VIRTUAL ISLAND SUMMIT 2020 IS NOW LIVE – CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
ISLAND SUMMIT
Sharing knowledge for resilient, sustainable and prosperous islands worldwide.
The first ever Virtual Island Summit is a free and entirely online event designed to connect global islands to share their common experiences through a digital platform. Join islanders from around the world to share ideas, good practices and solutions.
6-11 October 2019
Organized in collaboration with
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance between countries and territories in the Eastern Caribbean. It also performs the role of spreading responsibility and liability in the event of natural disaster.OECS currently has eleven members which together form a continuous archipelago across the Leeward Islands and Windward Islands. The membership of OECS is comprised of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Monserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe and Martinique are also associate members of OECS.
WHAT IS THE VIRTUAL ISLAND SUMMIT?
Free access to world-class experts. The Summit will be a free event to attend in order to ensure maximum accessibility to expertise from a variety of fields.
Interactive sessions in various formats. The Summit will imitate a traditional in-person event with opportunities to interact with speakers and other attendees with the goal of creating an online community.
A diverse range of viewpoints. Speakers and attendees from 100+ island communities including the Arctic, Caribbean, Europe, Indian Ocean, Pacific Islands, South America and beyond…
A zero carbon conference. The Summit will use modern technology to maximize opportunities for participation and minimize harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
The SDGs and beyond. The Summit will covers all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in addition to other topics pertinent to island communities.
Cross-sector collaboration. The Summit will emphasize the need for input and partnerships from across the private, public, academic and NGO sectors.
100+ policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics and NGO leaders share their expertise on island communities bringing examples of good practices from around the world.
European Marine Energy Centre
Established in 2003, The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Ltd is the first and only centre of its kind in the world to provide developers of both wave and tidal energy converters – technologies that generate electricity by harnessing the power of waves and tidal streams – with purpose-built, accredited open-sea testing facilities.
Orkney is an ideal base for us with its excellent oceanic wave regime, strong tidal currents, grid connection, sheltered harbour facilities and the renewable, maritime and environmental expertise that exists within the local community.
With 13 grid-connected test berths, there have been more marine energy converters deployed at EMEC than at any other single site in the world, with developers attracted from around the globe to prove what is achievable in some of the harshest marine environments.
Leclanché
Building on 100 years in the development, production and application of batteries Leclanché is a leading provider of turnkey battery energy storage solutions (BESS) based in Switzerland and operating internationally.
Leclanché is currently developing the largest solar generation plus energy storage project ever to be built in the Caribbean, a 35.6 MW solar energy plant and 44.2 MWh battery storage facility that will be built on government provided land in the Basseterre Valley, adjacent to the City of Basseterre and the current SKELEC PowerStation on the island of St. Kitts.
Aquatera
Operating globally from a hub in Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland, Aquatera provides environmental expertise and operational support for offshore, coastal and land-based activities. Our clients range from multinational corporations and national governments to individuals and community groups and we operate in more than 30 countries.
We take a multi-disciplinary approach to projects, supporting clients from planning right through to delivery and decommissioning. Our flexible business model, which draws on a wide network of associates and delivery partners, enables us to respond to clients' needs whoever and wherever they are.
Solo Energy
At Solo we believe the age of fossil fuels is dead, and we want to start making the transition to 100% renewables happen as quickly as possible, like now.
Solo are building the power plant of the future – the Virtual Power Plant. The building blocks of a Virtual Power Plant are batteries. Unlike a conventional power plant, our Virtual Power Plant is not a large industrial plant in one single location, but a connected system of distributed batteries and Electric Vehicles in homes and businesses across the grid. We digitally link these assets to act as an intelligent system of flexible demand and supply which help balance the intermittency of renewable generation.
Global Green Growth Institute
Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization that supports developing country governments transition to a model of economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. GGGI delivers programs in 33 partner countries with technical support, capacity building, policy planning & implementation, and by helping to build a pipeline of bankable green investment projects. More on GGGI's events, projects and publications can be found in our website.
Nathan Associates
Nathan Associates delivers creative, viable, and defensible analytic and economic solutions for government and commercial clients around the world. Our multidisciplinary, high-performing teams use a proactive, structured approach to navigate complexity, mitigate risk, and optimize success on every engagement. For more than 70 years, clients have relied on Nathan to handle complex, high‐stakes assignments, and provide exceptional value.
