Leah is a finance professional with over a decade of experience supporting impact-driven nonprofit organizations. She holds an MBA (Finance), CPA-K and a BA in Economics along with certifications in Insurance and Strategic Management. She is passionate about strengthening financial systems that help organizations remain accountable, compliant and financially sustainable while advancing their mission. Known for her attention to detail and collaborative approach, Leah enjoys working with teams to balance operational efficiency with sound compliance practices. She is committed to continuous learning and supporting organizations in making the most of their resources for greater impact.

Leah is based in Nairobi, Kenya

Falihery Rabetaliana is a Performance Management professional with over 17 years of experience spanning donor agencies, international NGOs, and large-scale development programs. He lastly served as MEL Lead Program Specialist at USAID Madagascar, where he provided mission-wide leadership on performance monitoring, strategic learning, data quality assessment, evaluations, and knowledge management across portfolios covering health, food security, livelihoods, governance, education, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and sustainable landscapes.

Graduated as an Agronomy Engineer, Falihery has held senior management and technical leadership roles with organizations such as Land O’Lakes Venture 37, and Peace Corps Madagascar, managing multi-million-dollar programs, leading multidisciplinary teams, coordinating grants and supporting partners to meet donor requirements. He is fluent in English and French, with Malagasy as his native language, and has extensive experience coordinating multi-stakeholder processes, facilitating strategic and learning workshops, conducting organizational diagnostics, and guiding evidence-based decision-making.

Beyond his professional life, Falihery enjoys Indian sweet delicacies—especially Jalebi, dedicates time to teaching children during Sunday school, and makes it a personal tradition to spend at least a few days every year on the warm northwest coast of Majunga, his favorite seaside retreat.

Lekesike brings over a decade of experience advancing economic inclusion, food security, and climate resilience across East and the Horn of Africa. Prior to joining Maliasili, he held senior leadership roles with Village Enterprise, Caritas, World Vision, and CAFOD, where he collaborated closely with governments, NGOs, and local communities to design and deliver high-impact, inclusive development programs.

He holds a Master’s degree in Global Business and Sustainability and a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences from EARTH University in Costa Rica. Isaiah is also the founder of Arable and Pastoral Lands Initiative (APLI), in Northern Kenya, where he champions regenerative agriculture, climate justice, and sustainable livelihoods for pastoral and agropastoral communities. In his spare time, Isaiah enjoys traveling, and engaging in community-led environmental initiatives, often drawing inspiration from diverse cultures and landscapes.

Lekesike is based in Nanyuki, Kenya

Gakemotho Satau is a community development practitioner with over 15 years of experience working in Botswana, primarily within Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM). His work focuses on indigenous knowledge documentation, natural resource mapping, environmental stewardship, advocacy, livelihoods development, and the promotion of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

He has represented indigenous perspectives on international platforms, contributing to global dialogues on climate change, fracking, land rights, and development. His academic contributions include a book chapter in Parallel Issues and Mutual Challenges for Indigenous Peoples and Research, a peer-reviewed journal article on the cultural values of African wetlands, and contributions to UNESCO’s Indigenous Knowledge, Ancestral Places:Navigating Change in UNESCO-Designated Sites.

With strong expertise in community mobilization, project management, and leadership, Satau has become a respected voice among indigenous communities, research institutions, and national development partners. He holds an MPhil in Natural Resources Management Science from the University of Botswana’s Okavango Research Institute.

Ruth is a conservation and leadership professional working across environmental sustainability, community engagement, and leadership development. Her work spans grassroots conservation, inclusive education, and executive learning, with a focus on people-centered and locally led approaches. She holds an MPhil in Conservation Leadership from the University of Cambridge and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

At Maliasili, Ruth supports the design and delivery of leadership development programs, contributing to learning design, facilitation, cohort and alumni engagement, and cross-program collaboration. Drawing on experience from youth-led conservation initiatives, community-based programs, and executive education at the University of Cambridge, she helps strengthen leadership capacity and organizational effectiveness to advance just, resilient, and sustainable programs. 

Farai is a conservation and development practitioner with extensive experience across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. He has experience working in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where he has contributed to community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods programming. He has worked with international and regional organisations on initiatives that integrate conservation with human wellbeing, including livelihoods linked to non-timber forest products, sustainable wildlife management, fisheries, and elephant-aware farming.
His experience is grounded in close collaboration with rural communities, traditional leadership, local authorities, and government institutions, supporting the resilience of both people and landscapes across the SADC region.
Beyond his professional work, Farai is a passionate photographer. In his spare time, he documents life across Southern Africa, capturing stories of people, landscapes, culture, and resilience through his lens, reflecting a deep appreciation for the region’s diversity and everyday narratives.

