All Speakers
Abil Castañeda
Executive Director
Protected Areas Conservation Trust
Mr. Abil Castañeda is the Executive Director at the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT), Belize’s national conservation trust. He is responsible for steering the Trust’s strategic direction,…
Simon STUART
Chief Scientific Advisor
Synchronicity Earth
Simon served as Chair of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 2008 to 2016. He has undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the…
Jenny GRAY
Chief Executive Officer
Zoos Victoria
Jenny Gray has been Chief Executive Officer of Zoos Victoria since 2007, leading its transformation into one of the world’s most respected zoo-based conservation organisations. Under her leadership,…
Jamie LEE
NRDC
Jamie Lee focuses on issues including energy, renewables, and climate policy at the international level. Prior to NRDC, Lee worked at a boutique international arbitration law firm and qualified as an…
Daniela RIZZI
Senior Expert for Nature-based Solutions and Biodiversity
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management 2021-2025
Dr. Daniela Rizzi is a Senior Expert on Nature-based Solutions and Biodiversity at ICLEI Europe, with over 15 years of experience bridging policy, science, and practice. She is the NetworkNature…
Khaled MARAFI
Expert ecosystems management - Candidate IUCN Regional Council West Asia
Councillor Elected From The Region WEST Asia
With over 27 years of experience in environmental management, dryland restoration, and sustainable development, I bring a unique blend of technical expertise, regional knowledge, and leadership. My…
Zein ALTAWIL
Founder / CEO
Yello Sustainable Clothing
Zein Altawil is the founder of Yello, the GCC’s first circular, zero-waste, and ethical abaya brand, which she launched in February 2023. Zein holds a master’s degree in Blockchain and Sustainable…
Ndapanda KANIME
Senior Programme Officer
SADC Secretariat
Ms Ndapanda Kanime, Senior Programme Officer responsbible for Natural Resources and Wildlife- SADC SecretariatNdapanda, a Namibian national, is currently a Senior Programme Officer responsible for…
Ted SCHMITT
Senior Director, OlmoEarth Partnerships
Allen Institute for AI
Ted Schmitt is the Senior Director of Conservation at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Ai2). He leads partner engagement for the OlmoEarth program, an open-source AI platform that…
Sino Tohirzoda
NDA Secretariat
Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan
Mariam WESTON FLORES
Programme Officer
IUCN SSC HWCC SG
I am an Engineer in Sustainable Development with an MPhil in Conservation Leadership from the University of Cambridge and an unfathomable passion for wildlife conservation and sustainable social…
Fatima AHMED
Scientific Researcher
EPAA
An Environmental Researcher and Analyst at the Environment & Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah, UAE, with recognized expertise in sustainability, environmental policy, future foresight…
Alfred KUKE
Governance and Engagement Manager
Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program
Alfred Kuke is a social worker by profession. Alfred worked in number of development NGOs in Papua New Guinea for over a decade. However, his passion for rural development, inclusive governance…
Amna AL MANSOORI
Amna Almansoori, PhD, is a marine scientist dedicated to advancing coastal ecosystem management and scaling conservation efforts across the Arabian Gulf. Since joining the Environment Agency –…
Jeanette NOACK
Directora
Alianza de Derecho Ambiental y Agua
Lawyer and notary public, she holds a Master's degree in Marine and Coastal Sciences with an emphasis on Integrated Coastal Management and a Master's degree in International Relations. She is…
Hori Orlando Salanic Xec
Licenciado en Trabajo Social
Asociación SINERGIAS
Hori Orlando Salanic Xec, Guatemalan, K'iche Maya indigenous people. I have a degree in Social Work. For the past 15 years, I have worked for territorial development for Indigenous peoples and local…
Isabella MAZZEI
GCELS Staff Intern
Center for Environmental Legal Studies
I am Italian and Guatemalan, and I grew up in Switzerland. I studied Environmental Law at the Elizabeth Haub School of Law, where I drafted a motion that will be voted at the assembly on the…
Mark EIGENRAAM
Director
IDEEA Group
Mark has worked in environmental markets and natural capital accounting for over 25 years across academic and government institutions at all levels. Mark produced Australia’s first set of…
saeed ALZAABI
Senior Animal Keeper
ALAINZOO
My name is Saeed Al Zaabi, I’m 31 years old, and I’ve been working in the zoo industry for the past 10 years. My passion for animals started when I was a child, I’ve always been curious about their…
Shamsa AL HAMELI
Environment Agency Abu Dhabi
Shamsa Al Hameli, PhD researcher and Specialist in Marine Vessel Management at the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, focusing on the biodiversity and conservation of sharks and rays in the Arabian Gulf.
Roland Melisch
Sector Economist Biodiversity
KfW Development Bank
Roland MelischBiodiversity Sector EconomistKfW Development Bank© Roland MelischShort Bio Roland MelischRoland has been working at the 'Biodiversity and Natural Resources Competence Centre' within the…
Resson Kantai DUFF
Director, Partner Funding
Maliasili
Resson is the Director of Portfolio Funding at Maliasili where she is working to raise both the funding and influence of local conservation organisations across Africa. Having worked in the…
Nadine BITAR
Vice President Middle East
International Federation of Landscape Architects
Nadine Bitar Chahine, managing partner of Baladiya Catalyst and secretary general of IFLA Middle East , MENA native woman leader that was involved in the planning process of more than 45…
Jim GUENTER
CEO
Species360
Jim Guenter is the Chief Executive Officer of Species360, a global non-profit that empowers zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens to advance species conservation through data sharing and…
Yuting LIU
Yuting LIU
IUCN Secretariat
Sumin George THOMAS
Senior Programme Coordinator
Keystone Foundation
Sumin George Thomas is Senior Programme Coordinator at Keystone Foundation, where he co-leads the Biodiversity Programme and guides organisation development, governance, and grants management. With…
Tamryn VENTER
Programme Support Associate - Invasive Species
IUCN
Tamryn Venter, as part of the invasive species team at IUCN, assists with various projects and activities relating to the prevention, identification, surveillance, management and awareness raising of…
Bruno Arias