Blue Planet Energy's mission is to eliminate the use of carbon-based fuels and power the world with clean, reliable, affordable energy. The company is changing the way we power the world through super-high performance energy storage systems that make energy awareness delightful. Through years of research and testing at our advanced energy research lab on the Big Island of Hawaii, Blue Planet Energy created the safest, most powerful energy storage product that also provides the lowest lifetime cost of ownership. The company manufactures the Blue Ion battery systems - designed to be the fastest, most efficient installation - and makes them available through our certified dealer network.
Enexor BioEnergy
Enexor has developed a bioenergy system that will help solve the world's organic and plastic waste problem. The small-scale modular distributed energy technology converts a wide range of organic waste, including unrecycleable plastic and sargassum, into clean energy. Uniquely, Enexor's bioenergy technology can also withstand hurricane force winds. By simultaneously providing immediate energy and waste disposal cost savings, coupled with significant reductions in harmful greenhouse gas ("GHG") production – Enexor's patented system is incomparable to any other system in the world. Enexor BioEnergy is currently demonstrating how how sargassum can be used to create power.
NB Communication
NB is proud of its Shetland roots, and has been serving clients successfully in the islands for over a decade and a half. The core team of skilled and highly experienced digital marketing experts is based in Lerwick, but also have an office in Edinburgh and collaborates with a worldwide network of specialist experts to deliver the best possible results for every client.
NB's full team offers a formidable range of digital marketing skills, from strategy, planning and project management through to user interface design, HTML/CSS coding, content management system configuration, bespoke programming and integration, testing, and much more besides. This model allows NB to achieve a level of quality and sophistication normally only provided from city-based agencies many times our size.
Ministry of Economic Development Curaçao
The Ministry of Economic Development of Curacao gives direction to sustainable economic development in order to realize a higher level of prosperity for the society of Curaçao and stimulates a strong competitive position and high quality production. This is achieved by providing optimal service, strengthening the economic structure and effectively responding to social and international developments.
The Ministry is responsible for policy, implementation and control on the following areas:
• Business, consisting of (micro) SME policy, economic development, capital market, competition policy, infrastructure, knowledge, economic and Agricultural fisheries production and business establishment policy.
• Economic Development and Innovation, consisting of market forces, innovation, energy, industry development, employment and macro-economic stability.
• Foreign Economic Cooperation, consisting of trade policy, international business and foreign investment.
Smart Nation Curaçao
The Smart Nation movement is increasingly becoming an integral part of our nation's strategy to achieve sustainable development across fundamental areas and opportunities to improve overall efficiency and quality of life.
Through the integration of ICT solutions across fundamental sectors a balanced socio-economic development is pursued, while ensuring that the needs of present and future generations are still met regarding economic, social, environmental and cultural aspects aiming for economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental protection, which constitute the foundation for sustainable development.
Island Institute
The Island Institute works alongside Maine's island and coastal leaders to catalyze community sustainability in the state's 120 island and coastal communities and share what works among these diverse communities and beyond.
VIRTUAL ISLAND SUMMIT 2020 Free Registration
Register now to attend the various online events taking place on 6-11th September 2020.
Registration is FREE, but spaces are limited, so reserve your spot now!
Can't make the live event dates? No worries! Register for the event, and we'll send you the replay link after the event. If you can attend live, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions to speakers and interact with other guests.
Please complete your registration today to ensure you get the latest updates, access to the live sessions, and copies of the recordings!
Executive Director at Global Island Partnership
Kate Brown is the Executive Director of the Global Island Partnership, a platform that enables island leaders and their supporters to take action to build resilient and sustainable island communities. Kate is a passionate advocate for islands and has extensive experience in all island regions globally, and brings an extensive network of island leaders, blue sky thinkers and people dedicated to supporting islands. She brings varied experiences: working inside government, nonprofits and intergovernmental organizations as well as a keen sense of the most important elements of the international policy setting space relevant to islands as well as what is needed for implementation to happen. Kate is originally from New Zealand, lived for 8 years in Samoa and now resides in Washington D.C. with her family.
