All Speakers

Hesham El-Askary

Professor

Chapman University

Prof. El-Askary received his Ph.D. in Computational Sciences and Informatics from George Mason University in 2004 along with his two MS degrees in Computational sciences and Earth Systems Sciences.…

Paola GEREMICCA

Senior Manager, Private Philanthropy

International Union for the Conservation of Nature

Paola Geremicca is a multilingual, dynamic, results-driven executive with 20+ years of experience in delivering critical projects of outstanding quality both in the corporate and public sector…

Deborah BACKUS

CEO

Clean Rivers

Deborah Backus is the CEO of Clean Rivers, a UAE-backed foundation addressing challenges at the nexus of waste and water. With over 20 years of experience leading transformative initiatives, she is…

Laura GRUBER

Senior Programs Manager

Wildlife Conservation Network

Laura Gruber is a Senior Programs Manager at the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN), where she leads the development and expansion of WCN’s Rising Wildlife Leaders conservation and leadership…

Emad HLAYEL

Project Coordinator

IUCN Secretariat

Jason Dozier

Lead Political Engagement, Secretariat of the HAC for N&P

High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People Secretariat

Claire TUTENUIT

Délégué Général

Entreprises pour l'Environnement (EpE)

A former graduate in Maths (Ecole Normale Supérieure) and Political Sciences (Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris), Claire Tutenuit is an Ingénieur au Corps des Mines.As such, she started her…

Susan CHEYNE

Vice-Chair

Borneo Nature Foundation International

Originally from Scotland, I have worked in Asia since 1997 and in Indonesia since 2002. My PhD at Cambridge was focused on the scientific assessment of gibbon rehabilitation – can gibbons raised as…

Jana HARB

Youth Biodiversity Ambassador

Jeunes Ambassadeurs pour l'Environnement (JAE)

Jana is a passionate nature and biodiversity advocate with a multidisciplinary background in geography, ecology, cognitive sciences, and territorial planning. She works at the interface of science,…

Magdalena CYGAN

Junior Professional (Green Status of Species)

IUCN

Avoiding a sixth mass extinction is not enough – wildlife conservation must strive to restore thriving ecosystems and taxa. At IUCN, I am helping to spur this paradigm shift by coordinating a global…

Laureen Calcat

Biodiversity Policy Officer

France - Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Damien MITTEMPERGHER

Economist

IUCN

Damien Mittempergher is an economist passionate about building stronger links between nature and the economy. At IUCN, he supports various stakeholders to better account for natural capital, using…

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…

OLE KAUNGA MALIH, J.N

Founder/Director

IMPACT - Kipok Fund

I am community and global leader who value collective action, relationships to drive transformational change that enables Indigenous peoples to be the fulcrum of their own visions and self-…

Hugh DOULTON

Co-Director

Dahari

Hugh Doulton is Co-Director at Dahari. He has lived on the island of Anjouan for the past 18 years, playing a key role in Dahari’s creation and strategic development. Hugh was a Kinship…

Susanne PEDERSEN

Director

IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature

Susanne Pedersen has 30 years of experience as a board member, director, and strategic advisor from international organizations, a science-based advisory centre, an innovation community, industry…

Sara OMI

Indigenous Expert

Emberá

Sara Omi Casamá is an Indigenous leader of the Emberá people of Panama. She is a lawyer and specialist in human rights and protection mechanisms. She chairs the Coordinating Committee of Territorial…

Salem ALZAHMI

College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Research & Graduate Studies

United Arab Emirates University

Dr. Salem Alzahmi is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the United Arab Emirates University, where he has served as a faculty member since July 2015. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical…

Ahmad ATMEH

Project Coordinator

IUCN Secretariat

Ahmad Al Atmeh is Project Coordinator at IUCN ROWA, focusing on rangeland management, dryland restoration, and community-based natural resource management. With more than 8 years of experience in the…

Brahim HADDANE

President

National committee Morocco

Has been working in Forest département morocca ministry of Agriculture for 30 years on wildlife management and conservation in situ and ex situ Dealing with environment health preventing…

Kaija LAURILA

Michael APPLETON

Senior Adviser

IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025

Thematic Vice Chair, Capacity Development. Mike’s work as a conservation practitioner focuses on applied, area-based conservation, working in more than 40 counties to help establish protected…

Martin WARREN

Advisor

Butterfly Conservation Europe

Dr Martin Warren has studied butterflies and moths for over 50 years and was Chief Executive at Butterfly Conservation from 2002-16. He is currently an Advisor to the Board of Butterfly Conservation…

Mauricio ALBORNOZ INIESTA

Director de Cine

Cactus Cine

Mauricio Albornoz Iniesta studied Image and Sound Design at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). His experience includes directing, executive producing, editing, screenwriting, and assistant…

Nathan CARDINAL

Director, Indigenous Policy

Parks Canada

Nathan Cardinal is a member of the Métis Nation and comes from a line of trappers who stewarded their lands in northern Alberta, Canada. He is the director of Indigenous Policy for Parks Canada,…

David ROY

Executive Director, Workshops for Biodiversity

Workshops for Biodiversity

David Roy is the Executive Director of Workshops for Biodiversity, an organization he founded in 2023 to help integrate biodiversity into decision-making across sectors. He is fully committed to…

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…

Fernanda CRUZ RIBEIRO

Director, Institutional Partnerships, Conservation Science

PANTHERA FRANCE

Fernanda Ribeiro is the Director of Institutional Partnerships at Panthera, coordinating and executing Panthera’s high-level engagement with governments, key institutions and conservation…