Index of Delegate Names

Kelly Abram | Jessica Babich | Tessa Baber | Dr Matthew Becker | Justin Beswick | BenJee Cascio | Digby Dufresne | Penny Fraser | Nachamada Geoffrey | Elaine Hake | Laola Gilbert | Dr Tuqa Jirmo | Dickson Simiren Ole Kaelo | Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka | Chief Kenamurire Lucky Kasaona | Michael Keigwin, MBE | Tom Lalampaa | John Kinoti | Felix Lankester | Julius Lpausin Lekenit | Sophia Leroy | Hillary Madzikanda | Lesley McNutt | Rachel McRobb | Dr. Crystal Morgensen | Craig Millar | Richard Moller | Peter Munene | Force Ngwira | Olivier Nsengimana | Dominic Josam Nyathi | Dr. Elizabeth Pantoren | Sboniso Phakathi | Estelle Raballand | Lalarisoa Rakotoarimino | Josia Razafindramanana | Faith Riunga | Mohammed Atwaa Salim | Mark Saunders | Annetjie Siyaya | Daniel Sopia | Ian Stevenson | Angus Tanner | Simson Uri-Khob | Fanny Vessaz | Steven Vos | Charlene Wandera | Mike Watson | Kerri Wolter

Kelly Abram

Project Coordinator & Treasurer | PROJECT: Save the Waterberg Rhino | South Africa

Kelly is the Project Coordinator and Treasurer for Save the Waterberg Rhino. After an Hons. Degree in Environmental Geography she gained experience working abroad with protected species and carrying out biodiversity surveys. Through these experiences she developed a passion for nature and understanding of how critical biodiversity is for our existence, and our future. While doing her master’s research on conservation biology looking at home ranges of black rhino in Kenya she developed a deep passion and commitment towards rhino conservation. She moved from the UK to South Africa in 2004.

Her interest in the connection between people and nature was further developed through her role as Programme Coordinator for the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. In her current role Kelly is dedicated to rhino conservation efforts and making the Waterberg the safest place for rhino, within a landscape where people living alongside these majestic animals also benefit.

Email: waterbergrhinotreasurer@gmail.com | Website: www.waterbergrhino.com

Jessica Babich

Director/Secretary | PROJECT: Save the Waterberg Rhino | South Africa

Save The Waterberg Rhino (STWR) was founded in 2012 as a fundraising organisation dedicated to raising funds to help protect the third largest population of rhinos in South Africa – the Waterberg Region in Limpopo, South Africa. STWR works with many organisations and people to lock down over two-million hectares of the Waterberg plateaux. It is the measures being put into place to protect rhinos that is translating into crime prevention and protection for entire communities. The rhinos are now saving the people.

Jessica joined the organisation on a full-time basis in 2017 and manages her combined roles of secretary, programme coordinator and executive director. Her other roles include being secretary of the Waterberg Biosphere Region, secretary of her local Community Policing Forum and vice-chair of the Waterberg Nature Conservancy. She has an Hons. Degree in Anthropology and is passionate about wildlife and people. She has a particular interest in Environmental Anthropology – the relationship between people and nature, nature and people. Save The Waterberg Rhino is making great strides in uniting people and organisations, in as many communities as possible within the Waterberg, to help them fight the crime and poaching scourge.

Email: waterbergrhinosecretary@gmail.com & jessica@wildrevolution.co.za | Website: www.waterbergrhino.com

Tessa Baber

Non-executive Director | PROJECT: Save the Waterberg Rhino | South Africa

Tessa, co-founder and owner of Ant’s Nest and Ant’s Hill Bushhomes in South Africa and member of the Classic Safari Camps Group, has more than 30 year’s experience in tourism and hospitality. Growing up in Kenya, and running wildlife-based tourism businesses has led to a life-long commitment for not only conservation but also for the empowerment of people. She believes investing in people and bringing benefits to communities is the best way to resolve many of today’s problems.

Tess loves working with people, learning from others and sharing ideas to be able to make this world a better place for all. After a tragedy in 2012, where she lost a rhino to poaching, she used her passion of working with people to tackle this issue and she started Save the Waterberg Rhino, (where she is now a Non-executive Director), in an attempt for collaborative action to protect rhino over the whole Waterberg region.

Email: tessa@waterberg.net | Website: www.waterbergrhino.com

BenJee Cascio

Programme Manager | PROJECT: Ruaha Carnivore Project | Tanzania

BenJee is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA but has spent his entire professional career outside of America working in the field of community development and conservation. He holds a BSc from the University of Oregon and an MSc in International Community Development from the University of Minnesota. He wrote his thesis on attitudes towards protected areas and tourism development in St. Ann, Jamaica.

He has worked on community conservation projects in Chile, Jamaica, Nigeria and Tanzania. His work has largely been with community-based organisations and community stakeholders with the aim of sustainably managing their resources while also providing economic and community development. BenJee has been with Ruaha Carnivore Project since 2017 as a senior researcher in the Human Wildlife Conflict programme. He has mainly been overseeing the Lion Defenders Programme as well as involvement in all community engagement activities including the innovative Community Camera Trap programme that rewards villages for wildlife captured on camera traps in village land. He specialises in participatory community engagement using tools and techniques to facilitate impactful and innovative initiatives.