Godfrey Baldacchino
Professor & Pro-Rector at the University of Malta
Godfrey Baldacchino is a Maltese and Canadian social scientist. He is Pro-Rector and Professor of Sociology at the University of Malta and also the UNESCO Co-Chair in Island Studies and Sustainability at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada. He is former Director of the Centre for Labour Studies at the University of Malta and is the current chairman of its board. He has provided consultancy to the Malta Prime Minister and various other Ministers and was elected President of the International Small Islands Studies Association in 2014 and Chair of the Scientific Board of RETI, the Network of Island Universities, in 2015. He set up Island Studies Journal, which he edited from 2006 to 2017. Baldacchino has served as visiting professor to tertiary education institutions in Australia, Barbados, Fiji, Iceland, Mauritius, Seychelles and Sweden and is a prolific author on island topics.
Christine Milne
Former Green Party Leader & Senator for Tasmania
Christine Milne was the first woman to lead a political party in Tasmania and was the Leader of the Australian Greens from 2012 to 2015 in the Australian Parliament. She was elected to represent Tasmania in the federal parliament in 2004 after a distinguished career in the Tasmanian state parliament (1989-98). She was instrumental in developing the Clean Energy Package, which was the core legislation responsible for addressing global warming. Christine also served on the Global Council of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 2000-2008 with four years as one of the four global Vice Presidents. She represented the organization at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Convention. She was appointed to the United Nations Environment Programme's Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1990 and has received many awards during her distinguished career.
Mallika Nanduri Bhatt
Director General of Policy & Planning for Innovation & Energy Technology at NRCan
Mallika Nanduri Bhatt is the Director General of Policy and Planning for Innovation and Energy Technology at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Her team advances Government-wide initiatives to support clean technology and energy innovation, and operates the Clean Growth Hub - a whole-of-government focal point for clean technology focused on helping stakeholders navigate federal supports. Mallika has over twenty years of diverse Government of Canada experience ranging from senior economist to the management of key partnerships for environmental policy including conservation and climate change adaptation. Mallika holds a Master of Natural Resource Management from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Session: Global Practices, Challenges and Opportunities in Energy Storage for Islands and for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Director General of Policy and Planning for Innovation and Energy Technology at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Audrey Tang
Digital Innovation Minister, Taiwan
Audrey is known for revitalizing the computer languages Perl and Haskell, as well as building the online spreadsheet system EtherCalc in collaboration with Dan Bricklin. In the public sector, Audrey served on Taiwan national development council's open data committee and K-12 curriculum committee; and led the country's first e-Rulemaking project. In the private sector, Audrey worked as a consultant with Apple on computational linguistics, with Oxford University Press on crowd lexicography, and with Socialtext on social interaction design. In the social sector, Audrey actively contributes to g0v ("gov zero"), a vibrant community focusing on creating tools for the civil society, with the call to "fork the government." In August 2016, she was invited to join the Taiwan Executive Yuan and is Taiwan's Digital Minister.
Mike Eman
Opposition Leader & Former Prime Minister of Aruba
Mike is a politician and civic leader, who served as the Prime Minister of Aruba from 2009 to 2017, designing and implementing a vision of sustainable and shared prosperity that put Aruba on the path to greater use of renewable energy, a diversified knowledge-based economy and a stronger sense of community and social cohesion. Mike also served as President in 2016 of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the European Union, promoting a strategy to pursue sustainable development among its members. He advocated for a global transition to renewable energy, becoming a strong voice on the climate change threat facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS), speaking at key fora, including the U.N. Security Council (2015) and the U.N. 3rd International Conference on SIDS (2014). Today, Mike continues his political work as Leader of the Opposition and resides in Aruba, working tirelessly to support sustainable development for island communities and as an advocate for renewable energy.
Giselle Mc William
Minister of Economic Development, Curaçao
As of the 27th of August 2019, Curaçao has a new Minister of Economic Development. Former Parliament member of the political party MAN, Mrs. Giselle Mc William bravely accepted the important challenge to lead the island during these difficult times. In her acceptance speech, the Minister explained her vision and intentions. Minister Mc William explains that she accepted the request of her party to assume this responsibility because she believes in the potential of Curaçao and its people. She is very clear about her plans. "My leadership will be based on good governance, transparency, and inclusion". The Minister explains that she is open for suggestions from everyone, both experts in the economic field and people who want to give their sincere contribution to reach sustainable economic development for the whole nation and future generations. Job creation is at the heart of her economic vision.
