Alan J. Hesse
Senior Behaviour Change Specialist (TRAFFIC); also independent author-illustrator and climate educator.., TRAFFIC International
My conservation career started in 1992 when I helped set up and joined a University expedition to the Bolivian Amazon. What started out as a 3-month experience ended up being a life-changing inflection point that set my professional and personal course to the present day. My conservation experience was built bottom-up and hands-on, and includes field data collection and logistics, grassroots organization leadership and project management, community engagement and capacity building, M&E, training and behavior change, and lately climate education through authorship of graphic novels and other resources. My conservation career includes positions as a senior staff member and a principal investigator at the Bolivian BirdLife Partner Armonía, field investigator in the Gran Chaco with WCS Bolivia, field logistics officer for Conservation International's RAP expeditions, and Programme Manager and Senior Manager of M&E at Rare. I currently work as Senior Behaviour Change Specialist with TRAFFIC International, applying behavioural science approaches to support TRAFFIC's work across wildlife supply chains globally.
Where is restoration taking place around the world, and how is it being tracked? This is an important question that should put ecosystem monitoring at the forefront to achieve both quantitative and qualitative goals. That's where my work comes in—launching data-driven solutions for monitoring, reporting, and guiding investment. Because both people and the planet matter.
I am a problem solving and executive life coach accredited with the World Institute for Action Learning and the International Coach Federation. I have over 25 years of workplace experience in environmental science and management. I coach for the beauty of life, wonder of diversity and rewards of exploring.
I am a marine biology graduate with an MSc in conservation from Plymouth Uni. I use to be the assistant community manager of WildHub and. have a passion for science communication and bringing people together. 🦇 In my spare time I have a blog as well as a Redbubble shop where I sell my artwork. Check it out under my website link :) 🦇 Other interests include the use of technology (specifically cameras) to study animals as well as animal husbandry and advocacy.
I started my conservation career as a researcher/author for the Arkive online natural world encyclopedia, before managing the Wildscreen Exchange project which gives 350+ organisations across the world access to free photographs and videos for their communications. From working on this project, I developed a keen interest in conservation communications and began researching impact and technique.
I also ran the public section of the Wildscreen Festival, Witness the Wild, which is an event programme that includes a travelling bicycle-powered wildlife film cinema, the world's largest recycled and recyclable photography exhibition, and a nature-themed street art gallery. Since then, I have been running my own conservation communications business, Song and Dance Communications, but split my time 50/50 between this and field work, which mostly centres around ecosystem restoration and short-term contracts in the ecotourism industry. I also produce a seldom updated blog, which I hope to spend more time on at some point in the not-too-distant future!
I work for WildTeam UK, helping to deliver training workshops, write conservation best practice manuals and share them as widely as possible. Previously a Writing Fellow working with various conservation organisations across India. Background in research, particularly behavioural ecology. Bird nerd.
Hello! I'm Léa and I'm a WildLearning Specialist with WildTeam UK. I help create, design and deliver training courses. I love getting to know all the participants and learning from them :)
Previously, I was working with BirdLife International on forest governance issues and in my previous life I worked in the development sector in the United States. Education-wise, I have studied economic development, international relations as well as tropical forestry in the past.
Hope to catch you in a WildHub social!
Hello! I'm Katie and I'm a WildLearning Specialist with WildTeam. I help to deliver a number of workshops with WildTeam, including the Project Management for Wildlife Conservation course. I love meeting course participants from all over the world, and learning about the amazing projects that they are working on or would like to in the future.
I am also working as a postdoctoral researcher at Bournemouth University, as a continuation of my PhD project which focussed on African elephant conservation. I've been lucky enough to travel to lots of places for my work and engage with a range of stakeholders. I also love science communication which has lead me to meet and work with lots of amazing people through public engagement, outreach events and social media.
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-thompson-8664128b/ and Instagram: @drkatet
I help run a UK charity that builds the capacity of conservationists to plan, implement, monitor, and report on their work. I also have a fair bit of experience in tiger and sea turtle conservation.
Loretta Andrade
First an Animal & Wildlife Goodwill Ambassador & then a Corporate Professional, N/A
I have always believed that kindness should extend to every living being. My love for animals and nature is not just a passion. It is a part of who I am. I care deeply about Animal Rights, Welfare, and Wildlife Conservation, and I do whatever I can to make this world a gentler and safer place for them. Whether it is raising awareness or supporting meaningful causes, I try to play my part with heart and purpose.
Professionally, I have grown as an Executive Assistant and Administrative Specialist with hands-on experience across different sectors and cultures. Over the years, I have worked closely with senior leadership teams in Technology, Business, and Higher Education, always striving to be dependable, professional, and calm under pressure. I have earned an Advanced Certificate in Executive Assistance from BMTG UK Ltd which reflects my dedication to this profession.
I have also completed several training programs focused on workplace excellence and strong organizational skills. These skills help me adapt to change and keep things running smoothly in today’s fast-paced world. My work often involves managing international travel, planning both virtual and on-site events, and handling communication, immigration, and hospitality tasks. I approach each of these with care and a personal touch.
I also write professionally, preparing internal communications and business correspondence with clarity and precision. This has helped me build a reputation for being trustworthy, effective, and committed to high standards.
What truly keeps me going is my willingness to learn and grow. I believe that every day is an opportunity to do better, not just at work, but in how we treat others, especially those who do not have a voice. This journey of compassion, hard work, and lifelong learning is what I carry forward, wherever I go and whatever I do.
I'm a biodiversity consultant working mainly in the corporate space. I work with large companies to help them figure out their nature-related impacts, dependancies, risks and opportunities, then use this information to create biodiversity strategies.
I'm Liane, and I am a WildLearning Specialist at WildTeam! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all!
For the last few years, I've been working in Seychelles, focusing on island and marine conservation efforts, particularly coral restoration and turtle nesting monitoring. If you ask me questions about coral, be prepared for me to get very nerdy about it! Prior to that, I was managing a project in Northern Thailand, where I worked closely with a local community to set up ethical elephant experiences in their village.
In my free time, I love running and hiking, and being anywhere in nature. I have also learnt to freedive in the last few years and enjoy doing that when possible. I'm really interested in talking to different people and learning from them and their unique experiences.
My background is mainly in species conservation, education and capacity exchange. I researched mother-young interactions in gorillas and chimpanzees, in captivity and the wild. After that, I worked for three years in Indonesia, where I developed and implemented youth ambassador and community engagement programmes on local and regional scales. I co-founded WildHub, a community of nature conservation professionals, in 2020 and work as their Community Lead. I am furthermore on the Advisory Board of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent where I obtained my PhD on capacity development for conservation in 2022.