Nyambe Nyambe, PhD is the current Executive Director of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Secretariat based in Kasane, Botswana.  He has held several positions in the field of conservation and  development, having started his career in the mid-1990s as a Wetlands Officer and later as a Community Wellbeing Specialist under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in the Barotse floodplains, Zambia. He subsequently held the following positions: Programme Director (Environment & Development), Centre for Environment & Development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and Project Executant, Zambezi-Chobe Fisheries Project, Namibia Nature Foundation. He then worked for WWF Zambia where he held different positions: Wetlands Officer, Project Coordinator, Conservation Manager and Country Director. He holds a Bachelor of Social Science, University of Zambia; Master of Environment and Development from the University of Natal and PhD from the University of KwaZulu Natal.

Maria brings over a decade of experience working across Central and East Africa to strengthen civil society organizations and their role in inclusive governance and conservation. Before joining Maliasili, she worked with international NGOs and networks to advance organizational development, intersectional approaches to gender, youth, and disability inclusion, and locally led strategies in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Fluent in French, English, Swahili, and familiar with Great Lakes regional contexts, she helps partners navigate complexity while staying anchored in their mission.

At Maliasili, Maria leads the portfolio in West and Central Africa, supporting partner organizations to become more effective, resilient, and influential. She focuses on organizational development, governance systems, and facilitation processes that balance strategy with participation. Drawing on both professional expertise and regional knowledge, she helps partners turn complex realities into practical choices and strengthen their voice in national and international arenas.

Randall is a passionate advocate for science communication, impact and inclusive marine conservation. He is a marine biologist, science communicator and storyteller, public engagement specialist with over 8 years of experience in the conservation sector, having worked regionally in the Western Indian Ocean, and also supporting diverse global teams. Before joining Maliasili, he worked for CORDIO East Africa and Blue Ventures.

He is an avid storyteller and a 2023 NEWF African Science Film Fellow by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Gorongosa National Park, and Africa Refocused (a collaboration between NEWF and the National Geographic Society). Randall’s work has seen him engage communities and local conservation NGOs in different capacities, bearing witness to what change-driven and locally-led conservation can do, not only for nature, but also for the people who depend on it.

Randall is based in Kenya.

Amani Shayo joined Maliasili in February 2025 to support the Tanzania Portfolio team. He is an organizational development professional with over a decade of experience helping organizations strengthen their capabilities with a focus on process optimization, team development, and strategy development. 

Shayo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics, and a Master’s degree in Project Planning and Management. He is passionate about working with mission-driven organizations to unlock their potential through leadership development, strategic clarity, and building strong, cohesive teams.

Before joining Maliasili, Shayo served as a Senior Consulting Manager in Tanzania, where he designed and delivered leadership programs, facilitated strategic planning processes, and led organizational transformation efforts. Over the years, he has worked with a wide range of corporate, nonprofit, and development organizations across East Africa.

Shayo lives in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Shreya Chakrabarti is a communications specialist passionate about amplifying stories of African conservation. With a background in media and digital marketing, and a Master’s in Global Environmental History, she helps bridge the gap between complex environmental issues and compelling, people-centered storytelling. Based in Nairobi, Shreya has extensive experience supporting conservation organizations across Africa in crafting stronger narratives, growing their visibility, and building meaningful connections with local and global audiences. Her work focuses on empowering grassroots voices and translating impact into stories that inspire action.

Alongside her communications work, Shreya’s research explores the conservation-tourism nexus in Kenya, with articles published and forthcoming in peer-reviewed journals. She is driven by a belief that communications is not just about raising awareness — it’s a powerful tool to foster leadership, influence change, and strengthen community-driven conservation efforts.

Marshall Kiganjo is a graphic designer and creative strategist working at the intersection of communications, design, and technology. At Maliasili, he supports African conservation organizations in building strong visual identities, telling compelling stories, and expanding their influence through intentional digital and design work.

Marshall is particularly interested in how digital media can serve as a powerful tool for conservation—shaping opinions, informing education, and extending into physical spaces to inspire action. His work explores how design can bridge ideas and impact, online and offline.

Before joining Maliasili, Marshall worked across startups and agencies, creating digital products and brands in sectors including education, agriculture, media, and enterprise. He brings a multidisciplinary approach rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and a deep belief in the power of design to drive change.

Marshall is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Ben Wambugu here. An up-and-coming leader in the non-profit sector in matters financial management, financial reporting, general accounting, procurement, internal controls compliance, grants management & administration, budget development & monitoring, partner organizations capacity strengthening & financial oversight, and a keen interest in programmatic work in the efforts of harmonizing financial and programmatic pillars of work.

Passionate about leveraging finance as a tool for social impact, Ben has previously worked closely with program teams, partner organizations, and government actors to strengthen accountability and ensure the finite limited resources are used effectively and transparently.

A natural keen eye to details complemented by a curious mind always appreciating the resourcefulness of others and embracing continuous learning. 

Serving from a point of humility, care and gratitude has led Ben to Maliasili. Ben is living the African proverb ‘Charity begins at home’ as Mother Earth is our home and we as the inhabitants should prioritize planet earth’s care.

Carolyn Gilbert is a collaborator and connector with grant writing and development experience on behalf of Africa-focused environmental organizations. At Maliasili, she fosters long-term, trust-based partnerships with funders and facilitates internal systems for grant management. 

