All Speakers

Hipolitus Januar POGO

Regional Engagement Officer

LTKL

Hipolitus Januar Pogo is a professional dedicated to sustainable development and the empowerment of indigenous communities. A Mathematics graduate, he serves as the Regional Coordinator for…

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…

Ricardo JEROZOLIMSKI

Environmental Analyst

ICMBIO

Ricardo Jerozolimski is Brazilian, a forest engineer, specialist in Hybrid Languages and Education, and holds a master’s degree in Regional Development. He works as an environmental analyst at the…

Prajna PANDA

Programme Manager

IUCN SSC AsESG

Prajna Paramita Panda is a conservation professional currently serving as the Program Manager for the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG). Working earlier for…

Jampel LHENDUP

Forest Ranger

Department of Forests & Park Services, MoENR, Bhutan

Son of former poacher

Adriana Bacheschi

Director-National Parks Establishment

Adriana Bacheschi is the Director of National Parks Establishment at Parks Canada. In this role, she leads initiatives related to the creation and expansion of Canada's national parks in…

Abdul Rahman MOHAMMED ALSHAYEB

Acting Director General

Environment Protection & Development Authority

Dr. Abdulrahman Al Shayeb Al Naqbi Dr. Al Naqbi currently serves as the Director General for Ras Al Khaimah Economic Development Department, Acting as Director General for RAK…

Lara Victoria SPIEGEL

Consultant for Water and Sustainable Value Chain

Heidelberg Materials

Ryan PAIK

CEO

HaejooX

Ryan Paik, CEO of HaejooX LLC, is a global leader in ocean reef innovation and marine biodiversity. For over a decade in the region, he has overseen Oman’s sustainable artificial reef program, and he…

Laura MEYER

Stakeholder Coordination Officer

UN Ocean Decade, UNESCO-IOC

I am specializing in International Law with a focus on Ocean conservation and my thesis research is currently focused on "Exploring the International Framework regarding Macroalgae Cultivation as a…

Taewoo YI

National Institute of Ecology

Karine SIEGWART

Senior Policy Advisor

IUCN

Karine Siegwart, Dr. iur., LLM.Eur., Lecturer at ETH Zürich; Senior Policy Advisor at the Centre for Policy and Law, IUCN, in charge of chemicals, waste and pollution related processes and their…

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…

Minna HSU

Co-lead, Cultural Practices and Ecosystem Management

Commission on Ecosystem Management

Minna Hsu is a human geographer whose work focuses on Indigenous peoples' rights and knowledges in natural resource and disaster management. She is co-lead of the IUCN Cultural Practices and…

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…

Zoe JAFFLIN

Programme and Grants Associate

IUCN Secretariat

Gemma PARKES

Head of Communications

IUCN Commission on Education and Communication 2021-2025

With over 20 years’ experience as a global strategic communications leader across the non-profit, public and private sectors in organizations both large and small, Gemma is Head of Communications…

Aurora FERNANDEZ

Arquitecta

ASÍ Conserva Chile

Aurora Fernández Durán is the Executive Director of the King Penguin Nature Reserve and a board member of ASÍ Conserva Chile. She is an architect from the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso…

Anna ACKERMANN

Policy analyst, Green reconstruction of Ukraine

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

Anna Ackermann is a policy analyst at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) working on green reconstruction of Ukraine. With a background in energy, environmental and climate…

Javier FAJARDO

Posdoctoral Researcher

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

I am a conservation scientist focused on the relationship between biodiversity conservation and society. My research integrates ecological, social, and economic dimensions into conservation planning…

Kathy Lene CIELO

Deputy Executive Director

Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc.

Kathy Lene Cielo, also fondly known to colleagues as Kyle, is a wildlife biologist with over 10 years of experience in conservation science and environmental management. She holds a B.Sc. in Wildlife…

Marisol CASTILLO

Secretaria Ejecutiva de la CCAD

Comisión Centroamericana de Ambiente y Desarrollo

Dr. Castillo is a lawyer specialized in Administrative, Environmental, International Law, and Water Law.She holds a Doctorate in Law, a Master’s degree in State Administration Law, a Master’s in…

Tinne VAN DER STRAETEN

Member of Parliament

Belgian Federal Parliament

Tinne Van der Straeten is a member of the Belgian Federal Parliament. She served as Federal Energy Minister between October 2020 and January 2025. During her term, she accelerated the energy…

Robin LAWSON

Director of Programs

Wildlife Habitat Canada

Robin Lawson’s specialties are community engagement, program design and governance for land conservation. She is a strong proponent for meaningful youth engagement and intergenerational collaboration…

Monika BERTZKY

Senior Manager and Head of Safeguards

Asesoramiento Ambiental Estrategico (AAE)

20 years of experience in international conservation, and ca 10 years of experience on environmental and social safeguards in conservation, climate change adaptation and mitigation and sustainable…

Jennifer Nora GARDNER

Disaster Resilience Manager

International Fund for Animal Welfare

Since joining IFAW’s Disaster Response team in 2012, Jennifer has supported animals in disasters in more than 50 countries around the world. Through deployments to disasters like wildfires,…

Karen HULME

Professor

University of Essex

Karen Hulme is a professor of law at the University of Essex, UK, and researches on issues related to the protection of the environment during crises, notably during armed conflict and post conflict…

Sarah FLYNN

Executive Director

Centre for Global Education

Sarah Flynn is the Director of the Centre for Global Education. She has a BSc & MSc in Molecular Genetics, an MA in Sociology, and is completing a PhD in Sociology at the University of Alberta.…