With experience in Marine Animal Rehab., Rescue and Research coupled with a nerdy love of data, data science and all things technology, my data collection software company, WatchSpotter is the cumulation of my life’s work. From the hallways of the Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center at the University of New England, my affinity for caring for marine animals was fostered and grew. Being tasked with the center’s life support systems and flow thru animal pools further opened my eyes to water quality, fecal coliforms, and bio-loads. I was the primary research technician in a multiphase study: Protecting the Saco River: Tracking non-point fecal pollution to its species source. Upon leaving UNE, I traveled to the Southern Great Barrier Reef Australia to work on an international research team focusing on population dynamics for three cetacean species. Once back stateside, I sharpened my Software UX skills working as a software consultant for Centersoft Technologies. After a brief stint volunteering for the Dolphin Photo ID program at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, I was hired to join the team. I split time the first years at FAU HBOI between the Harmful Algal Bloom lab and the Dolphin Population and Assessment Lab. Settling in as a Research Assistant for the latter as well as a first responder for the Marine Mammal Rescue Team. In working with the Dolphin Population and Assessment Primary Researcher, along with other industry collaborators, I soon became the PIs data analyst and was paramount in the creation and development of the programs state of the art cloud-based SQL database platform. I worked as a liaison between the research program and software architects to assure ease of use, maximum data output and advanced analytics. The software is still used by the newly formed team today. At the end of 2019 it was time for me to branch out on my own. In the spring of 2022, WatchSpotter was born. My idea was to create a customizable SaaS application that could be used by researchers worldwide. Data is data- scientific questions need to be answered. My contingency was that no matter what the research topic- if the research brings people into the field-whether scientists, volunteers, or citizens, they are there to gather data-to answer questions. I knew that the two biggest challenges facing many environmental research groups were time and money. It would not be feasible for most nonprofits or other environmental institutions to pay for custom software- which often runs in excess of $150K nor do they have the time to wait for such programs to be complete. These known challenges fueled the customization and simple UX that make up the WatchSpotter platform. When I’m working with Environmental Science or software, I enjoy being outside in the woods or at the beach, volunteering and hanging with family and friends.
I am a multihyphenate working across environmental conservation and equity spaces, serving clients with program and project design and assessment, policy advocacy, strategy, communications, and thought partnership. My firm primarily serves nonprofit and government entities, with select partnerships with mission-based for-profit companies. I bring my expertise in law, anthropology, policy, communications, and wellness to the work advancing equitable conservation.
I am also a passionate and avid SCUBA diver, coral restoration volunteer, and fundraiser aiming to advance equity in ocean conservation through local, hands-on, in-the-water work. I serve on the Advisory Board for 10% For the Ocean and volunteer regularly with the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program.
For more information, please visit www.silleckconsultingservices.com.
Leah Winstead
IT department Head / Illegal Wildlife Trafficking Coordinator, Project Neofelis / Tour Operator Guide, U.S. Navy / S.P.E.C.I.E.S./ San Diego Zoo Global
Outdoors enthusiast, snowboard and kitesurf addict with a background in visual communication. As a fan of outdoor sports, I’ve always been fascinated by nature and the complexities of our ecosystem, it makes me want to do all I can to preserve nature and see it flourish. Hence, in 2018 I've created Motion Aptitude. With our animations and illustrations, we’ve been helping universities and organisations sharing stories and scientific studies related to Environmental Science and other allied disciplines such as Biodiversity, Ecology, Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare. We aim to foster a sense of curiosity and interest in the natural world and science, so people can connect more deeply with the environment and the world around them. Our Vision is to help reconnect people of all generation with nature to ensure a sustainable future. Our Mission is to inform and inspire viewers with our compelling animated stories. Are you ready to elevate your communication to the next level? Let's talk ▶️ hello@motionaptitude.com
Edy Hendras Wahyono
Conservation Education, Nature Conservation Education Foundation (YAPEKA)
Saya Edy Hendras, sebelumnya sebagaai peneliti mengenai primata terutama oranguta, dan sudah menulis tentang buku panduan lapangan untuk primataa Indonesia.
