Women in Conservation

Abeer Al Saud: Abeer Al Saud, Director General of Panthera Arabia, is a passionate leader in wildlife conservation and environmental peace building. Abeer is leading efforts to integrate Arabian, snow and Persian leopards by creating a trilateral knowledge exchange network for experts in the region. This collaboration fosters a deeper understanding of these iconic species and promotes coexistence between people and wildlife, helping to build peace through shared conservation goals.

Inès Branco: Finance expert Inès Branco is a dedicated advocate for wild cats who works behind the scenes to ensure Panthera’s conservation efforts are financially sound and sustainable. Her expertise in all things finances has been instrumental in securing resources for projects worldwide, helping teams in the field focus on protecting species like jaguars, tigers, small cats and leopards. By streamlining conservation priorities, she plays a crucial role in making sure Panthera’s impact is both effective and lasting.

Vanessa Castle: A member of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, based near Port Angeles, Washington, Vanessa Castle serves as the Cultural Conservation Science Coordinator for the Olympic Cougar Project at Panthera. She blends traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge conservation to protect both wildlife and the communities that depend on these ecosystems. Her work in the Pacific Northwest has helped restore vital wildlife corridors. As a dedicated youth mentor, Vanessa is also committed to inspiring the next generation of conservationists.

Shannon Dubay: Shannon Dubay, Director of Conservation Technology, is a passionate advocate for wild cats and their landscapes around the globe. Working with Panthera, she helps incorporate technology into conservation projects worldwide to enhance our ability to monitor biodiversity, combat poaching and protect natural habitats more effectively. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, her work supports Panthera projects around the world from margays in Costa Rica to clouded leopards in Malaysia and everything in between.

Christine Sandra Ngoubangoye: In Gabon, Christine Sandra Ngoubangoye, Coordinator of the Plateaux Batéké National Park Support Project, liaisons between Panthera, the National Parks Agency (ANPN), provincial and departmental authorities, local communities and donors. Sandra ensures funding availability, monitors progress, and reports on technical and financial outcomes to stakeholders. She also develops initiatives, assesses project needs, and advocates for local communities living near the park. Advanced project management training and 14-years-experience working in the region give Sandra a keen understanding of the unique environment in which she works.

Priscila Peralta-Aguilar: Priscila Peralta-Aguilar is a wildlife veterinarian and the Wildlife Health and Human-Wildlife Coexistence Coordinator for the Plateaux Batéké National Park in Gabon. She works closely with local communities and authorities to raise awareness about the importance of restoring lions in this unique ecosystem. Originally from the Peruvian Amazon, Priscila is preparing for the return of lions to Gabon. She will be responsible for the restoration and health monitoring of the first generation of lions that will bring the species back to the country.

Diana Stasiukynas: Diana Stasiukynas is Panthera’s Conservation Program Coordinator for Colombia. She blends traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge conservation to protect both wildlife and the communities that depend on these ecosystems. Her work has helped restore vital wildlife corridors, allowing species like jaguars and pumas to move safely between habitats. By partnering with local communities, her team has established community-based coexistence programs including sustainable livestock management practices, educational programs and community monitoring efforts, helping ensure both people and wild cats can thrive.

Dr. Wai-Yee Lam: Congratulations to Dr. Wai-Yee Lam, co-winner of WWF’s Dr. Rimington Award for Women in Tiger Science. This inspiring woman scientist is Panthera Malaysia’s Country Director, working to preserve clouded leopards, flat-headed cats and the Critically Endangered Malayan tiger. Thanks to her tireless work with indigenous communities and local partners, our counter-wildlife crime patrols in Malaysia have seen recent successes, with poaching and snaring down considerably in 2019 and 2020.

Patricia Kayula: Meet Patricia Kayula, our Kafue Lion Monitoring Coordinator, and an important leader in conservation science. Please join us in congratulating Patricia on receiving an offer to join WildCru’s International Wildlife Conservation Practice postgraduate degree program at Oxford University. After many long hours studying lion ecology and working to ensure they thrive in Zambia's grasslands, she is taking her education to the next level. Her goal is to use the knowledge she attains to help the wildlife of her home country of Zambia upon her return.

Daniela Araya-Gamboa: Roads pose a grave threat to wild cats, including jaguars. Thankfully, in Costa Rica, a team of women conservationists led by Panthera's Daniela Araya-Gamboa, our Wild Cats Friendly Roads Project Coordinator, is at the forefront of the struggle to save them as well as other species. They scour the country's roads for struck wildlife, documenting the number of animals hit — statistics that will inform conservation action.

Beathres Petrus: Beathres Petrus is a community engagement officer for Panthera in Malaysian Borneo. Beathres has always loved cats — so when she was hired by Panthera, she was extremely enthusiastic. And that enthusiasm hasn't stopped. She's patrolled miles of forest, doted over camera trap photos and engaged indigenous communities in conservation efforts. Thanks to women like Beathres, we may yet see more Sunda clouded leopards and marbled cats in the future.