Our Staff

Conservation International is a global team of more than 1,600 employees spread across over 30 countries. More than 95 percent of our staff are native to the countries in which they work.

 

© Georgina Goodwin

M. Sanjayan, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Julius Court
Chief Operating Officer

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Patricia Zurita
Chief Strategy Officer

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Daniela Raik, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Field Programs

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Sebastian Troeng, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Conservation Partnerships

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Melanie Janin
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer

 

© Sally Lehnhardt

Sally Lehnhardt
Chief Information and Technology Officer

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Rick Nash
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Kelvin Alie
Senior Vice President, Strategy, Delivery and Field Partnerships

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Lina Barrera
Senior Vice President, Global Policy and Government Affairs

 

© Rachel Biderman

Rachel Biderman, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President and Chief Field Officer, Americas

 

© Muhammad Fadli

Meizani Irmadhiany
Senior Vice President & Executive Chair of Konservasi Indonesia

 

© Richard Jeo

Richard Jeo, Ph.D.
Chief Field Officer, Asia-Pacific

 

© Logan Mock-Bunting

Jack Kittinger
Senior Vice President, Center for Sustainable Production

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Olivier Langrand
Executive Director, CEPF, SVP CI

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Herbert Lust
Senior Vice President, Global Public Partnerships and Managing Director, Europe

 

© Jeff Gale

Cynthia McKee
Senior Vice President, Strategic Gifts

 

© Nicholas Karlin

Bambi Semroc
Senior Vice President, Center for Sustainable Lands and Waters

 

© Lucas De Britto for Conservation International

Deborah Spalding
Global Head, Nature Finance

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Bjorn Stauch
Senior Vice President, Nature Finance

 

© Cynthia Tapley

Cynthia Tapley
Chief Development Officer

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Will Turner, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Natural Climate Solutions

 

© NORA HYDE FOR CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL

Kristen Walker Painemilla
Managing Director, Senior Vice President of Center for Communities and Conservation

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Stephanie Wear, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Moore Center for Science

 

Much of South America's water originates in the high Andes. Paramo vegetation acts like a sponge to absorb water which is then delivered to people downstream.
© Trond Larsen

Fabio Arjona
Vice President, Colombia

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Curtis Bernard
Vice President, Guyana

 

Abrolhos National Park, Bahia, Brazil 
© Luciano Candisani/iLCP

Mauricio Bianco
Vice-President, Brazil

 

© Ray Photography

Geraldine Chin
Country Director, Singapore

 

© Conservation International

Mark Erdmann
Vice-President, Aotearoa

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Luis Espinel
Vice-President, Peru

 

© Katie Schuler

Eduardo Forno
Vice President, Bolivia

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Gina Griffith
Executive Director, Suriname

 

Forest in mist
© Conservation International/photo by Miguel Ångel de la Cueva

Leticia Gutierrez
Vice-President, Mexico

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Ana Guzman
Executive Director, Costa Rica

 

© Anthony Kobrowisky

Tarita Holm
Conservation Partnership Director, Palau

 

© Jonathan Irish

Ruud Jansen
Country Director, Botswana

 

© Conservation International/photo by Sterling Zumbrunn

Wilson John Barbon
Executive Director, The Philippines

 

© Amelia Juhl

Amelia Juhl
Country Director, Japan

 

© Photo Rodolphe Holler

Mere Lakeba
Senior Director, Fiji

 

Landscape with wild flowers and quiver trees (Aloe dichotoma), Namaqualand, South Africa.
© Nico Smit

Julia Levin
Vice-President, South Africa

 

© Xiaohai Liu

Xiaohai Liu
Executive Director, China

 

© Cristina Mittermeier/sealegacy

Manuel Mendes
Country Director, Timor Leste

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Sony Oum
Country Director, Cambodia

 

© Jonathan Irish

Bruno Rajaspera
Country Director, Madagascar

 

© Virginia Simpson

Virginia Simpson
Senior Country Manager, Australia

 

© Nora Hyde for Conservation International

Luis Suarez
Vice President, Ecuador

 

© Shawn Heinrichs

Sabrina Virly
Conservation Partnership Director, New Caledonia

 

Executive Leadership

Office of the CEO

M Sanjayan
Chief Executive Officer

Elise Larken
Chief of Staff

Kelly Thalman
Vice President, Strategic Engagements

 

Office of the COO

Julius Court
Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Probst
Vice President, Global Operations Strategy and Policies

 

Strategy

Patricia Zurita
Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice-President of Global Programs

Jos Williams
Vice President, Finance and Operations

 

Field Programs

Daniela Raik, Ph.D. 
Executive Vice President

Kelvin Alie
Senior Vice President, Strategy, Delivery and Field Partnerships

Kavita Chambery 
Vice President, Project Delivery and Monitoring

Jessica Leas 
Vice President, Design

 

Americas Field Division

Rachel Biderman
Senior Vice President, Americas

Lisa Famolare 
Deputy Officer & Vice President Nature for Climate

Carmen Delgadillo
Vice President, Operations

Marco Quesada
Vice President, Oceans, Americas Field Division

Fabio Arjona 
Vice President, Conservation International-Colombia

Luis Suarez 
Vice President, Conservation International-Ecuador

Scott Henderson
Managing Director, Galapagos Program

Luis Espinel 
Vice President, Conservation International-Peru

Mauricio Bianco 
Vice President, Conservation International-Brazil

Eduardo Forno 
Executive Director, Conservation International-Bolivia

Curtis Bernard 
Executive Director, Conservation International-Guyana

Ana Gloria Guzman Mora
Executive Director, Conservation International-Costa Rica

Leticia Gutierrez
Vice President, Conservation International-Mexico

Gina Griffith
Executive Director, Conservation International-Suriname

 

