biologist at the Amazonian State University and currently hold a master's degree in Political Ecology and…

Benjamin JONES

Chief Conservation Officer

Project Seagrass

I am the Chief Conservation Officer at Project Seagrass, an organisation I co-founded in 2013 after seeing need for greater science-based conservation action for seagrass meadows globally. I am ex-…

José NIETO NAVARRETE

Rodrigo FLORES-GUTIERREZ

Regional Programme Manager

IUCN Secretariat

Karimah HUDDA

Founder and Chief Catalyst

illumine.earth

Karimah Hudda is the Founder and Chief Catalyst of illumine.earth. From roots in small-town India, Karimah became a global citizen, living, working, and traveling across nearly 50 countries.For over…

Theo WRIGHTMAN-BIXBY

Reserva Representative

Reserva the Youth Land Trust.

I am Theo Wrightman - Bixby, I am eleven years old and I am a member of Reserva the Youth Land Trust; a charity dedicated to protecting endangered species. I have always been incredibly passionate…

Francis VORHIES

Conservation Economist

IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management 2021-2025

Conservation economistDirector, EarthmindDirector, African Wildlife Economy Institute, Stellenbosch UniversityResearch Visitor, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford

NGIMBI DANIEL MABENGO

FACILITATEUR COMMUNAUTAIRE

Alliance Nationale d'Appui et de Promotion des Aires et Territoires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire en RDC (ANAPAC)

Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)Memberships: Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotions des Aires et Territoires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire en RDC (ANAPAC-…

Makko John SINANDEI

Indigenous Expert

Ujamaa-Community Resource Team

Makko Sinandei; was born and raised in a local Arash village in Arusha Region – Tanzania. He is a social and environmental professional, with a special focus on indigenous pastoralists and Hunter-…

Neni SRIWAHYUNI

Head of Economic Affairs and Natural Resources Division

Regional Development Planning Agency of Aceh Tamiang Regency

Dr. Neni Sriwahyuni, S.S.T., M.Si is the Head of the Division of Economic Affairs and Natural Resources at the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of Aceh Tamiang Regency. She earned her…

Leigh Morris

Chief Executive Officer

The Wildlife Trusts

Leigh’s career began in horticulture, working and managing in plant nurseries, then teaching in land-based colleges, before 10 years at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, where he managed education…

Sally WREN

Co-Chair

IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group

Sally joined the ASG as a Programme Officer in 2013, and had roles as Conservation Planning Officer, then Deputy Chair, before becoming Co-Chair in 2024. One of Sally’s main roles to date was leading…

Raquel JIMÉNEZ ACOSTA

Global Action Director

Reforestamos México

Raquel is Director of Global Action at Reforestamos México, where she promotes the international agenda related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), biodiversity, climate change, and the…

Obaid Ali Humaid Al Shamsi

Head of Marine Biodiversity Section

Ministry of Climate Change and Environment

Obaid Alshamsi is Head of the Marine Biodiversity Section at the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. He specializes in ecology and environmental biology, with a focus on biodiversity…

Grethel AGUILAR ROJAS

Director General

IUCN

Dr Grethel Aguilar, born in Costa Rica, assumed office as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in October 2023. Dr Aguilar brings with her thirty years of…

OLE KAUNGA MALIH, J.N

Founder/Director

IMPACT - Kipok Fund

I am community and global leader who value collective action, relationships to drive transformational change that enables Indigenous peoples to be the fulcrum of their own visions and self-…

Jessica CAMPESE

Part-time consultant

IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic, and Social Policy 2021-2025

Jessica is a practioner and researcher with over 15 years' experience working on environmental governance and human rights-based conservation. Her work includes collaboration, advocacy, and learning…

Naomi KINGSTON

VP Global Resource Mobilization Strategy

Conservation International

Naomi Kingston is a strategic leader in global conservation, currently serving as Chair of the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) Partnership and Vice President of Global Resource Mobilization with…

Karsten SACH

Dr. Karsten SachKarsten worked for the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety for more than three decades. From 2016 to 2022, he was Director General of…

Alvin Lopez

Principal Operations Coordination Specialist (Environment)

Asian Development Bank

Alvin Lopez currently serves as the Principal Operations Coordination Specialist (Environment) in the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He…