TEAM

Whitley Fund for Nature is run by a small administrative team in London, steered by a Board of Trustees and with the support of our inspirational Patron and Ambassadors. WFN’s judging panel kindly offer their expertise voluntarily to determine our annual Whitley Award and Continuation Funding winners. Meet everyone below.

The Princess Royal became Patron of the Whitley Fund for Nature in 1999. Her Royal Highness attends and speaks at many of our events, including our annual Whitley Awards ceremony. The Princess Royal has also visited our winners in their home countries, to see their work first-hand. Most recently Her Royal Highness visited Associate Whitley Award winner, Dr Xianfeng Zhang in China, visiting the Institute of Hydrobiology to see conservation efforts for the protection of the endangered finless porpoise.

  

Lady Faulks has supported and worked with WFN for many years and was instrumental in developing the Friends of the WFN, of which she is Chair. She has a longstanding fascination and love of wildlife and has been a Fellow of ZSL for over 30 years. Catherine is a Partner in Vivien Thompson Property search, and ran her own business, The Special Photographers Company, for 16 years. She has been an RBKC Councillor since 2011, and is currently the cabinet member for the Economy and Employment. She is Governor of Fox Primary school and Federation.  Catherine became a Trustee of WFN in January 2005.

Ian is a partner in an executive search firm in London, Sainty, Hird & Partners. Previously he worked in the specialty insurance industry in London and New York. He has a BA from the University of York and an MBA from INSEAD. Ian has always been passionate about animals and birds and he has been involved in conservation for the last 17 years. Ian is a former Senior Independent Director of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and chairman of the Governance Committee. He is also the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Durrell UK. He was a trustee of Westminster School Society for 12 years. Ian has been a long term supporter of WFN and became a trustee in September 2016.

Francis joined WFN as a Trustee in July 2012. He is a Senior Adviser in Sustainability at HSBC, and also Chair of the Board of the Sustainable Biomass Program, and Deputy Chair of ResponsibleSteel. Prior to his time at HSBC, he worked for 20 years at WWF where he held a variety of leadership roles, including Director of Conservation for WWF-UK. Francis directed a successful forest conservation campaign for WWF-International and helped establish the Forest Stewardship Council and was a member of its international board for three years. He is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University.

Dino is an entomologist and evolutionary biologist with a Ph.D. from Harvard. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Turkana Basin Institute, founded by Dr Richard Leakey. At the Turkana Basin Institute, he leads research at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development. Dr Martins served as Executive Director of the Mpala Research Centre, an international field research station located in Laikipia, Kenya from July 2015 to July 2022. In 2015, Dino received the Whitley Gold Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to conservation and joined WFN as a Trustee in 2021. Focusing on sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation, for the past 20 years Dino has carried out research on insect-plant interactions, vector biology and coevolution in many parts of East Africa, as well in other parts of the world. His approach to conservation includes working with farmers to improve awareness of pollinators and the critical role they play in food production, develop pollinator friendly-agricultural practices and reduce the use of harmful pesticides to promote food security and pollinator conservation.

Honor’s interests centre on the key role that grassroots conservation plays in protecting nature. She is committed to supporting the people and ideas at the heart of local conservation, and highlighting how their work can drive wider change. Honor supports the Whitley Fund for Nature’s Next Generation initiative, helping to build engagement with younger audiences. She has worked across climate, social impact and technology in both Europe and the UK, and is currently based in London where she works in geospatial environmental intelligence at Kayrros.

Danni’s grant-giving experience encompasses Asia, Africa and Latin America, her work contributing to raising and distributing over £24m in conservation funding. Danni is passionate about supporting grassroots environmental leaders and their teams to make a difference, and helping bring effective conservation solutions to scale. Gaining a BSc in Zoology, Danni worked in Indonesia, before studying for an MSc in Conservation Science, completing her thesis in human-wildlife conflict. Danni has worked for Earthwatch and the British Ecological Society. In 2025 she is on the Jury for the Indianapolis Prize, which is awarded to individuals in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to conservation. She is also a Trustee of WildTeam UK which helps give conservationists the knowledge, skills, and community to deliver impact. When away from her desk Danni spends her time outdoors; from cycling around London to visit its 45 “best trees” in 2021, to woodland walks and sea swimming with her family and vizsla.

