Doug Bender is retired from a 36-year career as a spacecraft engineer at Boeing, where he was Chief Engineer for Flight and Control of Boeing’s unmanned space programs. Doug holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from University of California at Santa Barbara. Since retiring, Doug has changed focus, volunteering at ten distinct conservation projects in as many countries, some multiple times. He is a technical advisor to Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in Mongolia and to Marine Conservation Cambodia, which he has visited over 10 times so far.

Meade Cadot is Naturalist Emeritus at the Harris Center for Conservation Education, where he earlier served for 33 years as Executive Director, overseeing the creation of the 35,000-acre SuperSanctuary of connected protected lands. Meade also served as a faculty member in Antioch University New England’s Environmental Studies Department for 34 years. He has received numerous lifetime awards for his work in conservation and education.

Jerry Bertrand is an Environmental Advisor to Permian Global and was science advisor to the executive offices of Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter. He was head of International Affairs for the US Fish & Wildlife Service where his portfolio included setting up new parks and reserves in Asia, Africa and Latin America. He was Chairman of BirdLife International, President of Massachusetts Audubon Society, and he co-founded World Land Trust. Jerry has an MS and PhD in marine science and oceanography and holds a degree in environmental law.

Diana Papoulias retired in 2014 after a 25-year career as a research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Columbia Environmental Research Center where she studied the effects of contaminants on the
aquatic environment. Concerned about the effects of extractive industries on indigenous lands and peoples, she subsequently joined the non-profit E-Tech International to train environmental monitors to protect their native lands in Peru and Ecuador and to provide environmental expertise towards
remediation efforts of petroleum-contaminated lands. She currently is science advisor for E-Tech Peru. Diana has a Master’s Degree from Arizona State University and a Ph.D in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Missouri.

Dexter Mead has worked with land and wildlife conservation organizations since 1988, including the Piedmont Environmental Council, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Wildlife Habitat Council, and Mass Audubon. Most recently he was the Executive Director of the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust in Massachusetts for 18 years. Dexter has a Master’s in Environmental Studies from the Yale School of the Environment.

Aleks has been an advocate for environmental awareness on social media for 15 years, focusing on the causes and solutions to deforestation. He has collaborated with environmental NGOs across Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and the U.S., gaining valuable experience in the field. Currently, he supports ICF with technical aspects such as website design and social media promotion for partner organizations. Aleks holds a bachelor’s degree in law from ISES, Brussels.

Molly Bartlett is an environmental lawyer with decades of executive experience in community based international conservation. She has substantial experience in biodiversity conservation in terrestrial and marine ecosystems delivered through local organizations in Africa, Latin America and Asia. She has held senior executive positions non-profit organizations including the International Conservation Fund of Canada and the Clinton Foundation’s Climate Initiative.  Molly has an MSc. in molecular biology and a degree in environmental law.