All Speakers

Speaker Jeffery STALLMAN
Jeffery STALLMAN

Fungus Conservation Coordinator

Global Center for Species Survival; Indianapolis Zoological Society

Jeff is the Fungal Conservation Coordinator at the Global Center for Species Survival at the Indianapolis Zoo. In his role, he works closely with the Fungal Conservation Committee and nine specialist…
Speaker Paul SMITH
Paul SMITH

Secretary General (CEO)

Botanic Gardens Conservation International

Dr Paul Smith is the Secretary General of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). BGCI is the largest plant conservation network in the world, comprising 650 member institutions in 100…
Speaker ABDOULAYE DIARRASSOUBA
ABDOULAYE DIARRASSOUBA

Ingénieur des Eaux et Forêts

Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves

Speaker Juliette BIAO
Juliette BIAO

Director

UN Forum on Forests Secretariat

Dr Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo is a national of Benin and a Canadian Citizen. She is the current Director of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). She has a wealth of experience in…
Fares FAISAL AL HAMMADI
Fares FAISAL AL HAMMADI
Speaker ANN WAHINYA
ANN WAHINYA

Director

Global Trauma Project

Ann WahinyaDirector, Global Trauma Project – KenyaAnn Wahinya, M.A., is the Kenya Director of Global Trauma Project (GTP) and a development practitioner with over 15 years’ experience in…
Speaker Ramson Sinya KARMUSHU
Ramson Sinya KARMUSHU

Indigenous Expert

My Indigenous Knowledge In Action

Ramson Karmushu, an Indigenous Maasai from Kenya, is the Founder of My Indigenous Knowledge In Action (MIKIA Kenya), an organization led and support Indigenous Peoples. Mr. Karmushu demonstrates a…
Speaker Sebastien TURBOT
Sebastien TURBOT

Director

Earthna - Qatar Foundation

Sebastien guides governments, cities, businesses, and civil society in creating content and community-driven platforms that turn ideas into action. In his Earthna role, he develops the center’s…
Speaker Édith LECLERC
Édith LECLERC

Environmental Program Coordinator, Protected Areas

Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada

Speaker Christopher WILCOX
Christopher WILCOX

Senior Director

WildAid

Over a 30-year career as a quantitative biologist, Dr. Chris Wilcox has worked with NGOs, philanthropic donors, government and private enterprise to develop cost effective solutions to natural…
Speaker Morgan MARTIN
Morgan MARTIN

GCELS Staff Intern

Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies

I am a recent graduate from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law. I received my Juris Doctor Magna Cum Laude with an advanced certificate in Environmental Law. 
Speaker Jennifer DUNN
Jennifer DUNN

Green Cities Associate

AIPH

Jennifer Dunn is Green City Associate at AIPH. She manages the AIPH Green City Standard and the World Green Cities Award. In 2024, she was the Urban ReLeaf Research Officer at Dundee City Council.…
Speaker Silke SPOHN
Silke SPOHN

Head of Programme Biodiversity-Environment-Ocean

GIZ

Silke Spohn is a trained engineer for landscape planning, who has been working in international development cooperation for the last 25 years, mainly with GIZ. Currently she is the head of the BMZ…
Speaker Guillermo ORTUÑO CRESPO
Guillermo ORTUÑO CRESPO

Independent Research Consultant

IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025

Dr. Guillermo Ortuño Crespo pursued his interest in applied marine conservation through a B.A. in Marine Biology, an M.Sc. in Ecosystem-based Management of Marine Systems at the University of St.…
Speaker Mark DICKEY-COLLAS
Mark DICKEY-COLLAS

Research scientist

IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management 2021-2025

Mark is an experienced marine scientist, operating independently as DickeyCollas Marine; with expertise in the provision of scientific advice to governments and intergovernmental organisations for…
Speaker Helen SENN
Helen SENN

Head of Conservation And Science

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

Helen manages the RZSS Conservation department. She has worked at RZSS since 2011, including managing the RZSS WildGenes lab. She is a specialist in conservation genetics. She also works on species…
Speaker Waleed HAMZA
Waleed HAMZA

Professor of Oceanography and Aquatic Ecology

United Arab Emirates University

Prof. Waleed Hamza has obtained his Ph.D. from Italy in Aquatic Ecology, in 1994. He has and is acting as principal investigator of different research projects in the field of Oceanography and…
Speaker Ante MANDIĆ
Ante MANDIĆ

Associate Professor

University of Split, Split, Croatia

Dr. Ante Mandić is Associate Professor of Sustainable Tourism at the University of Split, Croatia, and Affiliate Faculty at Colorado State University, USA. An internationally recognized expert in…
Speaker Minna EPPS
Minna EPPS

Director – Global Marine and Polar Programme

IUCN Secretariat

Minna Epps is a global ocean thought leader on Ocean Governance, Ocean Climate and Biodiversity nexus, Sustainable Blue Economy, and Blue Natural Capital. A published author with over 20 years…
Speaker Omaima AHMED
Omaima AHMED

Education and CSR Senior Manager

Goumbook FZCO

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 Larissa LEITCH
Larissa LEITCH

Senior Ecosystem Services Advisor

Shell

An experienced environmental professional, passionate about helping the company develop sustainable business strategies and help the society to reverse nature loss. Larissa has over 25 years of…
Robert CEIRIOG-HUGHES
Robert CEIRIOG-HUGHES
Speaker Carl BRUCH
Carl BRUCH

Director, International Programs

Environmental Law Institute

Carl Bruch is the Director of International Programs at ELI and the Executive Director of the Environmental Peacebuilding Association.  His research focuses on making environmental law work. He…
Speaker Maria Fernanda Treffner
Maria Fernanda Treffner

CEO

LINK RURAL Communication for Change

Manager working in international cooperation, with vast experience in using communication to promote learning and change in the development context. Expertise in rural development, environment and…
Speaker Mrinalini Rai
Mrinalini Rai

Director

Women4Biodiversity

Mrinalini is a passionate advocate for women's rights and environmental justice. She specializes in policy, advocacy, and research that addresses the intersectionality of human rights, gender…
Speaker Helene WILLEM
Helene WILLEM

Mubadarat IUCN CSO Programme Officer

IUCN Mediterranean Centre for Cooperation

Hélène Willem is a programme officer at the IUCN Mediterranean Centre for Cooperation, where she coordinates initiatives supporting civil society organisations in North Africa and across the…