Email: liondefenders@ruahacarnivoreproject.com | Website: www.ruahacarnivoreproject.com

Digby Dufresne

Sustainability Coordinator | PROJECT: Milgis Trust | Kenya

Digby was born in Kericho, Western Kenya. He grew up spending time in Kenya’s more remote areas and learning from the unique peoples who live there. After high school in South Africa, he spent quite a lot of his ‘gap year’ learning more about the work of the Milgis Trust, and northern Kenya.

He went on to study sustainable soil management at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester. After graduating, he was offered a position to work as sustainability coordinator at the Milgis Trust. As a passionate naturalist, he has been lucky to work with the Milgis Trust conservation teams to monitor and protect the vast biodiversity found in the ecosystem. Digby is also involved in raising awareness and funds to keep the Trust running smoothly and has also been active in capacity building the Milgis community projects. He believes wholeheartedly in the Milgis motto that ‘you can’t talk conservation until you have dealt with the basic needs of the community’. These include land restoration, healthcare, education, veterinary and water projects. His most recent challenge has been to help build a community-based family planning platform for communities across the Ndotos mountains. Digby’s long-term goal is to help communities become self-sufficient. He continues to work tirelessly with communities who are co-existing with wildlife, as ultimately they are the custodians and future of the flora and fauna in this part of Northern Kenya.

Email: digsdufresne@gmail.com | Website: www.milgistrust.com

Penny Fraser

Coordinator | PROJECT: PACE | Africa-wide

Penny took a BSc in Environmental Science at the University of Stirling in Scotland, studying soils and forest ecology in Zambia, The Philippines, Central Borneo and Brazil before landing in Cameroon, where she has spent the largest part of her 25 plus years living and working in the tropics. She initially undertook university research on forest dynamics, disturbance and recovery, specialising in the ecology and identification of juvenile trees. Penny moved into the NGO sector, motivated by a desire to bring about change to make information available to people and put it to use. She coordinated a lot of community tree planting and wood energy initiatives, helping devise and oversee environmental, governance and education initiatives in African national and international non-profits. Her priority is appropriate, effective, and accessible education. She is a fellow of the RGS, a Director of UNAFAS, founder of its Conservation Values Programme and Coordinator of TUSK’s PACE Pan African Conservation Education Programme.

Email: PACE@tusk.org | Website: www.paceproject.net

Nachamada Geoffrey

Yankari Landscape Director | PROJECT: Yankari Game Reserve | Nigeria

Nacha has a BSc in Natural and Environmental Science from the American University of Nigeria and an MSc in Primate Conservation from Oxford Brookes University in the UK. In 2013 he received an award from the Conservation Leadership Program to work as an intern with the Wildlife Conservation Society Nigeria Program and was later promoted to be the WCS Yankari Landscape Director. WCS signed a co-management agreement with the Bauchi state government in 2014 for WCS to manage all ranger patrols and other conservation activities and Nacha has been responsible for the day to day management of these activities. Nacha started an elephant guardian program in 2016 with funding support from Tusk for communities surrounding Yankari to help develop a way elephants and humans can coexist and help share the responsibility of chasing elephants on farms between the rangers and the surrounding communities. Zero elephant poaching has been reported in Yankari since May 2015.

In 2016 Nacha completed a certificate course in Protected Area Management from Colorado State University. He also attended the International Visitor Leadership Program on Anti-Poaching and Anti-Trafficking Efforts in the U.S. In 2017 Nacha was a finalist for the Tusk award for conservation in Africa. His specialty is protected area management and his interests are human-wildlife interaction, elephant and lion conservation.

Email: ngeoffrey@wcs.org | Website: www.nigeria.wcs.org

Elaine Hake

Head of Communications & Advocacy | PROJECT: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust | Malawi

Elaine joined Lilongwe Wildlife Trust in early 2019 as Head of Communications and Advocacy. She has over 12 years’ experience working in communications, campaigning and policy in the not-for-profit sector, with a focus on conservation, gender and international development. She holds a BA in English Literature and Language from Oxford University and an MSc in Social Policy from the London School of Economics.

After a stint working in journalism in the UK, Elaine moved into the charity sector where she managed a series of educational and behaviour change campaigns for the domestic violence charity, Refuge. During her time with Refuge, she also completed a secondment at the Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence in New York City. Following this she worked as Director of Communications at the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, an international development organisation focusing on women’s economic empowerment in low and middle income countries.

Her role at Lilongwe Wildlife Trust involves managing the organisation’s campaigning activity, with a focus on advocacy, social mobilisation and behaviour change communications on a number of issues related to environmental justice and bringing nature to the forefront of Malawi’s development agenda.

Email: elaine@lilongwewildlife.org | Website: www.lilongwewildlife.org

Laola Gilbert

Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: Mokolodi Nature Reserve | Botswana

Laola is the CEO of the Mokolodi Wildlife Reserve, a position she’s held since 2007. Laola has a B.Ed Degree from Rhodes University and an M.Ed in Specialised Education from the University of Witwatersand.

She has been a Literacy Trainer consultant to the South African Ministry of Education and seven Southern African universities.

Email: ceo@mokolodi.com | Website: www.mokolodi.com

Dr Tuqa Jirmo

Chief Operating Officer | PROJECT: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy | Kenya

Tuqa joined Lewa Wildlife conservancy in June, 2017 as Chief Operations Officer. He has since coordinated operations of wildlife security, community conservation, education, conservation education, wildlife conservation, research and monitoring and logistics departments.

