Roxana Elena BUCIOACA

Roxana Bucioaca is a seasoned conservation professional with over a decade of experience at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), where she currently serves as Portfolio Manager for the Global Protected and Conserved Areas Team. In this role, she oversees a diverse and impactful portfolio of conservation initiatives, coordinating the work of a 25-member team and engaging closely with IUCN’s global network of Regions, Members, and Commissions.

Roxana has a strong background in communications and political science, with a professional focus on donor relations and partnership management. She has successfully led high-profile collaborations with the European Union, managing flagship projects such as BIOPAMA, BEST, and COLOURS, contributing to enhanced biodiversity protection and policy engagement across regions.

A long-time advocate for youth inclusion in environmental governance, Roxana was one of the IUCN young professionals behind the development of the IUCN Youth Strategy 2022–2030, a milestone framework for empowering young voices in conservation. Her early career was shaped by active involvement in youth engagement, civic education, and participatory initiatives, particularly in her native Romania.

Roxana is a member of the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), where she continues to champion innovative approaches to conservation storytelling and stakeholder collaboration. With a career rooted in international settings, she brings a strategic and inclusive lens to biodiversity action, communications, and partnership building.