All Speakers
Daouda SEMBENE
Founder and CEO
AfriCatalyst
Daouda Sembene is the CEO of AfriCatalyst, a global development advisory firm headquartered in Dakar, Senegal. He also serves as a Distinguished Non-resident Fellow at the Washington-based Center for...
Marie Bjornson-langen
Directrice exécutive adjointe AFD/SDD
Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères
Marie Bjornson-Langen, Deputy Executive Director for Sustainable Development Solutions at AFDMarie holds a Master’s degree in History, a postgraduate diploma (DEA) in Political Science, and a Master’...
Saebyeol SEO
Programme Officer, Protected Areas
IUCN Secretariat
Saebyeol Seo is a program officer for protected areas at the IUCN Asia Regional Office (ARO), where she primarily supports the Secretariat of the Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP). Seconded...
Sally HAWKINS
Lecturer, Sustainable Development
CQUniversity
I am an interdisciplinary researcher and educator in environmental sustainability. My career bridges research, practice and policy. I'm recognized as a leader in rewilding research and policymaking...
Gray THORNTON
President and CEO
Wild Sheep Foundation
Gray N. Thornton is President & CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) the world’s leading wild sheep conservation organization. Prior to joining WSF, Thornton served 18 years in leadership...
Tekau FRERE
Tekau Frere, a French Polynesian consultant, serves as the coordinator of the Marine Protected Areas working group of the High Seas Alliance, a network of over 70 international non governmental...
Anastasiia Drapaliuk
expert on PAs
Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group
EDUCATION: 2009 – 2011 University of Klagenfurt, Austria, Master of Science in Management of Protected Areas, 1993 – 1998 West Ukrainian National University, Ukraine, Master of Science in Accounting...
Patricia LEON
Associate Director of Nature Conservation
Bezos Earth Fund
Patricia León Woolfson is Associate Director for Conservation at the Bezos Earth Fund, where she leads global strategies and partnerships to help protect 30% of the planet by 2030. She’s...
Lucía PRIETO FUSTES
Mediterranean and Ecosystems Programme Assistant
IUCN Secretariat
Lucía Prieto Fustes works in the Ecosystem Resilience and Spatial Planning Programme at the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, based in Málaga, Spain. As Mediterranean and Ecosystems...
Simon AWAD
Executive Director
EEC /ELCJHL
Simon I. Awad, Executive Director, Environmental Education Center of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.Simon Awad, is the Executive Director of the Environmental...
Thomas SBERNA
Regional Head - Coastal and Ocean Resilience
IUCN Secretariat
With an academic background in social sciences, political philosophy & ethics, environmental economics and territorial governance as well as in corporate and project finance, Thomas is a seasoned...
Santiago RUGERONI
Animal Care Supervisor - Birds
Al Ain Zoo
Santiago Rugeroni is the Animal Care Supervisor for the bird collection at Al Ain Zoo, overseeing avian welfare, enrichment, and habitat design. With over 14 years of zoo experience from Buenos Aires...
Doreen Simiyu NASIMIYU
Communication Monitoring and Evaluation Lead
Community Action for Nature Conservaation
Doreen Nasimiyu Simiyu is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in environmental conservation, fisheries governance, and policy advocacy across the South West Indian Ocean region....
Chetan KUMAR
Global Head
IUCN Secretariat
Chetan brings in a strong track record of conducting and managing interdisciplinary research programs on environment and development issues. His work has mainly focussed on better understanding and...
Erik MEIJAARD
Managing Director
Borneo Futures Sdn Bhd
Erik Meijaard is a conservation scientist best known for his work on orangutans, tropical land-use, and the sustainability of vegetable oils. He is Managing Director of Borneo Futures, a science-...
Roshani ADHIKARI PATHAK
Board Member
SMCRF
I am a seasoned communication professional and biodiversity conservation advocate with over 25 years of experience in policy advocacy, media engagement, and environmental governance. I have led...
Francis Quique ALVAREZ
Vocal de monitoreo y vigilancia
Ejecutor del Contrato de Administración de la Reserva Comunal Amarakaeri
Francis Quique Álvarez is an Indigenous leader of the Harakbut people, originally from the Native Community of San José de Karene (Madre de Dios, Peru). Since 2024, he has served as Vice President of...
Neil DAWSON
Social Scientist
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management 2021-2025
Theme on Human Wellbeing & Sustainable Livelihoods
My research focuses on the forms of governance which may align with local communities’ values, perceptions of fairness and minimise...
Leny DWIHASTUTY
Senior Expert of Marine and Coastal Ecosystems
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries - Indonesia
Leny Dwihastuty, S.Pi., M.Si, is a Senior Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Manager at Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. With nearly two decades of experience, she has led initiatives...
Franziska ACHTERBERG
Deutscher Naturschutzring - DNR
Franziska Achterberg is an environmental activist. She has been a campaigner with Greenpeace for 13 years, focusing on pesticides, GMOs and other topics. She also worked four years with the Greens/...
Sami Rabah
président
ASSOCIATION LES AMIS DES OISEAUX
David BOOKLESS
Head of Theology
A Rocha International
Rev Dr Dave Bookless has worked for 25+ years in the field of faith-based wildlife conservation. He co-founded A Rocha UK, has a PhD from the University of Cambridge on the interface of wildlife...
Sean HOBAN
Researcher
The Morton Arboretum
After completing my PhD in 2010, on forest tree genetics and biogeography, my first post-doctoral position (2010-2013) was spent in France and Italy. I created, evaluated and improved methods for...
Duko HOPMAN
Executive Director
Rob Walton Foundation
Duko Hopman Executive Director, Rob Walton FoundationDuko joined the Rob Walton Foundation in February 2025 after more than a decade at McKinsey & Company, where he co-founded and co-led the...
Sino Tohirzoda
NDA Secretariat
Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan
Isabel CALLE VALLADARES
Directora Ejecutiva
Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA)
Isabel Calle Valladares is a lawyer and environmental governance leader with more than 25 years of experience in legal advocacy, regulatory design, and public policy for the protection of the...
Fazil ABDUL RAHIMAN
Fazil ABDUL RAHIMAN
Matthew COLLIS
Senior Director, Policy
IFAW
Matt Collis is IFAW’s Senior Director for Policy. Matt has been with IFAW for 20 years in a number of different roles, first joining IFAW’s London office to lead IFAW’s engagement with the UK...