He has wealth of experience in conservation and wildlife management that spans over 25 years. He has previously worked at Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) as Park Senior Warden in many protected areas usch as Meru, Amboseli, Tsavo and Malindi. While at KWS he also worked in the community-based conservation, conservation education and anti-poaching divisions. He was voted as ‘Living Conservation Hero’ at KWS in 2009. In 2015 he obtained a PhD in conservation biology from Leiden University, Netherlands.

Email: tuqa.jirmo@lewa.org | Website: www.lewa.org

Dickson Simiren Ole Kaelo

Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association | Kenya

Dickson is the founding Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) a position he has held for six years, a period that has seen the growth and recognition of Kenya’s Wildlife Conservancies as a viable strategy for reconciling biodiversity and rural poverty reduction objectives. KWCA membership includes 160 Community and Private Conservancies covering some 6.5 million acres with over 700,000 households involved. Dickson holds a Master of Philosophy degree in wildlife management from Moi University and a Bachelor Degree in Animal production from Egerton University, Kenya. He is a conservation ecologist with over 20 years of experience linking conservation and community development.

Dickson is a 2018 Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa finalist, co-winner 2012 Sustainable Science Award, The Ecological society of America award and 2008 Winner Ecostorm Award.

Email: dkaelo@kwcakenya.com | Website: www.kwcakenya.com

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka

Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: Conservation Through Public Health | Uganda

Gladys is Founder and CEO of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) that primarily works with the critically endangered mountain gorillas.

After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, in 1996, she established Uganda Wildlife Authority’s first veterinary department. In 2000, she did a Zoological Medicine Residency and Master in Specialized Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina Zoological Park and North Carolina State University, where her masters research on disease issues at the human/wildlife/livestock interface led her to found CTPH in 2003. Gladys has been international recognised on CNN African Voices and CCTV Faces of Africa. In 2007 she became an Ashoka Fellow for leading social entrepreneurs and won the 2008 San Diego Zoo Conservation-in-Action Award, 2009 Whitley Gold Award; 2017 Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Award of Excellence for outstanding contribution to wildlife conservation in Uganda; 2017 President of Uganda’s Golden Jubilee Award for her contribution to the nation as a conservationist and veterinarian and Sierra Club EarthCare Award.

She served on the boards of UWA, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and Buganda Kingdom’s first Heritage and Tourism Board Chairperson. She is currently on the Board of The Gorilla Organization, Primate Education Network, Chairperson of Wildlife Clubs of Uganda, and Chairperson of the Africa Chapter of the Explorers Club.

Email: gladys@ctph.org | Website: www.ctph.org

Chief Kenamurire Lucky Kasaona

Community Liaison | PROJECT: Integrated Rural Development & Nature Conservation | Namibia

Chief Lucky was born in Sesfontein, went to school in Kunene and matriculated at Cornelius High School in Khorixas. After school in late 1997 he joined the Community-based Natural Resource Management organisation and was appointed by the community as liaison officer/ development officer attached and supported by IRDNC.

In 2003 Lucky was inaugurated as Chief of Sesfontein areas to Puros by Chief Tjambairu. Chief Lucky’s role has been to help the community to better understand the newly passed legislation which made provision for rural communities to form conservancies.

Chief Lucky has served in various positions in IRDNC throughout his career. He has helped conservancies with their finances and developed their benefit distribution plans.

Currently he is the lead person in engaging traditional leaders to ensure that the Chiefs remain at the centre of conservation and equally ensure that no community member is left out.

Chief Lucky is now spearheading an innovative initiative of community-owned parks with other key players such as Garth Owen Smith and Dr Margie Jacobsohn. The Ombonde People’s Park is one of the first initiatives of its kind in Namibia and is being developed in two conservancies, Ehirovipuka and Omatendeka in Kunene Region, northwestern Namibia.

Website: www.irdnc.org.na

Michael Keigwin, MBE

Director and Trustee | PROJECT: Uganda Conservation Foundation | Uganda

Michael is the Founding Trustee of Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) and has worked in Uganda since 1997. Michael’s love for Uganda stems from his uncle being a warden in Murchison Falls National Park in the 1960s. Prior to UCF, Michael developed and ran the Elephants, Crops and People project in southern Queen Elizabeth National Park.

In 2006 Michael returned to the UK to carry out an MBA at Durham University obtaining a Distinction grade, and then joined Deloitte’s strategy group in London. In 2012 Michael returned to Uganda to support the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s recovery of Murchinson Falls from poaching and support the development of the region. Michael owns and runs various businesses in Uganda and continues to support his passion for sport through Kyadondo Rugby Club where he is Vice Chair. In 2016 Michael was awarded an MBE for services to conservation.

Email: Michael.keigwin@ugandacf.org | Website: www.ugandacf.org

Tom Lalampaa

Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: Northern Rangelands Trust | Kenya

Born and raised to the semi-nomadic rhythms of traditional Samburu life, in what is now Westgate Community Conservancy, Tom’s roots lie firmly in the land and people he now serves as the Northern Rangelands Trust’s (NRT) Chief Executive Officer.