Before joining Maliasili, Carolyn was a Business Development Specialist for a USAID contractor’s Environment Team, focused on nature-based solutions, conservation, and land tenure projects in East and Southern Africa as well as a US public health nonprofit working in Africa and Asia.

Carolyn is passionate about how her fundraising and writing skills can unlock resources on behalf of local conservation experts who are poised to make the best impact for both the environment and people. 

She resides in her home state of Vermont, where she also serves on the Vermont Land Trust board. Carolyn has a bachelor’s in International Studies from Macalester College and master’s in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies from The London School of Economics. In her free time, she likes to telemark ski, hike with her dogs, and officiate lacrosse.

Scott O’Connell graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Economics in 1979. He worked as a Research Economist for the United States Department of Commerce in the Bureau of Economic Analysis and for the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. He worked for nineteen years in non-profit fundraising, specializing in direct response fundraising, major gift solicitation, and planned giving specializing in charitable trusts and other philanthropic giving vehicles. For the last seventeen years he has been a financial analyst with Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb, a money management firm in New York with $20 billion of assets under management.

Dickson Kaelo is the founding CEO of Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA), a long-standing partner organization and the key national association leading the country’s conservancies movement. Before taking over as the first head of KWCA at its founding in 2013, Dickson played a key role in the formation of group conservancies in the Maasai Mara, the region where he is from. Dickson is an increasingly prominent voice and leader in African conservation regionally, based on his work with KWCA and vision for community-led conservation.

Georgina Domberger has held leadership positions focused on accelerating the impact of community-led conservation organizations for the past 20 years. Formerly the Director of the Whitley Fund for Nature and a trustee of the BBC Wildlife Fund, she brings experience in both grant-giving and fundraising, having worked closely with hundreds of effective development organizations and social enterprises across the global south. Georgina’s most recent position was International Executive Director at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Kenya, one of Maliasili’s longest-standing partners, where she worked closely with the board and CEO to drive strategic and fiduciary growth, building a professional team from the ground up to deliver integrated philanthropy and impact measurement, with close collaboration between field-based and internationally-based teams.

Peter is Director of the Land and Resource Rights (LRR) initiative. LRR seeks to strengthen land tenure and natural resource rights of rural people and communities by: 1) conducting research and generating new knowledge on critical property rights issues; 2) developing information platforms, including an online platform to document community rights; 3) participating in and contributing to policy and legislative reform processes; and 4) building the capacity of civil society organizations and other actors. Peter is also a former Adjunct Professor at the School of International Advanced Studies, Johns Hopkins University.

For more than 25 years, Peter has worked on a range of environmental governance matters, particularly environment/democracy and environment/human rights links. He has conducted research and written on community-based natural resource management, environmental decentralization, environmental advocacy, and other environmental accountability matters. Peter has undertaken long-term field research in several African countries, including in Sierra Leone as a Fulbright Scholar, where he conducted research on household variability in agricultural strategies and practices, and, in Rwanda as Director of the Karisoke Mountain Gorilla Research Center, where in the 1970s he studied the behavior of mountain gorillas. Peter has also held a range of research and teaching positions at the University of California campuses at Santa Cruz and Davis.

Laura Hattendorf is a Senior Advisor with the Mulago Foundation, a key Maliasili supporter, and was formerly their Head of Grants and Investments. She also teaches at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and formerly ran the Bay Area conservation organization Sustainable Conservation. She brings a tremendous experience with many leading international development organizations and social enterprises through her work with Mulago over the past 15 years and knows Maliasili very well through that relationship.

As Administration and Development Manager, Amy focuses on building philanthropic support and the day-to-day operations to advance Maliasili’s mission. Amy has worked in non-profits for over 20 years, guiding the generosity of foundations, corporations, families, and individuals to support a range of causes including the arts, conservation, education, historic preservation, and social enterprise. She has worked as a convener and community organizer leading conferences, committees, and innovating ideas for building local economies that value people and nature. Amy has a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont. She is an overambitious gardener and enjoys learning about local flora and fauna wherever she travels.

Judy joins the team with an extensive experience in events management. Striking a balance between strategic vision to execution, she draws on her over 20 years of experience working in the Educational and Not for Profit sectors in direct program administration, implementation, and management.

Judy enjoys the thrill and excitement of each event and immerses herself in handling all the background tasks that make the event successful for the facilitators and participants alike. She has a passion for event planning, problem-solving and creative thinking.

She has worked with grassroots and National organizations in supporting their Institutional strengthening through Organizational Development initiatives and appreciates the importance of good governance and strong organizations in creating a lasting impact at the community level.

Meet Shanyisa Shihemi, a seasoned Global HR Generalist with over 14 years of dedicated experience supporting teams across a spectrum of industries, including Technology, International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), Education, and Banking. Her career in people-centric roles has been defined by a steadfast commitment to nurturing collaboration, advancing employee growth, and driving organizational success through meticulously crafted HR strategies. Shanyisa is deeply passionate about contributing to impactful organizations, leveraging her global perspective to cultivate thriving work environments that resonate across borders.

