All Speakers

Speaker Consuelo ESPINOZA
Consuelo ESPINOZA

Regional Program Coordinator

IUCN SUR

An Ecuadorian environmental economist with 25 years of experience in project management in Latin America and globally, covering forestry, climate change, biodiversity, conservation, and human rights…
Speaker Paola GEREMICCA
Paola GEREMICCA

Senior Manager, Private Philanthropy

International Union for the Conservation of Nature

Paola Geremicca is a multilingual, dynamic, results-driven executive with  20+ years of experience in delivering critical projects of outstanding quality both in the corporate and public sector…
Speaker Aissa TRAORE
Aissa TRAORE

IUCN Secretariat

Originally from Mali, Aissa has 10+ years experience managing multiple projects on development, humanitarian aid and partnership coordination. She holds a master's degree in communication and has…
Speaker Charlotte SMITH
Charlotte SMITH

Conservation Education Director

Chester Zoo (North of England Zoological Society)

Charlotte has extensive experience in conservation and nature based education, behaviour change and community engagement. As Director of Conservation Education she is responsible for the Chester Zoo'…
Speaker HESTER GROENEWALD
HESTER GROENEWALD

Senior Associate

PeaceNexus Foundation

Hesta Groenewald is a Senior Associate with the PeaceNexus Foundation, where she supports conservation and climate-focused organisations to integrate conflict sensitivity into their work. She…
Speaker AMIR IQBAL
AMIR IQBAL

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

SINDH ENGRO COAL MINING COMPANY

Amir Iqbal has been serving as Chief Executive Officer of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and its community development arm, Thar Foundation, since 2021. As Pakistan’s pioneering coal mining…
Speaker Cristiane DERANI
Cristiane DERANI

Professor

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Cristiane Derani is a Professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil, where she teaches Public International Law, International Economic Law and International Environmental Law. She is…
Speaker Jurgen TACK
Jurgen TACK

Secertary-General

European Landowners' Organization (ELO)

Jurgen Tack studied marine ecology (PhD). He worked for the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Brussels Free University, the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (European and international…
Speaker Erica MCCREEDY
Erica MCCREEDY

Chief Operations Officer

North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd

Erica McCreedy, a Ngati Raukawa and Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti woman from Aotearoa, New Zealand, serves as the Chief Operations Officer for the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (…
Speaker Megan OWEN
Megan OWEN

Vice President of Conservation Science

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Speaker Louie C. TESALONA
Louie C. TESALONA

Interim Executive Director

Foundation for the Philippine Environment

Speaker Basma BINT ALI
Basma BINT ALI

Founder

Royal Botanic Garden

Sophie Roland
Sophie Roland
Speaker Yves Frederic Ndjoh
Yves Frederic Ndjoh

Project Officer

Kinetic Power Systems LTD

Yves Frederic Ndjoh is a Cameroonian social entrepreneur, innovator, and sustainability leader committed to advancing renewable energy, education access, and inclusive community development. He is…
Speaker Emma MEDERIC
Emma MEDERIC

Senior Science and Projects Officer

Island Conservation Society

Emma Mederic is a Seychellois conservation professional and currently serves as Senior Science and Conservation Officer at the Island Conservation Society (ICS). In this role, she leads the design…
Speaker Sander VAN ANDEL
Sander VAN ANDEL

Senior Expert Nature Conservation

IUCN National Committee of The Netherlands

Sander van Andel is Senior Expert Nature Conservation at the IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands. Sander has an academic background in ecology and natural resource management.Sander has led…
Speaker Ly NGUYEN
Ly NGUYEN

Chair of Management Board

Center for Environment and Community Research (CECR)

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Ly is the founder and developer of Center for Environment and Community Research (CECR) in 2009.She holds a diploma in Food Chemistry from the Technical University of Prague, Czech…
Speaker Kimathi Norah
Kimathi Norah

Co-founder

Zerobionic

Norah Kimathi is a 22-year-old multi-award-winning entrepreneur whose ventures in assistive robotics, climate innovation, and inclusive education are reshaping the future of Africa’s innovation…
Speaker Velvizhi S
Velvizhi S

Area Director, Coastal Resources and Fisheries

M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation

Dr. S. Velvizhi, holding a Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Oceanography, has dedicated 22 years to small-scale fisheries development. Since 2002, she has worked with marine fishing communities along…
Speaker Achinthi VITHANAGE
Achinthi VITHANAGE

Professor and Exec. Dir. of Envt'l Law Programs

Center for Environmental Legal Studies

Prior to joining Haub Law as the Associate Director of Environmental Law Programs, Professor Vithanage was a Visiting Associate Professor of Law and the first Environmental and Energy Law Fellow with…
Speaker Naomi KINGSTON
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…
Speaker Miguel TORRES
Miguel TORRES

Red List Systems Manager

IUCN

Miguel Torres is the Red List Systems Manager at IUCN, where he oversees the infrastructure and software underpinning the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. He holds an MSc in Civil Engineering –…
Speaker Benjamin Christ
Benjamin Christ

Alliance Manager

Global Mangrove Alliance

Benjamin Christ is a strategy facilitator with Impact by Design, Inc. working with global conservation organizations, largely focused on ecosystem restoration and coastal biomes. He manages the…
Speaker James MUSINGUZI
James MUSINGUZI

Executive Director

Uganda Wildlife Authority

James has over 20 years in Conservation, particularly involved in Protected Area management, Community and species Conservation, Conservation Education among others. Holds a PhD in Wildlife…
Speaker Shahad ZUHAIR
Shahad ZUHAIR

Technical and Administrative Assistant

IUCN ROWA

Shahad Zuhair is an environmentalist conservationist and climate-justice advocate currently working with IUCN ROWA. With over six years of experience supporting environmental project management, she…
Speaker Matthew MITCHELL
Matthew MITCHELL

Senior Researcher

Yas SeaWorld Research and Recue Center

I'm a Senior Researcher at the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Center in Abu Dhabi, UAE. My work focuses on how individual fish respond both behaviorally and physiologically to changes in their…
Speaker Willys Osore OJUOK
Willys Osore OJUOK

Warden

Kenya Wildlife Service

I am a dedicated and highly skilled professional with over two decades of experience in wildlife conservation, specializing in marine and coastal environments. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in…
Speaker Megan SIM
Megan SIM

IBAT Programme Officer

IBAT

Megan Sim is a Programme Officer on the IBAT team, where she supports businesses and financial institutions in integrating biodiversity into their decision-making. With previous experience in…