For the past 10 years, Tom has been a leader in the design, development, and expansion of NRT, as the organisation has grown from supporting 14 community conservancies to 39, helped shaped best practices, and influenced county and national government legislation.

He is the founding Chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, a trustee of the Kenya Wildlife Service Board, and has also served as the Vice Chair of the Wildlife Security Task Force, formed by the government of Kenya. He has been awarded the Stanford University Law School Bright Award for Environmental Sustainability and the Tusk Conservation Award.

Email: tom.lalampaa@nrt-kenya.org | Website: www.nrt-kenya.org

John Kinoti

Community Development Manager | PROJECT: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy | Kenya

John leads the Lewa Community Development programme which supports the establishment of economic development for the rural farmers and pastoralists neighbouring the conservancy.

He holds a B.A. in Sociology and Community Development (Moi University), M.A in Project Planning and Management (University of Nairobi), and is completing his PhD in in Project Planning and Management – Monitoring and Evaluation (University of Nairobi).

John has made several presentation developments in East Africa and Europe with key lectures at The Royal Geographical Society in London on sustainable development and conservation.

Email: john.kinoti@lewa.org | Website: www.lewa.org

Felix Lankester

Vice President | PROJECT: Global Animal Health Tanzania | Tanzania

Based full time in East Africa, Dr. Felix Lankester has a faculty position at Washington State University’s Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health and is the Vice President of the Tanzanian based non-governmental organisation Global Animal Health Tanzania.

Dr. Lankester’s research interests are focused on multispecies pathogens that impact wildlife, livestock and public health and investigates novel cost-effective intervention strategies, often exploiting a One Health approach to disease control.

Email: felix.lankester@wsu.edu | www.globalhealth.wsu.edu

Julius Lpausin Lekenit

Field Conservation Manager | PROJECT: Grevy’s Zebra Trust | Kenya

Julius has a BSc in Environmental Science from Kenyatta University (Kenya) and a MPhil in Conservation Leadership from Cambridge University (UK). He has worked with Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT) as the Regional Coordinator for El Barta and as the GZT Conservation Officer. Currently, Julius is the GZT Field

Operations Manager. In these roles, he has led teams to conserve the Grevy’s zebra in environments where insecurity, lack of tolerance to wildlife, lack of conservation awareness and habitat degradation pose the greatest threats to the species.

As a result, he has over six years of experience working with communities to bring peace between conflicting tribes through conservation; raise awareness for wildlife and conservation and build tolerance to ensure Grevy’s zebra are allowed to access the same resources as livestock. In his current role, he engages local communities in northern Kenya to avert conflict between Samburu, Turkana and Rendille tribes and to co-exist peacefully with wildlife.

His mission is to continue to change community perceptions towards wildlife and see these changes reflected in their behaviour.

Email: julius@grevyszebratrust.org | Website: www.grevyszebratrust.org

Sophia Leroy

Project Coordinator | PROJECT: Mali Elephant Project | Mali

Following a B.Soc.Sc. in Peace and Conflict studies from Uppsala University (Sweden), and extended study trips and independent travels on the African continent, Sophia spent time in South Africa working for conservation projects on private reserves and qualifying as a field guide. She later graduated from Imperial College London with an MSc in Conservation Sciences having completed her research in the Republic of Congo.

Following various voluntary work experiences in the field of environment, including in Tanzania, Sophia started working for the Mali Elephant Project in 2018. She is responsible for monitoring and evaluation and supports the director with administration including fund raising and grant management.

Sophia has a particular interest in community-based conservation, habitat restoration and multi-disciplinary approaches to wildlife conservation.

Email: sophialeroy.mep@outlook.com | Website: www.wild.org

Hillary Madzikanda

Chief Ecologist | PROJECT: Painted Dog Conservation | Zimbabwe

Hillary grew up on a cattle farm in the Wiltshire commercial farming area of Zimbabwe. Shaped by country life, he became evermore interested in the wilderness way of living, not knowing that it would direct his professional career.

After completing university he joined the Zimbabwe Parks Board as an Ecologist and rose through the ranks to become the Chief Ecologist. Today, he is the Director of Research and Conservation at Painted Dog Conservation and leads the organization’s conservation efforts of painted dogs, by engaging diverse stakeholders and through implementing the adaptive conservation management strategy.

Hillary holds a bachelor of science in Wildlife Conservation, as well as a masters and a PhD in Ecology. He holds several professional qualifications in wildlife management and has published extensively. As part of his community contribution, he supervises five university students every year, of whom two must be girls doing sciences.

Email: Hillary@painteddog.org | Website: www.painteddog.org

Lesley McNutt

Director | PROJECT: Coaching for Conservation| Botswana

Originally from Canada, Lesley was introduced to Africa in the late 1980s working for the World Wildlife Fund in Madagascar. With her husband Tico they have developed the Wild Entrust, an applied conservation and research organisation focused on large carnivore conservation, community development, education and scientific enquiry.

Lesley did her graduate work in Development Anthropology at McGill University in Montreal where her research focused on human-wildlife conflict and the relationships between people and protected areas. In 2004, she spearheaded Coaching for Conservation® (C4C).

Lesley continues to grow the initiative with a singular mission to Inspire Kids to Care through the core messages of respect for self, others and the natural world. C4C has delivered to over 24,000 children across South Africa and Botswana and has a growing focus on partnerships to enable scaling widely across the region.

