Prof Jay Mistry

Jay has more than 22 years’ experience in teaching, researching and building capacity for natural resource management with local communities. After achieving a BSc in Biology and PhD in Geography, she taught at the School of Oriental and African Studies, the London School of Economics and Birkbeck College. Jay is currently a Professor of Geography in the Geography Department at Royal Holloway University of London. Her particular interests include supporting local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation, local environmental governance, action research … Read More

Dr Matt Simpson

Matthew is a consultant with over 20 years experience in delivering natural resource management and community related projects. He has managed projects in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and North America. Matthew’s expertise includes community engagement techniques and the design and management of natural habitats and resources to deliver multiple benefits such as livelihood support, biodiversity conservation, flood defence and water quality improvements. He is currently a manager of 35percent Ltd that delivers wetland related projects around the world for … Read More

Dr Andrea Berardi

Andrea has more than 20 years’ experience in teaching, researching and building capacity for enabling sustainable communities. After achieving qualifications in ecology (BSc), nature conservation (MSc) and environmental science (PhD), he has taught at the London School of Economics, University College London, Royal Holloway University of London, and The Open University. His work has engaged communities from the Borneo and Amazonian rainforests; the floodplains of the Mekong and the Guianas; the savannas of East Africa and Latin America; and the … Read More

Dr Géraud de Ville de Goyet

Dr Geraud de Ville de Goyet is a Fellow of the Institute for Environmental Security and holds a PhD in international development from the Open University (2016), which focused on the impact of information and communication technologies on Indigenous communities in Guyana. He uses his interests in social technology, design and systems thinking to support community participation and empowerment in the UK and around the world. He has recently worked in public policy and strategy for a local government in … Read More

Dr Celine Tschirhart

Céline has been carrying out research for over 10 years in South America, more specifically in the Amazon Basin. In Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, and more recently in the Guiana Shield countries, she has been focusing on how resource and land management in remote Indigenous communities can impact their health, and what levers can be activated to promote more sustainable health systems. After completing a PhD in health geography at Strasbourg University (France) investigating mercury contamination in communities of the Bolivian … Read More

Lakeram Haynes

Lakeram Haynes has 15 years’ experience in community development and environmental management. He speaks Makushi and English fluently, and has strong skills in community facilitation and engagement, visual methods, environmental monitoring, and sustainable Indigenous resource management. He has had senior management and researcher roles in several projects, and his work experience and traditional foundation provide a strong base for continued leadership and commitment in the area of community-based natural resource management in the North Rupununi, Guyana. He aims to see … Read More

Dr Andrea Borgarello

Andrea Borgarello holds a diploma in professional Photography at the Washington School of Photography, but also a PhD and 2 masters’ degrees in Development Economy. He completed his photographic education attending the workshops with Mary Ellen Mark and Bruce Gilden. He has over 10 years of working experience in Photography and Development within organizations such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Italian Government and various NGOs. He collaborated with various international and national magazines (DaysJapan, GEO France, … Read More

Dr Elisa Bignante

Elisa has more than 15 years’ experience in researching and teaching in the field of development geography and in the use of participatory research methods with local communities in the Global South. After achieving a BSc in Economics and PhD in Local Development and Territorial Planning, she focused on Development geography working extensively in international aid projects in Africa and Latin America. She’s currently senior lecturer at the Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, University of Torino, Italy. Her particular … Read More

Odacy Davis

Odacy has 15 years of experience working with government and conservations organizations focused on protected areas management, sustainable development and community-based conservation. Over the years she has managed several conservation projects and provided consultancy services to indigenous and mining communities in the areas of conservation outreach and biodiversity impact assessments. Odacy has been working with the Iwokrama Centre for Rainforest Conservation, coordinating the Cobra Project for three years. She holds a BSc in Biology and is currently pursuing an MPhil … Read More

Claudia Nuzzo

Claudia is a professional photographer with a Masters Degree in photojournalism from Naples’ Academy of Fine Arts (Italy). She has extensive knowledge in Participatory Photography (PP) and Participatory Video (PV) techniques and has been involved in several projects as a facilitator in Italy, Palestine and South America. She cooperates with different organisations and research projects which promote the use of photography and video to give voice to marginalised groups. Over the past two years, she worked mostly with young people … Read More