Africa Field Division

Julia Levin
Vice President, Conservation International-South Africa

Ruud Jansen
Country Director, Conservation International-Botswana

Bruno Rajaspera
Country Director, Conservation International-Madagascar

 

Asia-Pacific Field Division

Richard Jeo, Ph.D. 
Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific

Meizani Irmadhiany
Senior Vice President & Executive Chair of Konservasi Indonesia

Robert Baigrie
Vice President, Climate Finance

Debby Ferdiany
Vice President, Operations, Asia-Pacific Field Division

Jan Yoshioka
Vice President, Sustainable Finance, Asia-Pacific

Ketut Putra
Asia Transboundary Oceans Senior Advisor

Mark Erdmann
Vice-President, Aotearoa

Susana Waqainabete-Tuisese 
Senior Director, Pacific Region

Amelia Juhl
Country Director, Japan

Xiaohai Liu 
Executive Director, Conservation International-China

Virginia Simpson
Senior Country Manager, Australia

Mere Lakeba
Country Director, Fiji

Geraldine Chin
Country Director, Singapore

Wilson John Barbon
Executive Director, The Philippines

Manuel Mendes 
Country Director, Timor-Leste

Tarita Holm
Conservation Partnership Director, Palau

Sony Oum
Country Director, Cambodia

Fitri Hasibuan
Vice President, Indonesia program

 

Centers for Excellence

The Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science

Johan Rockström, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist

Stephanie Wear, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President

David Hole
Vice President, Global Solutions

 

Center for Natural Climate Solutions

Will Turner, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President

Bronson Griscom
Vice President, Natural Climate Solutions

Jen Howard
Vice President, Blue Carbon Program

John Lotspeich
Vice President, Global Restoration Program

Emily Nyrop
Vice President, Climate Change

Guy Pinjuv
Senior Technical Advisor

 

Center for Oceans

Ashleigh McGovern
Senior Vice President, Center for Oceans

Laure Katz
Vice President, Blue Nature

Emily Pidgeon
Vice President, Ocean Science and Innovation

 

Center for Sustainable Production

Jack Kittinger
Senior Vice President

Bambi Semroc
Senior Vice President, Food and Agriculture / Deputy SVP, Center for Regenerative Economies

John Buchanan
Vice President, Sustainable Production

 

Community-Led Solutions Partnership

Kristen Walker Painemilla
Senior Vice President and Managing Director

Luis Barquin
Vice President, Communities and Innovation

 

Global Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Center

Francisco Souza
Senior Vice President, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

Johnson Cerda
Vice President, IPLC Engagement and Partnerships

 

Nature Finance Division

Deborah Spalding
Global Head, Nature Finance

Bjorn Stauch
Senior Vice President, Nature Finance

Chris Stone
Vice President, Long-Term Finance

Romas Garbaliauskas
Vice President, Nature Finance Innovation and Replication

Chris Zink
Vice President, Nature Finance

Judith Reyes
Vice President, NFD Legal

 

Global Policy and Government Affairs

Lina Barrera
Senior Vice President, Global Policy and Government Affairs

Pasha Majdi
Vice President, US Government Policy and Strategy

 

Global Support

Brand + Communications

Melanie Janin
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Jenny Parker 
Vice President of Integrated Media

Melina Formisano
Vice President, Brand Marketing


 

People & Culture

Francesca Cantarella
Vice President, People & Culture and Acting Chief People Officer

Wanjiru Gathira 
Vice President, Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Gray Chesson 
Vice President, Global Human Resources

 

Conservation Partnerships

Sebastian Troëng, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President

 

Brand Partnerships

Jamie Cross
Vice President

 

Global Information Technology

Sally Lehnhardt
Chief Information and Technology Officer

Julie Siron
Vice President, IT Business Solutions

 

General Counsel's Office

Rick Nash
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

Patricia Petty
Vice President and Chief Privacy / Data Ethics Officer

 

Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)

Olivier Langrand 
Senior Vice President

Jack Tordoff
Vice President

 

Development

Cynthia Tapley
Chief Development Officer

Erin Carmany
Vice President, Development & Campaign Director

Cynthia McKee
Senior Vice President, Strategic Gifts

Julia Upham
Vice President, Individual Giving

Judy Agnew
Vice President, Philanthropy

 

Europe and Global Public Partnerships

Herbert Lust 
Senior Vice President

Jonathan Hall
Vice President, CI United Kingdom

Naomi Kingston
Vice President, European Partnerships and Strategy

Amanda Sennert
Vice President, Outreach and Partnership Development

Jean-Denis Langlois
Vice President, Operations & HRBP

Wendy Mathia
Vice President, Grants Management & Delivery

 

Global Environment Facility Project Agency and Green Climate Fund Implementing Agency

Orissa Samaroo
Vice President, GEF Policy and Portfolio Management

Free de Koning
Vice President, Project Development and Impact

Steve Panfil
Vice President, CI-GCF Agency

Susana Escudero
Vice President, Grants Management

 

Finance, Award Management + Grants and Contracts

Barbara DiPietro 
Chief Financial Officer

Lisa Mangkonkarn
Controller, Vice President

Matthew Wooliever
Vice President, Financial Information Management and Services

Lea Blubaugh
Vice President, External Grants and Contracts Unit