As Deputy Director, Victoria works closely with Danni to ensure the charity operates within its mission and objectives to realise its ambitions; proactively driving forward organisational and strategic development, while supporting the team to flourish. Victoria has been with WFN since 2018, and holds a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies from Kings College London. She previously worked internationally on several grassroots sustainable development initiatives, most recently in Mexico and Peru.

hannah alexander – communications ASSISTANT

Hannah supports Josephine across WFN’s digital channels, campaigns and content creation. She joined the team in 2026, after working at Razorbill Films as a researcher and edit assistant. Having worked within the film and TV industry for the past 3 years, she has worked on projects such as Puppy School for Guide Dogs and Discovery Channels’ Battle for Shark Mountain. She holds an MA in Directing and Producing Science and Natural History from the National Film and Television School. In her spare time Hannah volunteers with various wildlife and animal charities, from animal husbandry to creating content for rescue centres.

GRACE BEESLEY – GRANTS ASSISTANT

Grace works with Lisa and David to support WFN’s grants programme. She joined the team in 2025 after working at the Bat Conservation Trust, on the National Bat Helpline. Prior to that, she completed a research Master’s in Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation at UCL, conducting research on the breeding success of UK seabirds at the Zoological Society of London and on morphological features of bird beaks at the Natural History Museum. Grace has also spent a year as a research assistant at an elephant orphanage in Zambia and interned at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey, where she contributed to the reintroduction programme of the Red-billed Chough.

As Head of Operations , Sarah ensures the smooth running of WFN’s London office and provides operational support to the team across events, fundraising, conservation programmes and communications. She joined the charity in August 2022 having spent the last nine years overseeing the ecotourism operations at Blue Ventures, a marine conservation NGO. Prior to that, she worked in a variety of conservation and operational roles both in the UK and overseas, and holds an MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College London. Sarah loves all things nature based and in her spare time is a Forest School Practitioner, sharing this passion with the next generation of budding conservationists.

Josephine leads on the communications and engagement strategy, working across digital and print platforms and PR to amplify the work of WFN winners and raise the charity’s profile. She joined WFN in February 2025, after spending over a decade leading strategic communications campaigns for mission-led organisations. She has previously worked at the Natural History Museum in London, the World Press Photo Foundation in Amsterdam, and the Centre for Curating the Archive in Cape Town. Josephine holds a First Class Master of Arts in Fine Arts degree from the University of Cape Town.

Formerly Managing Director of Guinness Cameroon and Finance Director of Guinness Africa, Brian, since his return to the UK, uses his core finance skills, to support charitable organisations on a part time basis. He has been with WFN since 2010 and acts as Treasurer/Finance Manager/Trustee of six other charities, several on a voluntary basis. An FCA, he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1975.

Heather works with Yasemin to support the management and development of WFN’s partnerships and donor base. She joined WFN in 2025 from humanitarian technology charity Jangala, where she worked across fundraising and programme management, engaging with a wide range of funding and impact partners to support connectivity projects for grassroots groups worldwide. She also brings experience in science communication and digital marketing, having worked at the Science Museum, the Science Media Centre and with clients in multiple sectors. Heather holds a BSc in Biology from the University of Sheffield and an MSc in Environment, Politics & Development from SOAS, where she focused on critical climate security and community-led adaptation.

David supports the ground-breaking conservationists in WFN’s Winner Network Development programme, facilitating connections among the 200-strong global Winner Network to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration, and build collective sustained impacts for wildlife and people. He also supports WFN’s grant-giving programmes. Joining in October 2025, David’s frontline conservation background has spanned multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and southeast and central Asia. He previously worked with the National Geographic Society, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and Save Giraffes Now. Most recently David has co-created joint conservation-humanitarian operations in South Sudan and also helped advise philanthropists on conservation investments. David was previously a Research Associate with the Smithsonian Institute and currently serves on the IUSN SCC Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group. David holds a master’s degree in Conservation Biology, a graduate diploma in Business Studies, and a bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Earth Science.