Dr Deirdre Jafferaly

Deirdre Jafferally has 17 years’ experience working in community based wildlife management and conservation. Deirdre first started working at the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, Guyana in the area of environmental monitoring. This has transited to a broader interest in community resource management issues. She was able to explore this interest during her extensive engagement with communities of the North Rupununi, Guyana in managing and conserving their resources especially in the area of fisheries management. Recently, Deirdre … Read More

Grace Albert

Grace Albert has 5 years’ experience in community development and visual methodologies. She speaks fluent Makushi and English, and has strong skills in community facilitation and engagement, visual methods, and her local Makushi traditions. Following a strong grounding in further education courses of natural resource management, wildlife management, agriculture , information technology, leadership and culture, she has worked for the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), a local Indigenous community-based organization, in several roles. This includes as a radio broadcaster, a community film maker and most recently as a Community Research Assistant. With these experiences, Grace hopes to remain as a resource person for her community and is committed towards development of her homeland.

Rebecca Xavier

Rebecca Xavier is a proud Amerindian woman, a descendant of the Wapishana nation. She has a sound primary school education, followed by experiences in the Wowetta Youth Environmental Club, and then further education at the Bina Hill Institute, Annai where she trained in ICT, agriculture, basic maths, English and leadership skills. She is fluent in Wapishana, Makushi and English, and has worked for the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), a local Indigenous community-based organization, in different roles over the … Read More

Rebecca Woodward

Rebecca is a consultant with over 19 years’ experience undertaking a wide range of marine and wetland-related projects balancing environmental protection with sustainable livelihoods and economic development. She has delivered projects in mainland USA, the Hawaiian Islands, China, Japan, Philippines, India, Middle East and Europe. Rebecca is a highly experienced ecologist who has worked on a diverse range of integrated wetland assessment and management, ecotourism and wetland creation, restoration and enhancement projects. She provides a unique understanding of the relationship … Read More

Prof Bibiana Bilbao

Bibiana Bilbao is Professor at the Department of Environmental Studies, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela. Her research is on tropical savannas, fire ecology, biogeochemical cycles and vegetation change. She has also a long professional experience working on ecological and human dimensions of fire management with Indigenous communities in tropical ecosystems of Venezuela, particularly the Pemón of the Canaima National Park. She is willing to further the development of more effective, socially just and culturally sensitive policies for intercultural and participatory governance of … Read More

Dr Alexandra Bujokas de Siqueira

Alexandra holds a degree in journalism, a master’s degree in education and PhD in School Education from Sao Paulo State University (UNESP). She carried out part of her PhD research and postdoctoral research at The Open University, UK. She is currently a professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais Triangle (UFTM), where she teaches courses on critical reading of media and use of media in education. She is also a permanent teacher within the Postgraduate Master’s Program in Education, … Read More

Javier Ruiz Ramos

Javier Ruiz is a remote sensing consultant with experience investigating environmental dynamics and disturbances of natural ecosystems. After achieving a degree in Forestry Engineering and an MSc in Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Javier began a PhD program in the area of Environment & Earth Observation at The Open University. His line of research focuses on highlighting the capabilities of Remote Sensing technologies, especially Synthetic Aperture Radar – SAR satellite sensors, for detecting landscape transformations associated with human socio-economic activities (e.g. … Read More

Julia Jung

Julia has more than 5 years of experience in community-based natural resource management in the Global South and has worked with coastal communities in Kenya and Sri Lanka. She completed her BSc with Honours at Edinburgh Napier University and recently graduated from IMBRSea, the international Master of science in marine biological resources with a specialisation in management of marine biological resources. Julia also has a strong interest in the use of technology for engagement, innovation and teaching within communities and … Read More

Luca Francesco Rea

Luca has an academic background in Science Communication and Visual Design and Communication, with a Masters in Digital Marketing from Cinecittà in Rome. He has extensive experience in graphics, illustration, photography, animation, video editing, coding, and user experience/interface design, having worked as a Creative and Art Director within the private sector. More recently, he has also been doing visual effects and post production for the film industry in Rome. From 2015, he has been working across Italy and UK as … Read More