She holds a prestigious Masters’ degree in Management and Organizational Development from United States International University, underscoring her expertise with a blend of academic depth and practical application.

Shanyisa’s enthusiasm for making a meaningful difference in organizational landscapes is palpable, as she seeks to bring her wealth of experience and academic acumen to bear in shaping progressive HR practices within our organization.

Bariki Gerald re-joined Maliasili in July 2024 as the Finance and Administration Associate, building on his earlier tenure with the organization from 2017 to 2021. With a strong background in financial management, trade finance, and financial analysis, Bariki brings a wealth of expertise to his role.
His professional journey includes impactful positions such as Trade Finance Specialist at Euro Exim Bank, where he advanced international trade finance solutions, and Procurement and Logistics Manager, where he streamlined operations for enhanced efficiency. At Maliasili, Bariki oversees a range of financial and administrative functions, demonstrating his commitment to using financial data for strategic decision-making.
Bariki holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance with IT from St. Augustine University of Tanzania and a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from Mzumbe University. His diverse experience across both for-profit and non-profit sectors highlights his comprehensive skills in financial management and administration.

Guadalupe joined Maliasili in September 2022, as a new member of the Finance and Admin team. She was born and raised in Mexico and later on life, she moved to the United States. Guadalupe recognizes the power of numbers and believes that no one succeeds alone. Guadalupe fell into number-crunching naturally when she was about 10 years old, not able to become a math teacher, she pursued a business administration education. Drawing on two decades of non-profit financial, accounting, and administration experience, she joins the Maliasili team to support the Maliasili’s financial operations and administration, including accounting and bookkeeping oversight, financial reporting, audit coordination, and fiscal sponsorship. She will ensure our federal and state law compliance and keep our best-in-class financial system humming.

Kiogora joined Maliasili in January 2022 bringing with him over 15 years of experience in human resource management in the conservation sector. He has been responsible for HR functions ranging from developing and driving implementation of HR policies that are aligned with the best practices, performance management, learning and development, succession planning, talent acquisition and retention strategies and designing and executing a culture that supports high performance while giving employees a great experience at the workplace. He has previously worked with Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya and is a graduate of Maseno University and holds an MBA from Edinburgh Napier University. Kiogora is passionate about people development for them to exploit their potential to the fullest.

Ellen Mndima joined Maliasili in December 2021. A self-starter, she joins the team with a role to achieve effective communication within Maliasili and for Maliasili partners through developing meaningful content, design, and measuring the impact of Mailiasili’s online platforms. Previously, Ellen used her skills in developing holistic marketing strategies, creating versatile designs, and realizing brand identities to elevate grassroots non-profit organizations’ strategies, programs, and communication as an Independent Consultant. Before this, she gained valuable experience in Leadership and Management, Project Management, and Program Development within the non-profit ecosystem providing practical knowledge and skillsets to social businesses and innovators in the form of extensive consultations, tailored programs, monitored support, and mentorship.

Ellen is passionate about giving local communities opportunities to become their own challenge solvers. She believes that given the chance, local communities have the capacity to transform their lives through exposure, experience, and valuable opportunities to learn.

Martin is a passionate advocate of the power of digital systems and impact communications to empower grassroots organizations to share their stories, connect with like-minded change-makers, foster a unified movement for change, and accelerate their impact. Committed to community-led conservation for over 20 years, he is an award-winning writer, published and exhibited photographer, digital designer, front-end developer, and experienced multi-channel marketer.

Martin has a Ph.D. in climate change adaptation and conservation policy from the Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience, focusing on advanced GIS and socio-ecological modeling, working with stakeholders at multiple scales, from site practitioners to international policymakers. His research and teaching on conservation and environmental management took him around the world, from the peat swamps of Kalimantan to community forests in West Africa to living for a year off-grid with the Payamino community in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Before Maliasili, Martin spent ten years as a senior leader within the international marine conservation social enterprise Blue Ventures, where he built the digital and communications team – playing a central role in the incredible journey of growth they pursued while transforming stories of their work from across their international teams into a wide variety of interactive digital and print media – websites, blogs, photo stories and more – leading Blue Ventures’ open source approach to proactively raise the voices and build the capacity of the coastal communities they work with. Martin is a solutions-oriented, calm, pragmatic and nurturing leader, committed to the well-being and success of his team while remaining driven by the urgency and scale of our mission.

Jessie has worked with Maliasili for more than a decade. Jessie’s decade-long career in African conservation has focused on supporting and strengthening local organizations, such as in past roles with the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum and the Pastoral Women’s Council. For years she specialized in communications, but while her interests and responsibilities have evolved, she still applies the same concepts of simple and strategic thinking and clear messaging across all of Maliasili’s organizational work. She has been with Maliasili since its early days, learning by doing, testing and adapting, and helping to grow both our team, our portfolio of partners, and our services. Jessie loves a clear strategic plan and loves it, even more, when it guides an organization across all its work – from work planning to communications to management to M&E. She works with the Maliasili team and our partners to find ways to do this effectively. Jessie has also become a master of remote team management (by default!), finding and implementing creative management solutions across multiple time zones and shoddy internet connections.