The Minister will dedicate special attention to the promotion of exports of products and services in order to generate more income for the island. Other priority areas are the financial service sector and the promotion of the Smart Nation concept.
Laura Watts
'Ethnographer of Futures' and writer
Laura Watts is an 'Ethnographer of Futures' and writer, artist, poet, and scholar. She is an Interdisciplinary Senior Lecturer in Geography and the Lived Environment, Geosciences, University of Edinburgh. She works at the intersection of Science & Technology Studies (STS) and Anthropology. Her research and writing explores: "How does landscape effect the way the future is imagined and made? And how might places at the edge make the future otherwise?" She is the author of Energy at the End of the World: an Orkney Islands Saga, which tells the story of how these islands are making their own energy future, from marine energy to hydrogen fuel, at what some see as the edge of the world.
Session: Energy at the End of the World: An Orkney Islands Saga
Justin Locke
Senior Director, Islands Energy, Rocky Mountain Institute
Justin Locke is responsible for strategic oversight and leadership for Carbon War Room's Islands Energy Program, which guides island governments and utilities to define and achieve their energy visions. The program aims to accelerate the transition of island economies from a heavy dependence on fossil fuels to a diverse platform of renewables and energy efficiency while establishing a blueprint for other isolated economies. Justin previously held the position of disaster risk management specialist at the World Bank, where he was instrumental in accessing climate financing for Eastern Caribbean countries where he led national planning processes designed to develop and deploy tailored, broad-based national adaptation and mitigation strategies for achieving cross-sectoral climate resilience.
Racquel Moses
CEO of the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator
Racquel Moses is CEO of the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator. She has served in several executive-level positions at large multinational organizations and Caribbean leadership organizations including country head of Microsoft Trinidad and Tobago and the regional director of the public sector for Microsoft Caribbean, portfolio head Europe and Americas and Head of Caribbean and International projects for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), president of InvesTT Trinidad and Tobago as well as leadership positions within JP Morgan Chase, Cable & Wireless and Fujitsu.
Although the bulk of her career has been international Racquel was born and raised in Trinidad. Through all of her appointments she has served as an agent of change and high performance. Racquel is a married mother of two, has run 4 international marathons, was the winner of a World Bank innovation award in 2013 and currently serves as the trustee for the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee.
Didacus Jules
Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
His Excellency Dr. Didacus Jules assumed the post of Director General, of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in May 2014. In this capacity he is responsible for driving the regional integration thrust towards a single economic and social space involving ten Eastern Caribbean States.
Dr. Jules had had extensive regional and international experience, most of it focused on education, social policy and organisational transformation. He served as Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Examinations Council (2008-2014) leading a thorough modernization of the Council. He has also served as Vice President Human Resources Cable and Wireless St, Lucia (2005-2008); Permanent Secretary for Education & Human Resource Development St. Lucia (1997-2008) as well as Permanent Secretary for Education and Chief Education Officer in revolutionary Grenada from 1981-1983.
He has provided consultancy services to national governments, regional and international organisations in the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and North America. He chaired the World Bank's Vision 2020 Committee on Education in the Caribbean and has served on many private sectors, educational, and philanthropic boards. He holds a BA (Hons) from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill, an MSc in Curriculum & Instruction and a PhD in Educational Policy and Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as a MBA from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill.
Alice Rogoff
Founder of ArcticToday
Ms. Rogoff is Publisher and founder of "ArcticToday" and former Publisher and owner of Alaska Dispatch News. She co-founded the international forum "Arctic Circle," together with former President Olafur Grimsson of Iceland.
Ms. Rogoff also founded and co-chairs the Advisory Council of the Polar Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center of the Smithsonian. She is founding Advisor to the Harvard Kennedy School's Arctic Initiative. Ms. Rogoff has been the Chief Financial Officer of US News and World Report, as well as an independent private equity investor. She has served on the boards of many non-profit organizations, and holds an MBA from Harvard University. In her private life, Ms Rogoff is a pilot who enjoys flying her Cessna 206 in Alaska.
