John Kismir is a community conservation leader; nature explorer and a communications expert working with the United Nations. He is a co-founder of Ramat Wildlife Society, a network of community conservancies in Kajiado County.

Pat was born and raised in Kenya. She obtained B.S. in International Relations, Lock Haven University in the U.S., and currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr Margaret Otieno is the National Coordinator of Wildlife Clubs of Kenya and serves in Boards of the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife and Elsa Conservation Trust, and the Deputy Chair for IUCN Commission on Education and Communication. Margaret holds a PhD in Climate Change and Education for Sustainable Development.

Munira Anyonge-Bashir is a natural resources management expert with over 30-years of experience in community-based conservation development. Currently the Kenya Program Director The Nature Conservancies

Steve Itela is a distinguished conservationist and policy advocate with over two decades of experience in wildlife conservation, policy engagement, and environmental governance. He was part of the team that developed Kenya’s National Wildlife Strategy 2030 and has led advocacy efforts that protected wildlife areas from competing land uses in the past decade.

Currently, Steve serves as the CEO of the Conservation Alliance of Kenya (CAK), a coalition of over 70 registered entities working in environmental conservation. Under his leadership, CAK has influenced conservation policy, strengthened stakeholder collaboration, and driven legislative reforms that balance wildlife protection with national infrastructure development. 

Steve has been a key voice in international environmental policy, actively engaging in multilateral agreements such as the UNFCCC, CBD, and CITES. His efforts have influenced legislative reviews, including amendments to the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, which strengthened protections for endangered species. He has also mentored young conservation leaders, equipping them to impact policy and environmental governance.

His contributions include leading judicial dialogues that enhanced legal frameworks to curb poaching, spearheading government-community conservation discussions, and promoting biodiversity protection as a key pillar of Kenya’s economic growth.

As a member of the IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Committee (ESARO), Steve continues to champion sustainable conservation strategies that integrate climate resilience, economic development, and community engagement.

For more information, visit: Conservation Alliance of Kenya.

Anthony is a Wildlife Ecologist, Educator, Conservation Photographer and Filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. He’s an International League of Conservation Photographer- Emerging League and 2021 Jackson Wild Grand Prismatic Awardee. 

Sam holds an MSc degree and is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Policy with over 28 years of experience in government and Non-Profit Organizations. He has worked with Kenya Wildlife Service, WWF, and USAID East Africa.

Bio - update coming shortly