All Speakers

Speaker Aaron Laur
Aaron Laur

Manager, International Connectivity Program

Center for Large Landscape Conservation

Aaron operates the Center for Large Landscape Conservation’s global networks of expertsand institutions, engages in international policy fora like IUCN, CBD, and CMS, and collaborates…
SEEMA KULSHRESHTHA
SEEMA KULSHRESHTHA
Speaker M. Purificació CANALS
M. Purificació CANALS

Global Network of MPA Manager Networks- Coordinator

Global Network of MPA Manager Networks/Underwater Gardens International

Purificació Canals has a BSc and a PhD in Biological Sciences from Barcelona University (1986 and 1996). She works as international consultant on marine and coastal conservation and is the…
Speaker Elham CHEHAIMI
Elham CHEHAIMI

Director

CSO Network

Dr. Elham ChehaimiDirector, MENA CSO Network | Director, Posterity Institute | Action Learning Leader, GovCampusSustainability strategist and policy advisor with 15+ years’ experience bridging…
Speaker Heloise HEYER
Heloise HEYER

Conflict Sensitivity Lead

PeaceNexus Foundation

Heloise Heyer brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of peacebuilding, international cooperation, and organisational development. She works with civil society, governments, and…
Speaker Laxmi AGGARWAL
Laxmi AGGARWAL

Conservation Officer

Botanic Gardens Conservation International

Influenced by her upbringing near the Serengeti National Park, Laxmi Aggarwal has completed her PhD. researching illegal ivory markets in Tanzania, with a determination to inform policy dialogue and…
Speaker Hala HATAMLEH
Hala HATAMLEH

Policy and Research Manager

Posterity Institute

Hala Hatamleh is the Director of the Irth Institute, under the Posterity Institute, where she also serves as Research and Policy Manager. She leads all research and policy initiatives related to…
Speaker Eoghan KELLY
Eoghan KELLY

Membership & Outreach Officer

IUCN

Originally from Cork, Ireland - where whale watching off its coast is said to be the best in Europe - Eoghan joined IUCN in 2024 from the Council of Europe in Strasbourg where he notably served with…
Speaker Hassan ABDALLA
Hassan ABDALLA

Research Specialist

UAEU

Dr. Hassan Mohamed Hassan is a Research Specialist at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, with more than 20 years of experience in food safety,…
Speaker Alison ORMSBY
Alison ORMSBY

Associate Director of Design, Forest Specialist

Adventure Scientists

Alison Ormsby has a PhD in Environmental Studies and was a professor of Environmental Studies for 20 years. Dr. Ormsby has taught human ecology and policy courses and published about topics that…
Speaker Christopher DUNN
Christopher DUNN

Executive Director

Cornell Botanic Gardenws

Christopher is the Elizabeth N. Wilds Executive Director of Cornell Botanic Gardens of Cornell University and is Chair of the IUCN National Committee for the USA. He is a botanist and conservation…
Speaker MARIA PAMELA CASTILLO
MARIA PAMELA CASTILLO

30x30 Marine Director

Wildlife Conservation Society

Pamela Castillo is a global leader in environmental policy, biodiversity conservation, and gender equity, with over 20 years of experience designing nature-positive, inclusive, and impact-driven…
Speaker Karim HAGGAR
Karim HAGGAR

Senior Advisor (Conservation & Biodiversity)

IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025

Dr. Karim Haggar, WCPA member and IUCN Congress ambassador, is a Senior Advisor at Roland Berger, where he focuses on nature conservation and biodiversity, with a broader emphasis on ESG,…
Speaker María Teresa VARGAS RÍOS
María Teresa VARGAS RÍOS

Fundación Natura Bolivia

Maria Teresa Vargas is a force of nature — a journalist by training, a conservationist by passion, and a strategist by necessity. Based in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, she stands at the intersection of…
Speaker Rodrigo FLORES-GUTIERREZ
Rodrigo FLORES-GUTIERREZ

Regional Programme Manager

IUCN Secretariat

Speaker NGIMBI DANIEL MABENGO
NGIMBI DANIEL MABENGO

FACILITATEUR COMMUNAUTAIRE

Alliance Nationale d'Appui et de Promotion des Aires et Territoires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire en RDC (ANAPAC)

Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)Memberships:  Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotions des Aires et Territoires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire en RDC (ANAPAC-…
Speaker Derek GLIDDON
Derek GLIDDON

Director Environmental Science Developement

Environment Agency Abu Dhabi

Derek Gliddon is an environmental informatics and research leader with over 30 years of international experience advancing biodiversity conservation, environmental governance, and sustainable…
Speaker Enrico SORATO
Enrico SORATO
Enrico Sorato is an Italian behavioural ecologist. He graduated in Biology from the University of Padova, Italy, and earned a PhD in Animal Behaviour and Evolution from Macquarie University,…
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 Natalia NILES ARGUELLO
Natalia NILES ARGUELLO

Intern

Families In Nature

Natalia Niles Arguello (Lexi) is a high school Senior in McCallum High School's Fine Arts Academy in Austin, Texas.  Lexi has a passion for environmental climate justice and international…
Speaker Rinah RAZAFINDRABE
Rinah RAZAFINDRABE

Directeur Général de la Gouvernance Environnementale

Ministère de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable Madagascar

Mr. Rinah Razafindrabe is the Director General of Environmental Governance within the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. He has 20 years of experience in the field of natural…
Speaker Tazarf Shamirova
Tazarf Shamirova

Conservation Officer

Tajikistan Nature Foundation

I am Tazarf Shamirova, a dedicated conservation practitioner with a background in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Since 2023, I have been actively involved in wildlife conservation and sustainable…
Speaker Miriam MONTERROSO DE HELWIG
Miriam MONTERROSO DE HELWIG

Directora Ejecutiva

Asociación Rescate y Conservación de Vida Silvestre (ARCAS)

Miriam Elena Monterroso is a Lawyer and Notary, and for the past 35 years she has served as Executive Director of the Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (ARCAS) in Guatemala. Under her…
Speaker john MHONGOVOYO
john MHONGOVOYO

Senior Veterinarian

Al Ain Zoo

John Mhongovoyo is a Senior Veterinarian at the Al Ain Zoo in the United Arab Emirates, specializing in wildlife and conservation medicine. He holds a Master of Science in Animal/Human/Ecosystem…
Speaker Norbert BAERLOCHER
Norbert BAERLOCHER

Head International Climate and Biodiversity Policy

Office fédéral de l'environnement

Speaker Charles OLUCHINA
Charles OLUCHINA

Regional Programme Coordinator

IUCN Secretariat

Mr. Charles Oluchina is a natural resource management, sustainable development, corporate management, community empowerment and business development specialist with over 23 years of professional…
Speaker Austin MAST
Austin MAST

Professor

Florida State University | Citizen Science Global Partnership

I am a Professor in the Department of Biological Science at Florida State University where I also serve as Director of the Institute for Digital Information and Scientific Communication and as…
Speaker Patricia RICARD
Patricia RICARD

Présidente

Institut Océanographique Paul Ricard

Patricia Ricard has been actively engaged in environmental protection for over 30 years and is President of the Oceanographic Institute Paul Ricard. Founded in 1966, the Institute operates as a…