Carol Roussel – HEAD OF MEDIA

Carol leads media relations for WFN with the aim of building the charity’s profile and that of our winners in the national and international press. She joins the team from a background in business journalism across Europe, the US and Asia. She has worked as a staff journalist at The Daily Telegraph, Bloomberg News in Tokyo and Paris and BBC Radio Four and 5 Live as well as an independent writer in New York. Her work has also been published in The Economist and the International New York Times.

rebecca shalvey – events and office assistant

Rebecca supports Sarah and the team with upcoming WFN events all things office coordination. Coming from an administrative background, Rebecca’s real passion lies in conservation and spends her free time facilitating outdoor education and nature‑based workshops while travelling.

Yasemin Ulusoy – Head of Partnerships

Yasemin is Head of Partnerships at WFN, bringing extensive experience in conservation project development, management, and strategic fundraising. Prior to joining the team in 2024, she completed an Executive Master’s in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge. Yasemin previously worked with the Mediterranean Conservation Society (AKD), a Turkish NGO focused on marine ecosystem restoration and the co-management of marine protected areas (MPAs), where she continues to serve as a Board Member. At AKD, she secured funding, built partnerships with international donors and corporates, and represented the organization at major events, including the UN Ocean Conference in 2022 and The Economist’s Regional Ocean Summit in 2024. She has also worked at the United Nations Population Fund and has experience in investment consulting within the private sector. Her academic background includes a postgraduate degree in Sustainable Resource Economics and Policy from University College London, and a degree in Anthropology and Development from the London School of Economics. Yasemin’s interests and research lie at the intersection of social and ecological issues, with a focus on ecosystem-based fisheries management. She is inspired by the power of partnerships, which fuels her optimism about the future of conservation.

Lisa Wheeler – HEAD OF GRANTS

As Head of Grants, Lisa leads WFNs grants programme with the support of David and Grace. She has worked for WFN since 2022 and developed the Network Development programme to foster collaborations and knowledge sharing across the alumni network. She now manages WFN’s grant giving including the annual Whitley Awards and Continuation Funding programmes. Her previous experience includes seven years at the Galapagos Conservation Trust, where she worked in operations and project management. She has also volunteered on conservation projects in South Africa and the UK, worked for Botanic Gardens Conservation International as a Tree Red List Assessor, and holds a MSc in Conservation Science. She is passionate about helping grassroots conservation leaders gain the tools and resources needed to undertake their vital work to protect and restore ecosystems.

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, OM, CH, CVO, CBE

Britain’s best-known natural history film-maker, Sir David’s distinguished career in broadcasting spans over 50 years. Originally a zoologist and geologist by training, David has travelled to some of the world’s remotest regions, and is an enthusiastic advocate of international action to save wildlife and their habitat from destruction by human activities. He inspires audiences around the world to preserve our planet, through ground-breaking series such as BBC’s Planet Earth II, Netflix’s Our Planet and most recently Wild Isles, which combine stunning footage with sombre truths about humanity’s impact on the environment. Sir David was knighted in 1985.

Alastair is a director of Silverback Films Ltd and series producer of Netflix’s Our Planet and BBC’s Wild Isles. He is the executive producer of BBC One series Perfect Planet and Disneynature’s Penguin and Polar Bear movies. Alastair joined the BBC Natural History Unit in 1983 and was appointed Head of the Unit in November 1992, aged 32. His collaborations with Sir David Attenborough include The Trials of Life, Life in the Freezer, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Planet Earth and its companion feature film Earth. In 2012, Alastair left the BBC to set up his own production company, Silverback Films. He is a fellow of the Royal Television Society and of the Royal Geographic Society, who awarded him their gold medal in 2012, and has honorary doctorates from the University of Durham, Bristol, Hull and York St. John.

TOM HEAP

Tom is a television and radio presenter. He is best known as an investigative journalist on BBC1’s Countryfile, is the principal voice of Costing the Earth on BBC Radio 4 (on which he interviewed WFN Gold Award winner, Hotlin Ompusunggu), and is a regular Panorama reporter covering food, farming, energy and wildlife. His most recent BBC Radio 4 series explores 39 innovations that address the current climate crises. Tom has appeared on Celebrity Mastermind and Pointless, raising money for WFN.

KATE HUMBLE

Kate is a television presenter and author. She has presented programmes including Springwatch, Lambing Live, Countryfile, Curious Creatures and Animal Park, and was named on the Woman’s Hour Power List 2020 for inspiring multiple generations of viewers. She also runs Humble by Nature, a rural skills school on a working farm in the Wye Valley.