Kami mempunyai lembaga Yayasan Pendidikan Konservasi alam, yang didirikan sejak tahun 2004. Kegiatan yayasan kami adalah pendidikan lingkungan untuk pelatihan guru, pembuatan buku modul sekolah, buku permainan serta buku-buku yang terkait dengan keagaamaan, misalnya Buku Modul Pendidikan Lingkungan Untuk Pesantren.
Selain itu juga membantu dalam berbagai kegiatan pemberdayaan masyarakat, seperti pengembangan ekowisata, pertanian organik, pembuatan biogas serta peningkatan kapasitas. Semua kegiatan di lakukan baik di teresterial ataupun di laut/marine, yang terkait dengan konservasi kawasan
I had work variety a conservation area. I started as young researcher, and then I work in Restoration Ecosystem also have experience with community development. Right now, I work as management support for orangutan conservation and running project landscape based in Leuser and Batang Toru. Also, I aim to as Project Management Specialist.
I lead and deliver a part-theory, part hand-on course in Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation at Kingston Maurward College, on the South Coast of the UK. I have managed Rangers and Engagement staff and overseen species and habitat management for over 20 years, but my passions are around people and conservation. From writing bids for engagement projects/roles to developing the future workforce, I believe the key to a brighter ecological future lies with people. I received the Alumni of the Year Award from Bournemouth University, in 2018, nominated for my work in supporting young people in Conservation, and our team have developed an industry standard placement scheme. I am also the co-host of a Conservation podcast; The Hive.
I am a conservation biologist with great interest in the application of conservation science into a practical solution. I work with scientists, practitioners and academics in conservation and sustainability sector. Specialties: SE Asia terrestrial ecology (in bats and other mammals), High Conservation Values (HCV), Natural Resource Management & Conservation, Interdisciplinary Research, Quality Assurance, Sustainability Issues (in oil palm sector).
Louisa Richmond-Coggan
Conservation & Sustainability Consultant, LRC Wildlife Conservation Consulting
I am a conservation and sustainability consultant with a passion for combining real-world conservation practices and innovative Web 3.0 technologies to help organisations scale their impact, build trust, and drive new opportunities for engagement and funding.
Through my work, I develop tools and frameworks that bridge the gap between traditional conservation efforts and the integration of Web 3.0 technologies such as blockchain, digital certificates, IoT, DAOs, and the metaverse. This combined approach supports knowledge sharing, informed decision-making, and the adoption of practical solutions tailored to the unique needs of conservation projects.
Are you working with Web 3.0 technologies or exploring how they could apply to conservation? Whether you’re developing new ideas, facing challenges, or just curious about this space, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s connect to discuss your thoughts, experiences, and how we can collaborate to create impactful solutions.
Background
I am a Conservation and Sustainability Consultant with over twenty years of experience spanning field-based research, conservation management, and leadership development. My career has evolved from conducting large carnivore ecology and human-wildlife conflict research across Eastern and Southern Africa to designing and implementing innovative conservation solutions that address today’s pressing challenges.
I hold a Master’s in Conservation Biology from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, and a Ph.D. from Nottingham Trent University, where my research focused on variations in brown hyaena density and distribution across South Africa. My work has taken me into national parks, conservancies, and private farmland, including leading Namibia’s National Leopard Census Project, which combined field ecology with multi-disciplinary approaches to assess leopard population pressures and trends.
As the Academic Dean of the School of Wildlife Conservation at the African Leadership University, I trained and developed the next generation of entrepreneurial, mission-driven conservation leaders. My work focused on the 'Business of Conservation,' positioning conservation as an opportunity for sustainable economic and social development.
Building on this foundation, I now focus on helping conservation organisations explore and adopt innovative Web 3.0 technologies such as blockchain, IoT, and digital certificates to scale their impact, drive transparency, and unlock new funding streams. Through my consultancy, I develop tools and frameworks that bridge the gap between technology and conservation, empowering organisations to make informed decisions and achieve tangible results for nature and communities.