Wanjiku’s primary role is to provide direct communications support to Maliasili’s portfolio partners and the leadership program. Wanjiku has close to a decade’s experience in high-level communication strategy with a skill set that includes donor communications, digital strategy, organizational branding, and press engagement. Before joining Maliasili she worked with the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy as well as Space for Giants, shaping and supporting their communication efforts.

She is a strong believer that effective communications is critical to helping conservation organizations achieve their goals, amplify their voices, and shape global conversations.

Fransisca is a well-trained and self-motivated senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist with excellent research and project design, implementation, project management, and Evaluation skills. Her comparative advantage lies in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning(MEL) broadly for a wide range of socio-economic, natural resources, and environmental management projects. She has over 12 years of experience working in the MEL field. She possesses practical skills and experiences in research design (including proposal development, data collection, analysis, data interpretation, and report writing), design of Result Frameworks and M&E Plans, and digital data collection and Management.

Fransisca has studied Master of Science in Forestry, and a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management, both attained at Sokoine University of Agriculture(SUA) in Morogoro Region East Central part of Tanzania. Before joining Maliasili, Fransisca worked with the Aga Khan Foundation for six years, leading the MERL component for around eight projects related to Climate Resilience, Agriculture, Food Security, Education, Economic Inclusion, Health, and Nutrition. Fransisca has also worked with Swiss contact, a Swiss Foundation, as a Monitoring and Result Measurement Coordinator. Fransisca started her career journey with Care International as a Project officer working in Environment Management and Women and Girls Empowerment programs and later as an M& officer.

Fransisca is motivated to work as a MEL personnel as she believes that MEL allows us to learn and adapt and helps us to know that we do our job successfully.

Kasmira has spent most of her professional career working for community and indigenous-led conservation organizations in Kenya, with an interest in strengthening links between indigenous knowledge and academic research. This depth of research experience and local knowledge of community conservation strengthens the relationships and organization development support Kasmira provides to Maliasili’s partners. She holds an MSc and BSc from the University of British Columbia in Canada, focused on governance and institutional function of community conservation organizations.

Richard is a professional with 15 years’ project management experience across a range of business disciplines including information technology, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility, primarily in Eastern and Southern Africa. He previously led the environmental sustainability program of Serena Hotels Group, one of East Africa’s largest tourism operations. Richard worked on sustainability projects with local communities in Kenya near Serena properties, and also spent six years working for Serena in Mozambique. He recently graduated with the first (2019) MBA class of the African Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation, based in Kigali, Rwanda, which is a dynamic new program that is focused on building a new generation of African conservation managers and entrepreneurs.

Kahaso joined Maliasili in January 2022 and brings with him over 18 years of experience working within the private and social sectors across the African continent and the UK. He is an experienced leadership facilitator with a passion for supporting organizations to unlock their full potential through talent. Prior to joining Maliasili, he was the Regional Director for East Africa at the ROOM, one of the African Leadership Group brands, and previously ran the ALX Leadership Lab and Xcelerator program in Nairobi. He also previously ran his training consultancy firm focused on small enterprise development as a certified enterprise coach and trainer with the International Labor Organisation (ILO) under various technical assistance programs supporting youth and women in SMEs and other workplace cooperation interventions.

Kahaso is a graduate of Finance and Business Administration (Dual Honors) from Keele University, Staffordshire, England, and is currently completing his EMBA with Quantic School of Business and Technology. He is also working towards completing his ICF coach certification which he hopes will help support the next generation of African entrepreneurs and leaders.

Anna’s specific areas of expertise include the design and facilitation of processes that take individuals and organizations to new and different levels of engagement. With 25 years of experience in Namibia and southern Africa, Anna is specialized in leading organizational and personal development and facilitating organizational learning, having built her expertise working with a range of community-based, government, non-government and private sector organizations. After many years working with leading NGOs in the environment, health and education sectors, Anna also brings a wealth of experience in programme design, management and evaluation.

Anna is a South African with 15 years’ experience working in the broader conservation space across multiple African countries. She started her career as a wildlife veterinarian where she focused her efforts on solving complex challenges at the human-wildlife interface. After her PhD in rhino
conservation, she delved deeper into systems thinking, and the strategic management of non-profits. She is a wellbeing and circular economy enthusiast, championing value systems that incorporate natural and social
capital. Anna is passionate about working across disciplines to find and unlock leverage points that will accelerate high-impact community-led conservation.

Born and raised in Kenya, Salisha has always been passionate about cultural and ecological conservation. She left her corporate career in late 2012 to delve into environmental work, focused on using her entrepreneurial mindset and experience to conserve wildlife. To date, Salisha has led the coordination of an Africa-wide strategy to protect vultures, been a part of a leadership team of an organisation at the forefront of lion conservation and co-founded a grassroots conservation movement in Kenya. She likes to think of herself as a rebel with too many causes – activist, conservationist, and adventurer, dedicated to finding sustainable and novel solutions in community-led conservation. She is also a member of the African Conservation Leadership Network (ACLN) and a Kinship Fellow with an MBA from London Business School and an MPhil in Conservation Leadership from University of Cambridge. Her areas of interest include human-wildlife coexistence, sustainability of community efforts and impact measurement.