Email: lesley@bpctrust.org | Website: www.coachingforconservation.org

Rachel McRobb

Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: Conservation South Luangwa| Zambia

Rachel was born and raised in Zambia and after schooling in Swaziland and South Africa she returned to Zambia to work at first in the tourism sector and then in conservation.

Nineteen years ago Rachel made the Luangwa Valley her home and was one of the co-founders of the Conservation South Luangwa (CSL). What started as a small conservation NGO on a monthly budget of $150 has grown into a key conservation stakeholder with an annual budget of over $1,000,000 and a staff of 85. The majority of CSL staff are field-based community scouts along with a veterinarian and pilot shared with the Zambian Carnivore Program.

Email: rachel@cslzambia.org | Website: www.cslzambia.org

Dr. Crystal Morgensen

Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: The Maa Trust | Kenya

Originally from the UK, Crystal has been working in the Maasai Mara for 12 years. For her undergraduate studies she assessed the environmental impacts of tourism inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve and for her Masters she examined the definition of ecotourism and the extent to which conservancies conform.

For her Ph.D. she went on to investigate how development is defined within the Mara, and the extent to which wildlife conservancies contribute. Crystal has been the CEO of The Maa Trust for the last four years. The focus of the trust’s work is to ensure that the benefits of wildlife conservation spread beyond traditional beneficiaries, with the goal of reaching a harmonious balance between conservation and sustainable development in the Maasai Mara. To achieve this, The Maa Trust coordinates a variety of programmes focusing on women, youth and children.

Email: themaatrustkenya@gmail.com | Website: www.themaatrust.org

Craig Millar

Head of Security and Field Operations | PROJECT: Big Life Foundation | Kenya

Craig is a fourth generation Kenyan who grew up on a cattle ranch in the Great Rift Valley. Having always been interested in wildlife and passionate about conservation, he received a degree in zoology from Newcastle University in the UK. While completing his degree, Craig used Big Life Foundation’s predator compensation fund to study the behaviour of the predators, specifically their predation of domestic livestock.

Craig has worked for Big Life Foundation for six years as the Head of Security and Field Operations, involved in conservation efforts, managing 250 rangers, an informer network, fencing projects and many more day-to-day operations across the ecosystem.

Email: craig@biglife.org | Website: www.biglife.org

Richard Moller

Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: Tsavo Trust | Kenya

Born and bred in Kenya, a full-time Tsavo resident, Richard is one of the country’s mostrespected hands-on conservation project managers. A passionate conservationist, he brings to Tsavo Trust over 25 years of practical field experience in many varying wildlife conservation aspects.

Richard is the former Deputy Director of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and Honorary Warden with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), a Kenya Police Reservist and has been appointed to sit on the KWS Elephant Management Committee for the Tsavo Conservation Area. He has a passion for all wildlife especially the iconic ‘Tuskers’.

Email: richard@tsavotrust.org | Website: www.tsavotrust.org

Peter Munene

Conservation Education Programmes and Outreach Coordinator | PROJECT: Mountain Bongo Surveillance Project | Kenya

Peter is a conservation educator with over 10 years’ experience. Currently he is the Mountain Bongo Surveillance Project (MBSP) conservation education programmes and outreach coordinator. Under his leadership the organisation has been able to establish 21 bongo wildlife clubs in four mountain ecosystems.

Peter has successfully delivered a conservation education curriculum to 86 different schools. MBSP have been able towin communities’ trust and reached out to more than 2,000 community members under his efforts. He has successfully facilitatedand lead in community meetings and MBSP TRACKERS Annual general meetings.

He is currently pursuing a diploma in monitoring and evaluating projects at Kenyatta University.

Email: peter@rhinoark.or.ke | Website: www.mountainbongo.org

Force Ngwira

Country Director | PROJECT: Ripple Africa | Malawi

Force was once a successful woodcarver making curios for tourists and a part-time fisherman until he became aware that fish stocks were declining and that cutting down slow growing hardwood trees was not sustainable. As the number of woodcarvers in his area grew, he realised that there would be no trees left for his children and future generations so he formed The Wood Carvers’ Association.

His passion for the environment and his ability to work with people at all levels quickly became obvious and Force was recruited by RIPPLE Africa to manage their tree planting programme and is now Malawi CountryDirector in charge of nearly 140 full-time staff. Force’s dedication to overcome challenges, educate and empower local communities to be equally as committed to conserving their environment has made him quite literally a Force of Nature!

Email: info@rippleafrica.org | Website: www.rippleafrica.org

Olivier Nsengimana

Founder and Chief Executive Officer | PROJECT: Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association | Rwanda

Olivier is a wildlife veterinarian and passionate conservationist. He studied veterinary medicine at the University of Rwanda and has a Master of Veterinary Science, ConservationMedicine from the University of Edinburgh, UK. In 2014, Olivier designed a unique conservation project to abolish the illegal trade of the endangered Grey Crowned Cranes in Rwanda and won the Rolex Award for Enterprise which allowed him to start implementing the work. He established a non-profit organisation, Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA) in 2015 to build on the work with Grey Crowned Cranes and expand research and conservation efforts to other endangered and threatened species in Rwanda, including bats.

