Kwame Ababio, Senior Programme Officer, Technical Cooperation and Advisory Services at African Union Development Agency

Kwame Ababio is a Climate Change, Environment Policy and Governance specialist with working experience across many spheres of developmental work ranging from regional, national and non-governmental institutions in Africa. Kwame has led the implementation of several sustainable development initiatives in Africa through programme delivery, partnership building, capacity development and resource mobilization within the African Union. As Senior Programme Officer of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) in charge of Technical Cooperation and Advisory Services with significant focus on environmental Governance and Climate Change, He coordinates AUDA-NEPAD’s interventions and support to African countries especially in the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Climate Agreement and Biological Diversity amongst others. Kwame has represented AUDA-NEPAD Agency at several global and continental meetings including the UN General Assembly, African Union Summits, and the Conference of Parties (COP) to many Multilateral Environmental Agreements. He has authored a number of publications particularly on Environmental Governance, Climate Security and Policy in Africa. 

Dr. Arne Witt, Invasives Coordinator, South at CABI

Arne Witt is currently the Regional (Africa and Asia) Coordinator for Invasive Species for CABI, based in Wilderness (George), South Africa. He has been an International Project Coordinator and/or Technical Advisor for a number of regional and national UNEP-GEF IAS Projects in Africa, Asia, Caribbean and the Middle East. In these roles he has worked with countries in developing policies, building capacity, creating awareness, and developing and implementing best management practices, including biological control. He continues to develop and implement IAS projects in these regions. Arne has a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He has Master of Science degrees in Entomology (Stellenbosch University) and Conservation Biology (University of Cape Town). He has published a number of journal articles, and authored or co-authored book chapters and books on the identification and management of invasive alien species.

Edith Kahubire, Principal Social Safeguard and Compliance Officer, AFDB

Ms. Edith Birungi Kahubire is a high-level expert with over 20 years work experience, out of which 15 years have been dedicated to undertaking socio-economic, environmental, and social impact assessment studies in different sectors. She has an advanced track record in due diligence, environmental and social monitoring and mitigation assessment at multilateral level with deep understanding of MFI  Performance Standards. Edith demonstrates a unique understanding of Government regulations and guidelines of Countries and their plans in meeting safeguard requirements. Due to the deep understanding of the tools and methods applied in analyzing alternatives and application of mitigation hierarchy in selection of best solutions for projects in Africa, Mrs. Edith focuses on multicriteria analysis stakeholder engagement, gender management, and inclusive development. She proves practical skills in environmental and social action plan implementation, strategic environment assessment, resettlement action planning, ecosystem analysis, restoration, and mitigation management, as well as climate change adaptation strategies.

Kishaylin Chetty, Senior Environmental Advisor at the Eskom Generation Biodiversity Centre of Excellence

Kishaylin is a professionally qualified and experienced senior environmental advisor in the Eskom Generation Biodiversity Centre of Excellence with extensive skills in global and national biodiversity issues. He is into his 12th year at Eskom and has been the recipient of multiple national and international conservation awards. For the last 12 years, Kishaylin has been the Project Manager of the Ingula Partnership, a partnership between Eskom, BirdLife South Africa and the Middelpunt Wetland Trust. He has also been the project manager of the Eskom/Endangered Wildlife Trust Strategic Partnership for the last six years. In his capacity within Eskom, he has been responsible for providing strategic direction and ‘on the ground’ scientific skills for biodiversity and conservation related issues across all divisions. He represents Eskom on the National Vulture Task Force, International White-winged Flufftail Task Team, and the IUCN African Protected Area Congress Infrastructure Working Group, and chairs the National Biodiversity Offset and Stewardship Committee.

Lauren DiVenanzo, Deputy Chief of Party at the Regional Technical Unit, Power Africa East Africa Energy Program

Lauren DiVenanzo has over 10 years of experience in the energy sector, and currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Party for the Regional Technical Unit of the Power Africa- funded East Africa Energy Program within RTI’s Learning, Energy & Environment for Development division. Prior to joining RTI, Ms. DiVenanzo was the Chief of Staff for Power Africa in Pretoria, South Africa. Before working for Power Africa, she was an implementing partner for USAID, USTDA, MCC, and World Bank projects with Nexant, Advanced Engineering Associates International, and Mott MacDonald. Her program management focuses predominately on large hydropower, government-to-government management, on-grid policy support, cross-border trade, and integration of cross-cutting themes across the energy cycle.