Beatrice is based in Kenya and has over fifteen years of experience in administration management, most of which have been with conservation organizations. Her time spent in the conservation sector ignited a passion for and understanding of natural resource management and the importance of community involvement and has provided her with a solid background in support functions for funded projects. Beatrice is responsible for the management of Finance and Administration functions within Maliasili, and the administration of contractual relationships with external parties.

Resson will lead Maliasili’s efforts to help our partners increase their influence in the conservation space, with a significant focus on increasing the amount of funding going to grassroots organizations driving community conservation solutions. She’s a leader in the community conservation space when it comes to tackling challenging topics in our field, such as colonialism, racism, power, and inequality (with a great TED talk and opinion piece). Resson joins us after having served as the Deputy Director of Ewaso Lions, a Kenyan NGO, and she is a member of our second African Conservation Leadership program cohort.

Before joining Maliasili, Josia worked as the Environment Manager of a large mining company, with extensive experience in high-level strategic planning, large team performance management, and operations and compliance management. Early in her career, she founded IMPACT Madagascar, a Malagasy organization to foster sustainable environmental change in Madagascar through community-led conservation initiatives. In addition to receiving the prestigious Whitley Award for conservation leaders, she also received the Nature-based Solutions Award, which supports climate-smart community-based programs in Madagascar. Josia completed her Ph.D. in Primatology and Conservation from Oxford Brookes University. At Maliasili, Josia uses her community-driven natural resources management skills and experience to foster the organizational development and capacities of Malagasy grassroots conservation organizations.

Marianne joined Maliasili in October 2021 as an Associate for the Madagascar Portfolio. She has a Political Science and Social Policy background, from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Madagascar and the University of Antananarivo. She began her career working with local government to help organize rural development activities, then in public administration to manage Political parties’ databases. Her journey with Community-based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) started with her work as a support officer at MIHARI Network (a Malagasy network of Locally Managed Marine Areas), which gave her a broad knowledge of the CBNRM context in Madagascar. She also worked at the International Organization for Migration before joining Maliasili, where she developed her logistics skills. Her achievements include developing the Reference Guide for LMMAs in Madagascar, and a roadmap for LMMA advocacy. Marianne also launched a FisherWomen Leadership Program during her time with MIHARI. Her personal mission is to bring her creative, analytical, and strategic thinking skills to support local communities achieve sustainable development.

In her free time, Marianne enjoys expanding her knowledge of history (Malagasy history in particular), painting, writing, and reading.

Liz is half French half British and has over 7 years of experience working in marine conservation. Before joining Maliasili, she worked extensively along the southwest coast of Madagascar supporting Locally Managed Marine Areas and an octopus Fisheries Improvement Project. Liz also has a business development background, having worked as a consultant, using different media channels to raise the profile of emerging markets on the foreign direct investment scene. She specialized in the Middle East and Africa and traveled extensively in the region managing projects involving government and the private sector across a range of sectors. Liz has an MA from Kings College London in Geopolitics specialized in fisheries governance.

Aside from being passionate about conservation, Liz enjoys yoga, scuba diving, kite surfing, reading novels, and live music.

Taku is a pioneering environmental leader with over 8 years of her career dedicated to safeguarding nature and wildlife for future generations. With a deep commitment to conservation, Taku has played a pivotal role in shaping policies and practices that protect biodiversity and empower local communities in Zimbabwe and beyond. She brings a wealth of experience in environmental law, policy, and on-the-ground conservation. Her work spans from high-level policy advocacy to grassroots implementation.

Taku is a Mandela Washington Fellow and Women for the Environment – Africa Fellow, and serves on the advisory boards of WWF Zimbabwe, Nyanga National Park, and the University of Groningen’s International and European Law Board. She was awarded the Alumnus of the Year Award by the University of Groningen for her efforts to conserve endangered wildlife species. She has a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from the University of Groningen and a Masters in Public Policy and Governance (MSc) from Africa University.

Taku lives off-grid on an eco-farm in Nyanga, Zimbabwe with her husband and many animals.

Siphiwe Lutibezi is a nature enthusiast who has worked for eight in the Namibian Community-Based Natural Resource Management Sector. Motivated by a deep passion for conservation, she recognizes the significance of community involvement; she actively collaborates with local communities, particularly focusing on inspiring and empowering young individuals.

She advocates for innovation as a key component in achieving conservation goals and encourages a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.

She seeks to inspire others to conserve our natural heritage for current and future generations. Siphiwe is ready to use her passion and skills to assist Maliasili with its mission of community-based conservation in Southern Africa.

Siphiwe is based in Windhoek, Namibia.