Olivier’s work has gained international recognition through grants and awards; he was a finalist in the 2016 Tusk Conservation Awards, is a National Geographic Explorer, received the 2017 National Geographic Buffett Award for Leadership in Conservation in Africa, winner of the 2018 Whitley Awards and 2019 Future for Nature Awards.

Olivier previously worked for five years as a field veterinarian with Gorilla Doctors, providing life-saving veterinary care to critically endangered wild mountain gorillas.

Email: nsengolivier@gmail.com | Website: www.rwandawildlife.org

Dominic Josam Nyathi

Conservation and Community Liaison Manager  | PROJECT: Painted Dog Conservation | Zimbabwe

As the Conservation and Community Liaison Manager at Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) in Zimbabwe, Dominic teaches students and communities the importance of keeping balanced biodiversity levels and sound ecosystems in their locality.

He holds a Bachelor of Educational Administration Planning and Policy Studies degree, a Better Environmental Science Certificate, as well as a Teaching certificate. Dominic runs various wildlife related programs for communities, students and clubs. He holds competitions, conducts game drives, conducts tracking and teaching for endangered wild dogs.Dominic hopes to inspire young scholars through the PDC Conservation Clubs so that they may develop a sound background and positive understanding of the environment and wildlife, which they can take back to their families and communities as ambassadors for wildlife.

Email: dominic@painteddog.org | Website: www.painteddog.org

Dr. Elizabeth Pantoren

Director of Programmes  | PROJECT: Northern Rangelands Trust | Kenya

As the Director of Programmes for theNorthern Rangelands Trust, Elizabeth brings two and a half decades worth of conservation and social development experience. In her role, she works with community conservancies to measure and ensure good governance at all levels that will steer the NRT Conservancies towards achieving management, operational and financial sustainability.

Prior to joining NRT, Elizabeth was the Director of Community Enterprise Development at Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) that was overseeing the registration and government support to community nature-based enterprises. During her tenure at KWS, Elizabeth also mentored and trained both KWS, community leaders at KWS Manyani Training School, Voi and Kenya Wildlife Training Institute, Naivasha.

Elizabeth is from Marsabit County, and is a holder of a Doctor of Philosophy PhD in Sociology from the Kenyatta University.

Email: elizabeth.pantoren@nrt-kenya.org | Website: www.nrt-kenya.org

Sboniso Phakathi

Project Leader: Rural Initiatives for a Sustainable Environment  | PROJECT: South African Wildlife College | Kenya

Sboniso works for the Southern AfricanWildlife College, in the Mpumalanga province as Project leader in the Community Department’s Rural Initiatives for a Sustainable Environment Unit (RISE). The unit works in rural community-conservation projects, with project sites in villages represented under the Mnisi Traditional Authority, Mayibuye Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal and Mangalane in Mozambique.

Sboniso’s entry into conservation was somewhat unorthodox. His background is in yacht crew work, anti-poaching work in the local reserves in Hoedspruit, and environmental education with primary schools. He studied political leadership and citizenship, applied psychology for professional contexts (undergrad in process) and is currentlyworking on an advanced certificate in Project Management.

Sboniso is interested in finding novel and creative ways in which rural communities, specifically those near conservation areas,  can develop and deepen their interest in conservation and environmentalism whilst benefitting meaningfully from and contributing towards the protection and sustainability of these biologically diverse spaces.

Email: srphakathi@sawc.org.za | Website: www.wildlifecollege.org.za

Estelle Raballand

Founder  | Chimpanzee Conservation Centre | Guinea

Estelle is an expert in the rehabilitation and reintroduction of orphaned chimpanzees. In 1999 she founded the Chimpanzee Conservation Center (CCC) in Guinea and served as a Director until 2015.

Estelle has written guidelines for other projects looking to rehabilitate and release orphaned chimpanzees based on the CCC’s successful release project. She is the President of Project Primate Inc, a US organization which promotes and provides financial support for in situ and ex situ great ape conservation work.

Email: estelleraballand@gmail.com & esthel@yahoo.com | Website: www.projetprimates.com

Lalarisoa Rakotoarimino

Programme Coordinator  | Community Centred Conservation | Madagascar

Lala joined Community Centred ConservationC3 Madagascar in 2012 as Programme Coordinator. She is currently leading the expansion of the Junior Ecoguards programme which has developed this year into a national network called TANOMAFI.

It’s focused on promoting youth leadershipin sustainable development with teaching materials being integrated this year into the new national curriculum. She also helped launch an incentivised and integrated approach to conservation, encompassinghealth and livelihoods.

Lala holds a Masters Degree in Management specialising in Marketing and a Masters in Environmental Impact Assessment from the University of Bordeaux.

Email: lala@c-3.org.uk | Website: www.c-3.org.uk

Josia Razafindramanana

Chief Executive Officer  | IMPACT Madagascar | Madagascar

Josia currently manages the Sifaka Conservation programme which protects fragmented crowned sifaka populations and the remaining dry forests in Madagascar. Her interest is in applied ecology for conservation management and decision-making processes, primate behavioural ecology and conservation.

She earned her doctorate in Primatology and Conservation from the University of Oxford Brookes, UK where she focused her dissertation research on the ecological niche separation of sympatric primates.

