Meet Our Speakers
Prof. Dan Laffoley
World Leader on Marine Protected Areas, IUCN Marine Vice Chair for IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, Senior Advisor on Marine Science & Conservation in the Global Marine & Polar Programme.
Prof. Rashid Sumaila
Canada Research Chair (Tier I, Interdisciplinary Ocean & Fisheries Economics), University Killam Professor at the Institute for the Oceans & Fisheries
Prof. Mandy Lombard
DST/NRF Professorship in Marine Spatial Planning at the Nelson Mandela University
Prof. Moeniba Isaacs
Academic Coordinator & Professor at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)
Prof. Bram Büscher
Professor & Chair of the Sociology of Development & Change Group at Wageningen University, and visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg & Stellenbosch University
Dr. David Obura
Founding Director of CORDIO East Africa, IUCN Chair for the Coral Specialist Goup, part of the Global Partnership for Ocean’s Blue Ribbon Panel, steering committee of bioDiscovery
Dr. Kina Murphy
Conservation Biologist and independent consultant with a focus on increasing biodiversity in areas that have been heavily impacted by resource extraction
Karen Sack
CEO & President of Ocean Unite, Co-Chair of the Ocean Risk & Resilience Action Alliance
Dr. Jennifer O’Leary
Marine Scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society with a focus on Western Indian Ocean Marine Protected Areas
Sinegugu Zukulu
Programme Manager at Umzimvubu Landscape at Conservation South Africa, with a focus on managing the Mzimvubu Catchment conservation and restoration through community stewardship
John Zulu
Conservation Office & Anthropology Site Manager of the Mosi-OaTunya/Victoria Falls Transboundary World Heritage Property, member of the Scientific Committee of Africa’s Transboundary World Heritage Properties, works with IUCN as a nature-culture expert
Randall Mabwa
Regional Communications Officer for East at Blue Ventures Conservation with a focus on helping youth understand the usefulness of community-led conservation, the Blue Economy, associated challenges & successes
Steven Matema
Social Ecologist from the Centre of Applied Social Studies at the University of Zimbabwe, and the Animal Production and Plant Production Systems groups at the Wageningen University
Sumaiya Harunany
Environmental conservationist & the founder of the Blue Earth Organisation.
Evelyne Omondi
Community development practitioner & Programs Manager at the Big Ship Organisation
Antonio de Sacramento Cabral
Program Director at Ocean Revolution Mozambique
Simangele Msweli
Senior Manager of the Youth Leadership Program at the African Wildlife Foundation
Himkaar Singh
Founder of The Compost Kitchen
Ezekiel Nyanfor
Founder of the Liberian Youth for Climate Actions
Ghaamid Abdulbasat
Coordinator of the Tanzanian Youth Biodiversity Network, Geographic Young Explorer and Earth Day Org. Africa Co-director, Youth4Nature & High Seas Alliance Youth Ambassdor
Sherine Omondi
Programme Coordinator at K-SAMMIT
Paul Cryer
Coordinator of the Applied Ecology Unit of the Conservation Trust
Paul Eweola Ayomide
Youth Advisor at World Ocean Day, Manager of U-Recycle Initiative, Global Youth Ambassador of the Earth-Day Network, Regional Supervisor at Future Savers Sustainable Development and Founder of Aquaworld
Olivia Precious Livingstone
Alumnus of the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council, High Seas Youth Ambassador, European Development Day Young Leader and Community Mobiliser at the Environmental Justice Foundation
Nancy Iraba
Founder of the Ocean Literacy Initiative and a NEWF Fellow, Co-founder and Science Communicator at Aqua-Farms, NEWF and 2021 Mandela Washington Fellow
Paa Kwesi E.A. Bonney
European Development Day Young Leader and community organiser
Zandile Ndhlovu
South Africa’s first Black Freediving instructor and founder of the Black Mermaid Foundation
Emerson Neves
Sustainable Seas Project Manager, Top 100 Young Conservation Leaders (2021), and Global Youth Climate Network Climate Ambassador
Enock Mwewa
Executive Director of Environment Savers of Zambia, Earth-Day Youth Ambassador & Climate Reality Leader
Mohamed Ali Sheik
Head of the Marine & Plastic Pollution Department at SOGPA, and Head of Research at the Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources Puntland Somalia
Hassan Mowlid Yasin
Co-founder & vice chairperson of the Somalia Greenpeace Association, One Young World Ambassador, member of the United Nation Environment Programme for Children & Youth, Global Youth Biodiversity Network and African Youth Initiative on Climate Change
Erica Tavares
Ecologist & Executive Director of EcoAngola
Oluwaseyi Moejoh
Executive Director of U-recycle Initiative Africa, National Geographic Young Explorer, a SUPER squad leader at OceanHeroes Network, 2021 Global Teen Leader, and a High Seas Youth Ambassador
Lucy Bird
Sustainability Projects & Education Officer at Change Agents UK
Janvan Kombo
Works at the African Wildlife Foundation Policy Unit, with a focus on engaging African governments and institutions to help expand conservation and promote sustainable development
Sophumelea Qoma
Conservation Educator in the Mossel Bay and Outreach Coordinator at Oceans Research Foundation, volunteer at Youth4MPAs
Forbi Perise
Youth leader and the African Regional Representative of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Frank Mirobo
Secretary-General of Western Indian Ocean Early Career Scientists Network
Prisca Daka
Animal Lawyer and Chapter Coordinator of the Zimbabwe Youth Biodiversity Network
Andrea Rodericks
Independent consultant with NGOs, social enterprises, and movements around multi-disciplinary design and collaboration and organizational transitions.
Artists
Kaluki Paul
Digital Storyteller with 350.org, Africa Director of Youth4Naure and environmental educator
Thobile Ndimande
Co-founder & co-producer of the web series titled Black Girl Chats, writer for the Botlhale GH and Well Sexuality Eh! Woza, and a volunteer for the Wits Gender Equality Office
Isaac G Redd Jr
Liberian artist, diplomat, entrepreneur & green steward
Mapule Mohulatsi
Writer & PhD Candidate with research focusing on black aesthetics and the deep ocean
Dr Gcina Mhlophe & Nomakhwezi Becker
Dr Gcina Mhlophe is an author, storyteller & founding director of Gcinamasiko Arts & Heritage Trust.
Nomakhwezi Becker is a performer, writer, poet, arts administrator, and theatre workshop facilitator.
Umtha Namanyange
Writer, singer, song writer and arts activist
