All Speakers

Cara NELSON

Professor

University of Montana

Cara is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences at University of Montana’s Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. Her research program generates knowledge…

Liubov TIMOFEEVA

Nature-based Solutions Project Officer

IUCN - Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Liubov Timofeeva serves as a Nature-based Solutions Project Officer at the Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which she joined in 2023. Her primary focus is on NbS projects for…

Matrah ALMUTAIRI

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research

Dr. Matrah Al-Mutairi, a senior scientific researcher and environmental activist from Kuwait. Her experience as a researcher covers the fields of biodiversity, conservation, wildlife, land…

Noura ALMANSOORI

Research Assistant (Conservation Genetics)

Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC

Noura Almansoori is a conservation genetics researcher from the UAE who applies DNA-based barcoding and metabarcoding methods to study arthropods, birds, and pathogens. Her research spans population…

Stéphanie LIMOUZIN

Graduated from Montpellier SupAgro and holding an MBA from Toulouse Business School, Stéphanie Limouzin joined CLS in 2009 as Project Coordination Manager in Oceanography. She became Deputy CEO in…

Bernal HERRERA-FERNÁNDEZ

Professor

National University

Vice Chair for Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. Bernal Herrera-Fernández is an Associate Professor at the International Institute for Wildlife Conservation and Management, National…

Juliana CORTES RINCON

Investigadora adjunta

Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt

Juliana is an ecologist with a master's degree in Biodiversity. She focuses on the conservation of Neotropical primates, area-based conservation, biodiversity assessment and monitoring, land…

Rabab AL LAWATI

Conservation Outreach Coordinator

Environment Society of Oman

Rabab Al Lawati is an early-career wildlife and conservation biologist and, until June 2025, served as the Conservation Outreach Coordinator at the Environment Society of Oman (ESO), Oman's first and…

Marina Antonopoulou

Conservation Director

Emirates Nature-WWF

Caleb Ofori-Boateng

Director, Herp Conservation Ghana

Herp Conservation Ghana

Rebecca MOON

Education Coordinator

Centre for Global Education

Rebecca empowers youth to take meaningful action toward SDGs. With a B.Ed. from the University of Alberta, Rebecca brings a strong foundation in education and science to her work. Teaching in rural…

Felipe PAREDES

VicepresidenteMarino CMAP UICN y Director Oceana

IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025

Thematic Vice Chair, Marine. Felipe Paredes is a marine biologist from Chile, with more than 20 years of experience in scientific research, education and marine conservation public policy. He is…

Arthur Tuda

Executive Director

Western Indian Ocean Marine Sciences Association

Frank DAMSON

Business, Livelihoods and Value Chain Specialist

WWF

Frank Damson is a sustainability and biodiversity finance specialist with 10+ years’ experience designing and scaling nature-based and green economy solutions across East and Southern Africa. He has…

Stephen WIDDICOMBE

Director

Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre

I am Director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre (SMSRC), at the University of Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates. This role allows me to further extend my leadership on the global…

Neema Michael LEKULE

Indigenous Expert

Ujamaa Community Resource Team

Since working with Ujamaa Community Resource Team as Gender Field Officer and later promoted to Gender program coordinator, I have established and trained 97 Women's Rights and Leadership Forums in…

Oscar Mora Altamirano

Regidor Propietario

Municipalidad de Curridabat

Regidor Propietario del Concejo Municipal, Curridabat Empresario y Director de EmpresasEs el Punto Focal en la UICN del Gobierno Subnacional de CurridabatMiembro de Urban Alliance IUCN…

SAILY HERNáNDEZ QUINDE

Marine Protected Area Manager

Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía

With more than ten years of experience in marine conservation and environmental management along the Ecuadorian coast, Saily Julieth Hernández Quinde, Business Development Engineer and Environmental…

Abdrahmane WANE

Regional Director for West and Central Africa

ILRI

Dr. Abdrahmane Wane is Principal Scientist and Regional Director for West and Central Africa at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). A development and agricultural economist…

Carlos Augusto DE ALENCAR PINHEIRO

Conservation in Tropical Arid Regions: Experiences and Challenges in Protected A

ICMBio

Forest Engineer, graduated from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), with a Master’s degree from the same institution. A federal public servant at the Chico Mendes Institute for…

Kazuhiko KAMADA

Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

Oji Holdings Corporation

Mr. Kazuhiko Kamada is Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Oji Holdings Corporation, the leading pulp and paper manufacturing group in Japan with a global presence.After…

JOSEPH PIERRE CLAUDE GASCON

DIRECTOR

Global Environment Facility

Dr. Claude Gascon is Director of Strategy and Operations at the Global Environment Facility (GEF). In this capacity Dr. Gascon leads the development of strategic planning, programming,…

David OBURA

Director

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

David Obura is a Founding Director of CORDIO East Africa, chairs the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES, 2023-2026) and is on the Earth Commission (2019-2026).…

Jan Steffen

Regional Programme Director

GIZ - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH

Jan Steffen studied marine science in Kiel and received his PhD in 1998 at the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology in Bremen, Germany.Following field research on coral reef resource management in…

Rajesh SHARMA

Scientist

Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE)

Rajesh Sharma M.Sc. and PhD in Forestry with specialization in Forest Genetics & Tree Improvement is presently posted as Assistant Director General (Biodiversity & Climate Change) Indian…

Ming ZENG

Project Manager, TECH4ALL programme office

Huawei Technologies

As project manager of Huawei TECH4LL programme office, She’s responsible for the partnership development and project management in TECH4ALL’s environment domain since 2020. Before joining Huawei, She…

TADEO AJUNA

Programme Coordinator

Young Proffesionals In Agriculture Development (YPARD)

Tadeo Ajuna is the Program Coordinator at YPARD and currently serves as the YPARD-Uganda Co-Country Representative and YPARD-UNCCD Focal Person. He is a former member of the YPARD Steering Committee…

June RUBIS

Research Fellow

Macquarie University

Dr. June Rubis is a Bidayuh scholar and Indigenous strategist from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Trained as a conservation biologist with over a decade of big cats and primate fieldwork and conservation…