She leads the NGO Impact Madagascar to achieve effective conservation programs in various locations across Madagascar. She also helps large-scale industries and companies to run sound environmentaland biodiversity conservation programs in Madagascar. She maintains an affiliationwith the Malagasy Primate Working group and gives lectures at the University of Antananarivo. She is also a member of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group.

Email: josia.razafi@gmail.com | Website: www.impactmadagascar.org

Faith Riunga

Head of Education Programme  | Lewa Wildlife Conservancy | Kenya

Faith is the head of Education Programme at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy since 2005. Faith holds a Master’s in Education Administration and a Bachelors in Education. She has spearheaded the Lewa Education Programme over the years that has led to support in 23 public schools, over 800 students guided in the scholarship programme and continues to ensure education is a tool to enableconservation and drive behaviour change.

Faith enjoys coaching, mentoring and empowering the young generation to make informed decisions that influence their lives positively.

Email: faith.riunga@lewa.org | Website: www.lewa.org

Mohammed Atwaa Salim

Coordinator  | Lamu Marine Conservation Trust | Kenya

The son of a fisherman, Atwaa comes from Lamu, a small island in the Kenya Indian Ocean archipelago; it’s been a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site since 2001.

He holds a degree in Economics and Sociology from the University of Nairobi and has undergone training in Coastal Zone Management from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Since 1997 he has been the Community Programme Coordinator for the Lamu Marine Conservation Trust, a community-based organisation that supports marine turtle conservation, education and awareness, and capacity building in conjunction with target villages and schools.

Email: atwa@lamcot.org | Website: www.lamcot.org

Mark Saunders

Chief Executive Officer  | Malilangwe Trust | Zimbabwe

Mark was born in Triangle, Zimbabwe. As a youngster, he spent much of his free time inGonarezhou National Park and on Lone Star  Ranch, which later became The Malilangwe Trust.

Mark was educated at Murray McDougal School and then Falcon College. He went on to attain a Bachelor of Social Science at Rhodes University in South Africa, followed by a diploma in tobacco culture from Blackfordby Institute. Mark farmed tobacco for 10 years and served as a director on several companies before being appointed Executive Director of The Malilangwe Trust in 2010. Mark is inspired by and committed to The Malilangwe Trust’s mandates of biodiversity conservation, community outreach and development and is passionate about increasing commercial tourism to Zimbabwe, with special focus being on the south-eastern Lowveld. Mark is a founding board member of the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust.

Email: mark.saunders@malilangwe.org | Website: www.malilangwe.org

Annetjie Siyaya

Research and Education Manager   | Cheetah Conservation Fund | Namibia

Annetjie is a Research and Education Manager at the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia. Her responsibilities in this position include raising awareness and educating both young and old on cheetahs; their importance, why they are endangered, human-wildlife conflict, conflict mitigation strategies CCF employs to promote peaceful co-existence, and coordinating research centered around cheetah conservation.

After completing a BSc Degree in Environmental, Molecular & Physiological Biology at the University of Namibia, she worked as an Environmental Training Coordinator at a research station in Namibia, then went on to pursue a Master’s Degree in Applied Ecology at the Hedmark University College in Norway, now the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. She taught natural and social sciences at high school level for two years after completing her MSc prior to joining the CCF.

Annetjie is very passionate about education, especially to the young because the future of conservation lies in their hands. She is interested in research that provides mitigation and lasting solutions to human-wildlife conflict with large predators.

Email: annetjie@cheetah.org | Website: www.cheetah.org

Daniel Sopia

Chief Executive Officer   | Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies | Namibia

Daniel serves on the Board of Greater MaraTrust/Greater Mara Management Limited as well as the Board of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association representing the Maasai Mara region. As a founder member,

Daniel has been key to MMWCA’s formation, firstly as the Chairperson of the Conservancies Council prior to joining the Secretariat asChief Programs Officer then CEO. Daniel is an accomplished leader in conservation, with a track record of working with local communities to protect Kenya’s diverse ecosystems. Daniel is a Silver rated Professional Tour Guide who left active tour guiding to help set up Olare Motorogi Community Conservancy Trust in the Maasai Mara. Most recently he was appointed as a Member of the Human-Wildlife Compensation Schemes Task Force in Kenya.

Email: sopia@maraconservancies.org | Website: www.maraconservancies.org

Ian Stevenson

Chief Executive Officer | Conservation Lower Zambezi | Zambia

With a background in engineering, international travel, guiding and tourism, Australian-born Ian arrived in the Lower Zambezi in 1997 where he began his involvement in wildlife protection. Now, with over 20 years experience in protected area management, Ian leads one of Zambia’s first and most reputable NGOs, Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ). Ian also worked for African Parks for six years running protected areas in Ethiopia and northern Zambia before returning to the CLZ in 2011. Ian is a veteran pilot, qualified in wildlife immobilsation and has GIS and aerial survey experience.

Over the last eight years under Ian’s leadership CLZ has grown from 12 to over 70 employees and from supporting only foot patrols to also supporting specialised Dog, Rapid Response and Intelligence Units, an extensive environmental programme working with over 3,500 pupils from 65 schools and a growing community programme combating the continuous human-wildlife conflict, all having a positive impact on the protection of the Lower Zambezi. Ian has made Zambia his home and is humbled by the Zambian men and women who continue to put their lives on the line to protect the region’s natural resources and wildlife.

