Tara Hetz

Masters Student, University of Utah
Thirza Loffeld

WildHub Founder, WildHub Conservation Community

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. 
Adyasha Nayak

PhD Student, University of Montana

My interests are in finding ways to coexist peacefully with wildlife in shared environments and integrating conservation management with traditional practices. As a self-taught artist, I frequently include these ideas into my illustrations.
Matthew Creasey

Course Development Manager, WildTeam

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.
Beth Robinson

Consultant, Biodiversify

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. 
Richard Dawson

Director, Wild Awake

I am an educator and project manager with over 20 years practice in education for sustainable development and learning from nature. My focus is on helping organisations to improve the quality of their learning provision for a sustainable future and enhance their ability to deliver projects effectively with lasting benefits. I have worked in over 30 countries with NGOs, government, business and civil society organisations. I established Wild Awake as a not-for-profit social enterprise. Its purpose is to develop and provide learning which inspires change towards a more sustainable planet, and support people to live healthy and happy lives which respect natural limits. It achieves this through providing learning which reconnects people with the natural world through first-hand experience. It brings educational expertise in terms of curriculum development, writing activities, training and consultancy in pursuit of this. I bring over 20 years of practical experience in the field of education, delivering a range of projects focusing on climate change and education for sustainable development. I have worked cross-sector with governments, civil society and academic partners to analyse, design and implement education programmes which address a sustainable future and empower people with hopeful solutions for their future. I bring a strong track record of delivering complex projects with diverse partners. This is supported by excellent technical knowledge of climate change, environmental management and sustainable development, backed by good communication skills to deliver effective messages. Specialties: Effective learning and teaching, education for sustainable development, organisational capacity building, strategic and project planning and management, learning from nature, training skills, effective communication, education management.
Renuka Thakore

Researcher and Founder, University College of Estate Management

Dr Renuka Thakore is the Founder of Global Sustainable Futures: Progress through Partnership Network to achieve Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 targets. She provides a collaborative platform for innovative and transdisciplinary partnerships and capacity development for early career researchers joined by senior experienced researchers from Global South and Global North. Dr Thakore believes in broader sustainable development concept and uses multi-dimensional lens (social, economic, environmental, political, institutional, cultural, and technological) of sustainability, innovations, and theoretical framings to address the problems of societal systems and propagates this through various activities – research, teaching, and practice towards achieving global sustainable goals 2030 and beyond. She encourages systems thinking, engagement and active participation of multiple stakeholders for effective governance and management for sustainable transformations, use of transdisciplinary methodologies, co-creating solutions that are multi-modal and ‘value-added’ to relevant stakeholders. Renuka is proud of having support of 320 Coordinators from 79 countries.
Kristi Foster

Head of Engagement, Conservation Careers

Jose Esteves

Prof. Dr., CEO, Exponentialis Learning and Education Platform

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.
Felicia Lasmana

Senior Quality Officer & Project Manager, HCV Network

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).