My work combines ongoing conservation initiatives, including research, project design, and field-based management, with the integration of technology-driven solutions. Both areas are essential for addressing conservation challenges at scale, ensuring that organisations have the tools, knowledge, and capacity to achieve lasting impact. By aligning these two areas, I provide a holistic approach that delivers meaningful, real-world results and transformative opportunities through innovation.
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!
David Kabambo is the founder and Executive Director of Peace for Conservation (PFC ) and holds a B. A. degree in Social Work, a Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Management, and is presently working towards a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management and Assessment.
David has a particular skill-set in supporting the transformation of people’s understanding and viewpoints regarding the benefits of conservation. He has had real impacts at the grassroots level, working with bush meat poachers, for alternative livelihoods such as wildlife conservation educators. He has developed and implemented a highly successful employment schemes whereby former poachers a recruited as community conservation educator, they visit at schools and local communities to advocate wildlife conservation, the wider benefits to Tanzania’s national income (for example eco-tourism) and provide real-life testimonials regarding the negative impacts of the bush-meat trade.
Since 2016, David has donated 47 tricycles to disabled person greatly increasing their comfort and ability to lead normal lives. He has set himself a goal of donating 100 tricycles by 2025. He is keen that local disabled person do not miss out on experiencing local wildlife, such as the magical ‘Big Five’ and has arranged dedicated tours to the Serengeti. National park .He also feels that these persons living close to protected areas in the Serengeti ecosystem have a vital and active role as ambassadors for wildlife conservation.
Data, databases and apps ( Claris FileMaker ) for nature conservation and sustainability research. Funding expertise as a bonus
I studied Marine Biology in San Diego, California and Wildlife Biology & Conservation in Edinburgh, Scotland. I volunteered, interned, and worked in various capacities at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Hopkins Marine Station, and on a small whale-watching outfit prior to my MSc, and I now work as a Program Delivery Facilitator at the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity in Sacramento, California. My passions lie in informal science education, outreach, and public engagement in the sciences.
Here are the 3 things I am all about: 1. Nature From day one my favorite place to be and my north star in every life decision I make. I want to protect and rewild as much nature as I possibly can. In order to do so I created 2 businesses: Wildya - my attempt to give personal development a wild update Wild Business Mates - my consulting service to empower wild change makers 2. Personal Development I am life long learner and believe that we can live happier if we take matters into our own hands. Daily tiny actions accumulate. So with Wildya, I can support you to take action and change your life. 3. Ecopreneurship The world needs to change. The most successful companies & NGOs of tomorrow generate positive impact at scale. If you attempting to do this, let me help you. I am building Wildya transparently, to provide a clear blueprint on how to take an idea from 0 to a sustainable business / NGO. Creating a community of wild change-makers, as well as consulting them along the way.
I also run the conservation workshop and networking platform '& another thing'. See details of our free upcoming workshops and events here - https://andanotherplace.wixsite.com/home
José Luiz Esteves works professionally through EXPONENTIALIS
Learning and Education Projects and INTELIBUSINESS, a Social
Responsibility and Corporate Sustainability Consulting venture, created in Belo Horizonte in 2006. He has relevant experience in different Triple Helix organizations in Brazil, in management positions. Professional with knowledge of the business environment, social
responsibility / third sector, and education in Brazil and Latin America,
especially in the aspects of institutional management, market intelligence, network development, has a degree in social communication and public administration. He obtained his specialization, masters, and a doctorate in these areas, and the international diploma GUDS / Urban Management and
Sustainable Development (by the World Bank / UN-ECLAC / MINURVI /
Italian Coop) In 2001. Has a solid background in Social Program
Management, Strategic Planning, BSC, Participatory Appraisal, Project
Logical Framework, Resource Mobilization, and Fundraising (by The Resource Alliance) held in Brazil and abroad.
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.