Sheila Ashong, Deputy Director Natural Resources at Ghana Environmental Protection Agency 

Sheila Nana Akua Ashong is a Ghanaian Environmental Management practitioner (17+ years experience), UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Expert and a fellow of the 1st Women for the Environment (WE Africa) Cohort, 2021.  As a Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana, her work involves managing the Man and Biosphere Programme in Ghana, Environmental Assessment Administration and issues relating to Biodiversity and Education for Sustainable Development. She has worked with several biosphere reserves across the World Network. She has a bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana), a master's degree in International Fisheries Management from the Arctic University of Norway, a Diploma in Project Management from the Galilee International I Management Institute (Israel) and is currently a PhD student of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience- University of Cape Coast (Ghana). She loves reading and working with local communities especially women and youth. She would love to inspire transformational change for sustainable development and complement conservation efforts of communities across the world.

Prof. Nick King, Environmental Futurist 

Nick is a researcher and consultant in futures thinking and strategic planning, working with governments, business, NGOs and local communities, and across planning sectors. His experience includes assessment of environment and development policy and management in numerous countries, and participation on both governmental and non-governmental delegations to MEA negotiations, including the UNFCCC and CBD. He has participated in a number IPBES assessments, served as Co-Chair of the Science Advisory Board for UNEP’s GEO6,  and was a Review Editor for the IPCC’s AR5. Nick has a PhD in Geography, and an LLM in International Law. He holds an Extraordinary Professorship at North-West University and a part-time faculty post at the University of Stellenbosch Business School. He has served on the Board of IAIA and co-founded the Climate Change Section. In 2018 he received IAIA’s Individual Award in recognition of his ongoing contributions internationally in environmental assessment and management. Nick was lead editor of the 1400+ page 3rd edition of Environmental Management in South Africa (Juta & Co, 2018).

Lucy Waruingi, Executive Director at African Conservation Centre

Lucy Waruingi is the Executive Director of the African Conservation Centre (ACC) a Kenyan-based NGO working in East Africa with programs across themes of conservation science on emerging conservation issues, community based conservation to support initiatives that enhance local livelihoods in rich biodiversity areas., and mainstreaming biodiversity to influence planning and action at local, national and global level. Lucy has experience and a long interest in conservation policy and planning, with specialisation in Biodiversity Informatics to support interpretation of biological and environmental data for decision making.  Currently she leads as a Co-PI on a WCMC-GCRF project that seeks to study the impact of large linear infrastructure on biodiversity in East Africa and engage decision makers on the same. She holds a Masters in Geographic Information Systems from Manchester Metropolitan University and is the chair of the Conservation Alliance of Kenya and a founder member of the Society for Conservation GIS, Kenya Chapter. 

Kim Bonine, Training Director at Conservation Strategy Fund

Kim leads CSF’s Economics for Environmental Leadership training program, with activities in over 40 countries and five continents. Over the past 15 years she has led the design and implementation of environmental economics courses and analysis projects in Africa, Asia and North and South America on themes such as wildlife conservation, infrastructure development, fisheries management, tourism economics and sustainable development scenarios. She has teaching expertise in natural resource economics, environmental valuation, conservation finance, behavioral incentives, environmental policy, cost-benefit analysis, and strategic communication.  Since 2001, Kim has led CSF’s flagship two-week international course delivered in partnership with Stanford University and UC Berkeley. Prior to joining CSF, Kim worked at Stanford’s Center for Environmental Science and Policy conducting ecological and economic fieldwork in the mangrove forests of Micronesia, and researching vulnerability and resilience in human-environment systems.  Her work has appeared in Ambio, Conservation Biology and Pacific Science. Kim holds a MS in Earth Systems and a BA in Human Biology, both from Stanford University.

Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim Mahmoud, Principal Environmental Scientist at the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Nigeria)

Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim Mahmoud is a Geospatial Information Technologies manager and Environmental Sustainability Scientist and is currently employed with the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) as a Principal Environmental Scientist (Satellite Remote Sensing-SRS/Geographic Information System-GIS). He recently completed his first postdoctoral research fellowship as a computer geospatial modeler with the Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia. At TESS-JCU, his research focused on assessing the impacts human driven land-cover change and infrastructure development pose to African tropical forests, biodiversity and wildlife using geospatial information technologies. He is interested in spatial land-use planning, smart infrastructure provisioning, development corridors, urban science and ecology, sustainability science, development finance, multi-temporal hazards and risk analysis, spatial agriculture, and the conservation of natural ecosystems for sustainable development. His research has influenced government policy in provision smart and optimal road infrastructure to minimize environmental damage and maximize socioeconomic benefits in Nigeria. He acquired his PhD in the area of Climate Change and Land Use from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana and obtained his MSc in Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation from ITC-Faculty, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands. Dr Mahmoud has a background in Geography and Remote Sensing Applications from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state, Nigeria. Over the years he developed skills and competencies in conceptualizing and implementing operational geoinformation processes for land use change science, oil spill response and management in Nigeria. With hands-on skills in geoinformation sciences, he has participated in and managed GIS and remote sensing projects and product creations such as Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps; underground storage tank-farms geodatabases as a tool for oil spill management. He has also supervised GIS projects such as mapping of underground storage tank-farms for regulating the downstream oil and gas sector in Nigeria. With his spatial modelling skills he proposed the geovisualization concept used for oil spill records collected from joint investigation visits such as the oil spill monitor platform in Nigeria (https://oilspillmonitor.ng). As an environmental scientist with NOSDRA he has also reviewed National and Company based Oil Spill Contingency Plans, assessed and participated in Drill Exercises for Oil Spill Preparedness of Oil Companies and conducted training on the applications of remote sensing and GIS for Tactical and Strategic oil spill management.

Taryn Bigwood, Environmental Specialist at Southern Africa Energy Programme

Taryn started working on the Southern Africa Energy Program for Power Africa and USAid in 2019 and is also the owner and Director of Environmental Management Assistance PTY LTD (EMA).   Taryn’s core philosophy is to promote a resilient environment and promote sustainability.   The projects Taryn has been involved with relate largely to water, energy, mining, waste and infrastructure development. Taryn has been committed to keeping current in the industry of environmental management and is always willing to share her knowledge, in doing so she was on the International Association for Impact Assessors in South Africa (IAIAs)a Mpumalanga committee for a number of years, the IAIAsa NEC in 2019,  is currently an advisor on the United Nations committee for combating desertification in South Africa and full time with Deloitte International Consulting on the Southern Africa energy program, for Power Africa and USAid.  Taryn holds a Research Masters in Geography specializing in Geomorphology (landscape change), Honours in Social Science Geography (with full academic colours and distinction) a Bachelors of Social Science Environmental Management and Geography (Major in Environmental Science and Geography), a Diploma in Game Ranging and Lodge Management with combined 17 years of experience in conservation, scientific services, ecological reporting, energy advisory in the SADC region, Renewable energy (Solar (PV, CSP, Solar Home systems, mini grids, transmission lines, Wind and hydroelectric power), mining, Environmental Compliance (Grade 2 Environmental Management Inspector), Environmental licensing, working with Resettlement Actions Plans (RAP), working with the RAP team, developing the environmental and social sections in operation and maintenance manuals, project implementation and management, developing Environmental Management Systems, developing protected area/ elephant/burn management plans, veld surveys, game counts, contributing to the development of Climate Change Reports,  Environmental auditing, water resource development and training EMI on key legislation and utilities on environmental management systems.  She also has extensive experience in a wide-range of environmentally related projects, processes and applications for private, commercial and industrial clients, in addition to local, provincial and national government departments and has project experience funded by development banks, such as the world bank and the African Development Bank, where she played an advisory role to help utilities implement the safeguards and banks sustainability standards and goals.