DanNi de Niese

Hailed as “opera’s coolest soprano” by New York Times Magazine, Danielle de Niese is a prolific recording artist, TV and media personality, and has appeared on the world’s most prestigious opera and concert stages. Danielle has thrilled audiences worldwide from the Metropolitan Opera to Covent Garden, winning an Emmy Award as a TV host at the age of 16, and making her Broadway debut at 18 in Les Miserables, before going on to record with Hans Zimmer as the voice of Ridley Scott’s movie Hannibal. She has recorded four solo albums, with her debut album seeing her named New Artist of the Year at the 2008 Echo Awards and nominated for the 2009 Classical Brit Award for Female Artist of the Year. Danielle regularly presents the BBC Proms, and her documentaries; Diva Diaries, The Birth of an Opera and most recently, the highly praised Unsung Heroines, also for the BBC. In the spring of 2022, she produced and starred in her own film version of La Voix Humaine for BBC2 conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano and in partnership with the Royal Opera House and Trademark Films. Offstage, she is passionate about music education and is an advocate for children’s rights, as well as for protecting our planet for the future.

MIRANDA RICHARDSON

Miranda is an accomplished stage, film and television actress and her performances have been widely met with critical acclaim and award nominations. She is a BAFTA, Golden Globe award winner and Academy Award nominee. Miranda is known for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder as well as in Sleepy Hollow, Harry Potter and The Hours.

LORD ROBIN RUSSELL

Robin is an international environmentalist and businessman. Robin was one of the founders of Elephant Family. He has worked extensively on conservation issues in general and has been a leader in the nexus between corporate conservation philanthropy in the U.K. and environmental organisations. Robin has been coming to the Whitley Awards for several years and has become a great Ambassador for the charity.

SHIVANI BHALLA – FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, EWASO LIONS

A strong believer in community-led conservation, Shivani has dedicated her career to working alongside local communities to ensure the long-term survival of lions in Kenya. Born and raised in Kenya, she founded Ewaso Lions in 2007 to promote coexistence between people and carnivores across northern Kenya, guided by the principle that conservation succeeds when communities lead. Her work has been recognised internationally, including the Whitley Award (2014), the Whitley Gold Award (2023, with the Ewaso Lions team), the Rabinowitz–Kaplan Prize for the Next Generation in Wild Cat Conservation, the Virginia McKenna Award for Compassionate Conservation, and recognition as a National Geographic Emerging Explorer. Shivani serves on the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, the African Lion Working Group, Kenya’s Large Carnivore Taskforce, and is a founding member of the Pride Lion Conservation Alliance. She holds degrees from Lancaster University, Edinburgh Napier University, and a DPhil in Zoology from Oxford University. Shivani lives in Samburu.

LUXMY GOPAL – BBC News presenter and reporter

Luxmy is a News presenter and reporter. During her BBC career, she has worked in national and regional news, in TV and radio, and for current affairs programmes. She is currently seen hosting weekend shows for BBC Breakfast, presenting live rolling news on the BBC News Channel, and both reporting and presenting for BBC London News. While broadcasting is her passion, her   earliest ambition as a young child was to follow in the footsteps of Sir David Attenborough, sparked by an interest in his documentaries, combined with a love of wildlife.

DANNI PARKS – DIRECTOR, WFN

Danni’s grant-giving experience encompasses Asia, Africa and Latin America, her work contributing to raising and distributing over £24m in conservation funding. Danni is passionate about supporting grassroots environmental leaders and their teams to make a difference and helping bring effective conservation solutions to scale. Gaining a BSc in Zoology, Danni worked in Indonesia, before studying for an MSc in Conservation Science, completing her thesis in human-wildlife conflict. Danni has worked for Earthwatch and the British Ecological Society. In 2025 she was on the Jury for the Indianapolis Prize, which is awarded to individuals in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to conservation. She is also a Trustee of WildTeam UK which helps give conservationists the knowledge, skills, and community to deliver impact.