Email: Ian@conservationlowerzambezi.org | Website: www.conservationlowerzambezi.org

Fred Stow

Chief Executive Officer | Lapalala Wilderness | South Africa

Fred is the CEO of Lapalala Wilderness, an important reserve within the Waterberg with a long history of rhino conservation. Fred has extensive experience in the operations management and business development from a number of wildlife reserves in Southern Africa including Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Bushmans Kloof, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve and Meletse Game Reserve.

Using his career experience along with his passion, Fred strives to develop financially sustainable game reserves and tourism products which will create robust conservation areas. This will create robust conservation areas that protects biodiversity while ensuring local communities receive conservation benefits and foster good relationships. Fred is also committed to team development in the workplace, loves to help build passionate high performers and getting the best out of people. In his spare time his interests include South Africa history, cooking and travelling South African backroads.

Website: www.lapalala.com

Angus Tanner

Senior Manager Conservation Programme | Wilderness Foundation | South Africa

Angus is a South African-based protected area planning and management specialist with 20 years experience in conservation on both state and private protected areas across Southern Africa, having been involved in the establishment, managing of and expansion ofa number of prominent conservation areas in South Africa. Some of these include Augrabies Falls National Park, Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve and Niassa Reserve in Mozambique.

Within Angus’ project management experience he has a strong variety of key skills such as biodiversity management, human resource management and financial administration. These have contributed to the  success of the projects in which he has been involved. Experience with fundraising and reporting to an array of medium to high level funders has been an asset to the organisation. The majority of Angus’ experience has been assisting national and provincial environmental parastatal institutions in South Africa, as well as in neighbouring African countries to achieve their conservation goals. Angus strives to motivate and encourage a passion for conservation to any community or institution through training or learning experiences. Angus has a BTech degree in Nature Conservation and a Diploma in Project Management from Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He also serves as chief pilot for the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Air Wing in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Email: angus@wfa.africa | Website: www.wildernessfoundation.co.za

Simson Uri-Khob

Chief Executive Officer | Save the Rhino Trust | Namibia

Simson began his career at Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) Namibia in 1991. Thereafter he achieved his MSc with Merit from the University of Kent. In 2014, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of SRT. Simson is a member of the African Rhino Specialist Group and winner of the Namibia Nature Foundation Environmental Award. Additional to the team of trackers SRT employs, under his leadership SRT implemented the Rhino Ranger Program which engages, trains and empower locals from the conservancies where the critically endangered black rhino roam freely. The area has not had a poaching incident since August 2017.

Email: srt@rhino-trust.org.na | Website: www.savetherhinotrust.org

Fanny Vessaz

Project Manager | Blue Ventures | Comoros

Fanny, known as Effy, is Blue Ventures’ Project Manager in the Comoros, where she develops community-based marine management initiatives, on the island of Anjouan.

After obtaining an MSc in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Effy committed herself to various projects focusing on preserving the marine environment while having a strong emphasis on collaboration and outreach. Since then, she has managed a sea turtle rehabilitation centre, implemented small-scale coral reef restoration and monitoring programmes, and developed awareness-raising campaigns and educational activities in Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles and Malaysia.

Her field of expertise is transdisciplinary, involving technical skills such as ecological and fisheries monitoring, but also empowerment of local communities.

Email: effy@blueventures.org | Website: www.blueventures.org

Steven Vos

Chief Operating Officer | Savé Valley Conservancy | Zimbabwe

Savé Valley Conservancy (SVC) was created in 1992 when 27 cattle ranches joined together to form a wildlife conservancy after a severe drought in 1992. Since then the SVC has become a conservation success story with healthy wildlife populations.

Current challenges include a burgeoning elephant population, rhino poaching pressure and human-wildlife conflict. A project is planned to engage the communities and restore boundaries, reduce human-wildlife conflict and assist the communities in finding opportunity to thrive alongside wildlife. As COO Steven’s work focuses on the social, economic and ecological sustainability of the project. He previously worked for Cargill in sub-Saharan Africa as the regional operations executive.

Email: coo@savevalleyconservancy.org | Website: www.savevalleyconservancy.org

Charlene Wandera

Forest Restoration and Education Project  | Mount Kenya Trust | Kenya

Charlene comes from Kisumu County and gained a BSc Natural Resources Management from the University of Egerton. Having fallen in love with the vast and beautiful Mt. Kenya ecosystem from the first day she went out for field work, she joined Mount Kenya Trust as an intern in 2016. Charlene works hard every day to make sure the threatened biodiversity is both protected and restored through her work via our forest restoration and education projects.

Email: charlenewandera@gmail.com | Website: www.mountkenyatrust.org

Mike Watson

Chief Executive Officer  | Lewa Wildlife Conservancy  | Kenya

Mike took on the role of CEO of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in early 2011. Since then, he has led the organisation through the critical transition of Project Milele, as well as building a closer reciprocal relationship with the Northern Rangelands Trust. He has also been instrumental in working with the Kenyan government to garner support for community based conservation as a successful model for protecting wildlife, as well as improving the lives of local people. Mike has served as an officer in the British Army and is an accomplished helicopter and fixed wing pilot. His international conservation career spans wildlife capture work in South Africa, work with FFI in Mozambique, and Executive Officer of the Kibodo Trust.

Email: mike.watson@lewa.org |  Website: www.lewa.org