Collen joined Maliasili with a community-based natural resources management experience spanning some 15 years back. He started as a high school Geography teacher in the late 1990s before enrolling for a Masters in Social Ecology at the University of Zimbabwe that focuses on social aspects of Natural Resources Management, and later for a Ph.D. in environmental economics with the University of Cape Town. Taught natural resources management at university for a couple of years before joining full-time conservation intervention work, first under the university of Zimbabwe, and since 2018 under African Wildlife Foundation. He is passionate about improving the wellbeing of communities living near or with wildlife and has led interventions focused on livelihood improvements, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, entrepreneurship development, wildlife protection through supporting community scouts, growing and supporting community-based initiatives and organizations, and supporting cross-border collaborations, among others. Has been part of the team that led the review of the CAMPFIRE program in Zimbabwe and is working diligently to see the devolution of powers to the wildlife producer communities.

Cristina was born and raised in Mozambique. She loves her family, her friends, the people, the beautiful scenery, and the rich biodiversity that her country has to offer, especially the coast and the sea. This interest in the coast and sea led her to pursue her Honours in Biological Sciences at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique and her Masters of Applied Science in Natural Resources Management at James Cook University in Australia. These degrees, combined with almost 20 years of experience working in a national non-governmental organization, Centro Terra Viva, have contributed to her understanding of the great challenges Mozambique faces regarding the management of its natural resources, especially subsistence and artisanal fisheries resources and the protection and conservation of valuable species and ecosystems due to the lack of capacity and resources. Throughout these years, she came to realize that people, the different stakeholders that are part of a society (e.g. communities, government, research institutions, national and international organizations, and private sector), have to work together through sharing information, creating knowledge and capacity and having, above all, the will to contribute to change. She understands that this, although it makes all the sense on paper, is one great big challenge, but you cannot manage natural resources and conserve biodiversity without the will of the people.

Apart from that, she loves to spend time with her two daughters, drive long distances, go camping, and watch television, especially humor (e.g. Ricardo Araujo Pereira, Trevor Noah) and history. In March 2024, she was offered the opportunity to collaborate with Maliasili, and she hopes to give her best and contribute to the goals of the Southern Africa Portfolio team.

Cristina is based in Maputo, Mozambique.

Monicah is an ecologist who loves working at the people-nature interface to safeguard biodiversity and improve the lives of rural communities. She has broad-based experience in community program development and partnership building, conservation education, biodiversity research, and consultancy. She was a Senior Program Manager leading the Thriving Futures programs in Northern Kenya. Prior to that, Monicah was a lecturer in wildlife and rangeland management in Zimbabwe.

Joana joined Maliasili in May 2021, as a new member of the Southern Africa team. She was born and raised in Mozambique, where, from a young age, she developed a passion for nature and the ocean. With a master’s in Conservation Biology, Joana worked for the last 7 years with marine conservation in Mozambique and Tanzania. After running a Conservation and Community project in Northern Mozambique, she spent the last two years as the Executive Director of Sea Sense, a Tanzanian organization working with coastal communities and marine wildlife.

Joana joins the Maliasili team to help grow the Southern Africa Portfolio, particularly in Angola and Mozambique. Having led small conservation organizations herself, Joana will use this experience to support the growth and development of partner organizations. Whether surfing, sailing, or diving, Joana spends as much time as she can in the ocean. When on land, she enjoys practicing and teaching yoga, as well as spending time with friends and her dog.

Claudine Tuyishime joined Maliasili in early 2024. Claudine has around 15 years of experience working with conservation and community development projects. Over the years, Claudine has spent most of her time working on environmental education, community outreach, human-wildlife conflicts management, projects management, partnerships management, and community development in different aspects. She has also acquired experience in landscape restoration, land management aspects, environmental sustainability, and climate change mitigation initiatives. Born and raised in Rwanda, Claudine has worked in NGOs and private companies in and around different protected areas in the country: Nyungwe National Park and Volcanoes National Park. Claudine has managed various partnerships with community-based organizations, NGOs, government agencies, and the private sector as part of her work. Claudine is passionate about conserving nature while promoting community livelihoods and enjoys seeing communities participate in natural resource management. Claudine holds a Master of Science in Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Management, with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology from the University of Rwanda.

Catherine joined Maliasili in March 2023 as a Portfolio Manager for East Africa. She has been working in the climate change space for the past ten years, specifically focusing on empowering local communities around protected areas to use natural resources to make an income while ensuring that they are protecting said resources for future generations. Catherine has vast entrepreneurial and communications experience and is very passionate about helping as many people as possible realize the benefits that are associated with conservation. She brings with her years of working with indigenous communities in rural Tanzania and with urban communities and organizations in Tanzania and Kenya on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Dickson joined Maliasili in March 2022 as an Associate for the East Africa Portfolio with the view of supporting organization development for achieving greater conservation impact. He is a Natural resource professional with 9 years of experience during which he has gained a deep understanding of community planning and management, Land governance, organizational development specifically in water services and resource management, and public policy.