DR ANDREW TERRY – DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION & POLICY, ZSL

Andrew joined ZSL as Director of Conservation and Policy in 2019 to oversee delivery of ZSL’s conservation work in the UK and internationally. He leads a team of 240 staff working across challenging landscapes and seascapes to restore species and find sustainable solutions for people and wildlife to thrive. Andrew joined ZSL following an 11-year career as Head of Conservation Programmes and UK Development at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, where he was responsible for co-developing Durrell’s global strategy to ensure measurable conservation impact on the ground. Prior to this, Andrew served as a scientific advisor and programme coordinator for IUCN’s European Programme based in Brussels.

LISA WHEELER – HEAD OF GRANTS, WFN

Lisa leads WFN’s grants programme with the support of David and Grace. She has worked for WFN since 2022 and developed the Network Development programme to foster collaborations and knowledge sharing across the alumni network. She now manages WFN’s grant giving including the annual Whitley Awards and Continuation Funding programmes. Her previous experience includes seven years at the Galapagos Conservation Trust, where she worked in operations and project management. She has also volunteered on conservation projects in South Africa and the UK, worked for Botanic Gardens Conservation International as a Tree Red List Assessor, and holds a MSc in Conservation Science. She is passionate about helping grassroots conservation leaders gain the tools and resources needed to undertake their vital work to protect and restore ecosystems.

EDWARD WHITLEY, OBE – CHAIRPERSON OF TRUSTEES AND FOUNDER, WFN

WFN’s founder Edward has long held an interest in the environment and is dedicated to supporting grassroots conservationists around the world. Through his family’s charity, the Whitley Animal Protection Trust, Edward initiated the Whitley Awards in 1994 to provide young conservationists with the opportunity to launch their careers and develop long-lasting conservation projects. Edward is Chair of the Trustees of the Whitley Fund for Nature and was awarded an OBE in 2013.

Also on the judging panel…

WFN’s Trustees rotate their participation annually.

We would also like to thank the 2026 external scoring stage assessors:

• Dr. Simon Lyster: Chair at Conservation International UK and trustee of Kilverstone Wildlife Charitable Trust
• Dr. Charu Mishra: Executive Director at Snow Leopard Trust and 2022 Whitley Gold Award winner
• Ilena Zanella: Co-Founder of Misión Tiburón and 2019 Whitley Award winner
• Dr. Mark Wright: Special Advisor, Conservation Science at WWF-UK.

caterina boitani – senior programme manager, perpetual planet initiative at rolex

OLIVIA COUCHMAN – grants director, ecological restoration fund

MORRIS GOSLING – Emeritus Professor, Newcastle University

Morris Gosling is currently an Emeritus Professor in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at Newcastle University. Before this he worked as a population biologist in the Scientific Civil Service, as Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London and as Professor of Animal Behaviour at Newcastle University. He is a member of the IUCN Equid Specialist Group and since 2004 he has been engaged in an individual-based study of the behaviour, population ecology and conservation of Hartmann’s mountain zebra in Namibia.

SANJAY GUBBI – PROGRAMME HEAD, HOLéMATTHI NATURE FOUNDATION

A passionate wildlife biologist and conservationist, Sanjay works extensively on the conservation of large carnivores like tigers and leopards, understanding their population biology, proposing conservation policies for their protection, and minimizing human-wildlife conflict. He holds a PhD in Leopard Ecology and Conservation. Equipped with several years of on-ground knowledge, he works closely with different cross-sections of the society to provide alternatives for forest-based resources to local communities, conduct outreach programmes to improve awareness on wildlife conservation, and mitigating human-wildlife conflict. His collaborations with the Karnataka Forest Department included the expansion of protected areas, and improving social security measures for the frontline staff and those affected by human-wildlife conflict. Sanjay is a 2017 Whitley Award winner.

PROF. AMANDA VINCENT – DIRECTOR and co-founder of project seahorse

Amanda is driven by a determination to protect our oceans. As well as tackling research on pressing problems, Prof. Vincent also mobilizes conservation action to improve the status of marine species and habitats. Given that there is no such thing as perfect advice, she is keen to act on the best available information, making recommendations in the spirit of adaptive management. She works to tell good news stories, always seeking solutions that generate optimism and action by the largest possible number of people. Prof. Vincent and her Project Seahorse team have made measurable gains in marine conservation, with encouraging outcomes and impacts from their work. Amanda is a 1994 Whitley Award winner.