Naiya joined Maliasili in March 2022, as a new member of the East Africa Portfolio team. With an undergraduate in Human Geography from the University of Durham, and Masters in Environment, Politics and Development from SOAS, the University of London, Naiya focused her studies on the intersection between community development, wildlife conservation, and livelihood resilience. Her previous experience includes human-elephant conflict and coexistence research and education, and she is interested in the importance of communication for NGO’s, with experience in digital content creation and visual storytelling. She previously worked for Save the Elephants, as the Communications and Education Manager for the Elephants and Bees Project, the Human Elephant Coexistence program. Naiya is passionate about the intersection between indigenous knowledge and natural resource management, developing sustainable solutions for environmental problems and supporting communities. She is on a mission to learn, grow, expand her knowledge of CBNRM, and bring her experience to help with Maliasili’s mission of strengthening partner organisations.

Peace joined the East Africa portfolio team at Maliasili in March 2022, to follow her life-long passion for nature and conservation. She has experience working across several social and economic development themes in Africa ranging from rural development, livelihood strengthening, economic empowerment, impact measurement, monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, design and learning, and action research. Peace is passionate about working with communities to create home-grown innovative and disruptive solutions to challenges in Africa for sustainable transformation and development.

Gathoni joined Maliasili in June 2020 providing support to the East Africa team and Portfolio partners. She is a Sustainable Development professional with over 9 years of experience working on social development issues across Africa with a strong focus on the use of data, technology, and innovation for development. Having been brought up in Kenya she is passionate about the country, its people, and beyond that seeing Africa thrive. Gathoni has worked for NGOs and social enterprises in Kenya, focusing on developing partnerships for sustainable development and programs focused on environmental conservation, natural resource management, and community development. She holds a Masters’ degree in Sustainable Development and Corporate Responsibility from EOI in Spain and BA in Social Sciences from Durham University.

For over a decade, Jestina worked for donors in planning, designing, executing, and monitoring programs and projects in various sectors ranging from Education, Nutrition, WASH, Reproductive and maternal Health, Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural resources Management. She joins Maliasili from USAID, where she first worked as the Budget Specialist in the Economic Growth office, managing over $270M annual budget, and later as the Project Management Specialist in the Environment & NRM portfolio, overseeing the implementation of conservation and NRM projects with an accumulated budget of $52M over five years by International and local NGOs. She also co-led the climate change working group whose mandate was to enforce and monitor the implementation of USAID’s whole Agency climate change strategy across all sectors.

Jestina is passionate about local NGOs development in becoming self reliant and having the capacity to deliver what is expected in their communities. One of Jestina’s great achievements was summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in October 2022.

Janelle joined Maliasili in October 2019 and provides strategic leadership around financial management, international financial management, grants administration, and human resources. She has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit administration. Janelle is passionate about building capacity of community-level efforts and serving as a resource for local nonprofit organizations. Previously, Janelle served as the vice president of administration and CFO for Kansas Action for Children in Topeka, Kansas, where she worked at all levels of operations over the course of 15 years. In addition to nonprofit administration, Janelle has experience in governance, capacity building, strategic planning, and advocacy evaluation. She earned her bachelor’s in mathematics from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Njenga has worked in the community-based natural resource management field for two decades. During this time, he developed a deep network and understanding of community conservation in Kenya. His experience ranges from local-level implementation work to project design and management, land tenure governance research to organizational development, and from policy development to public service.

Prior to joining Maliasili, Njenga previously worked as a Minister for Water, Environment and Natural Resources for the County Government of Laikipia. In this role, he provided both strategic and operational leadership that led to more than 100,000 households accessing clean drinking water, and new policies and laws governing natural resource management at the county level. He also served at the leadership level at the Council of Governors caucus of county ministers in charge of natural resources management. Njenga has previously worked as the Executive Director for the Zeitz Foundation and also worked with Maliasili before as Kenya Portfolio Manager. He is a 2013 Kinship Conservation Leadership Fellow and a 2011 ESRI Society for Conservation GIS Scholar. He has degrees from Moi University and Durell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent, Canterbury.

In her early years, Karine worked for the groundbreaking community conservation organization; IRDNC (Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation), in Namibia’s northeast. She then led the Kuru Family of Organizations’ Trust for Okavango Cultural and Development Initiatives and was Program Director for Letloa Trust, both in Botswana, whereupon she returned to Namibia to take on the role of IRDNC’s Program Director. She now applies her 21 years of management experience to supporting organizational and leadership development with Southern African conservation organizations. Karine has a master’s degree in Social Anthropology (University of Cape Town).

Fred has been working for 20 years in African conservation to develop effective strategies and lasting solutions, support innovative local organizations, and build diverse partnerships. He’s lived and worked in the field with Maasai communities in Tanzania, designed and led research on the politics of conservation in Africa, and played a leading role in global networks and collaborations that span land rights, wildlife conservation, and ecotourism. He gravitates towards creating new organizations and ventures as a self-identifying ‘conservation entrepreneur’, which led him to found Maliasili in 2010 to fill a key gap in African conservation: to champion leading local organizations and help them build the organizations and networks they need to deliver on their mission and achieve their goals. He’s been a Doris Duke Conservation Fellow and Henry Arnhold Conservation Fellow and has degrees from Cornell University and the University of Michigan. He lives in Vermont with his wife and two daughters.