Arno Boersma
Former Director of UNDP's Center of Excellence for Small Island Developing States
Arno Boersma is the founding partner of Island Impact, a social enterprise that aims to bring positive impact to small islands through initiatives in sustainable development. He is an experienced knowledge strategist with a passion for turning knowledge into action, preferably knowledge related to island opportunities in energy, water, climate, tourism, waste, ocean, and biodiversity. Arno has been an entrepreneur as well as worked for multinational firms, the World Bank Group, and the UN. Most recently, from 2016-2019, he led the launch and growth of the UNDP's Center of Excellence for Small Island Developing States which aims to foster island-to-island collaboration and knowledge exchange. He recently moved from Aruba to Washington, DC where he subsequently launched the Network of Island Professionals.
Former Director of UNDP's Center of Excellence for Small Island Developing States
Riad Meddeb
Policy Advisor, Sustainable Development Economist
Riad Meddeb is a seasoned economist and international development professional specializing in trade, investment, migration, and technology innovation to address issues and facilitate decisions of policymakers with over 20 years' experience working with UN agencies, such as UNDP, UNCTAD and UNITAR – and the ILO and the University of Paris. Riad has extensive experience as an economic and policy advisor to the UN and foreign governments, such as providing assessment and policy advice on economic recovery and livelihoods to support country to mainstream and implement the Sustainable Development Goals. Adept at managing programs and staff, strategic and political savvy, and works in multiple languages. Worked in fragile and post-conflict country contexts and Small Islands Developing States, such as Comoros, Mauritius, Cambodia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Guinea, Burkina Faso, etc.
Policy Advisor at the United Nations Development Program
Queen Quet
Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation
Queen Quet Marquetta L. Goodwine is a published author, computer scientist, lecturer, mathematician, historian, columnist, preservationist, environmental justice advocate, environmentalist, film consultant, and "The Art-ivist." She is the founder of the premiere advocacy organization for the continuation of Gullah/Geechee culture, the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition.
Session: Sustaining the Prosperity of Island Communities: Cultural Traditions and the Environmental Legacy
Alejandro Nuñez Guerrero
Director of the Tourism Hub and the Porvenir Campus of the University of Magallanes
Alejandro Nuñes Guerrero is a trained veterinarian from Porvenir, on the Chilean side of the island of Tierra del Fuego. He is Director of the Tourism Hub and the Porvenir Campus of the University of Magallanes, an institution that provides higher education across the southern part of Chilean Patagonia.
Married and father of 5 children, Alejandro has an enormous love and commitment to the island of Tierra del Fuego and is currently concerned about seeking mitigation, adaptation and resilience measures for climate change. Alejandro was also the Director of Chile's first ecomuseum, a councilman for the Commune of Porvenir, and is the coordinator and founder of the First Colloquium of Chilean-Argentine Binational Climate Change.
Lisa Drewe
Author of Islandeering
Dr. Lisa Drewe invented the term 'Islandeering' to describe her passion and argues it shares the same psychology as climbing to the summit of a mountain. Islandeering is making a circular journey around the outer edge of an island by any means possible - walking, scrambling or paddling, and Lisa has since authored a book: 'Islandeering: An explorer's guide to the islands of Britain.'
Session: Islandeering: Adventures Around the Edge of Britain's Hidden Islands
Chief Operating Officer, Blue Planet Energy
Christopher Johnson leads Blue Planet Energy as the Chief Operating Officer. He keeps the company on track to accomplish its mission to end the use of carbon-based fuels by making energy awareness delightful and clean energy accessible. He brings a deep background in science, hands on experience in renewable energy, and extensive leadership in executive roles of startups. Johnson has led software teams, created open source platforms, spoken at dozens of conferences and led social impact businesses. He has lived on 5 continents, speaks Spanish, and currently lives in San Francisco with his family. In his spare time, he likes to build LED projects and is passionate about soccer, cycling, and building community and healthy soil.
Session: Creating Resilient Island Energy Systems
Gregg Murphy
Vice President of Business Development, Blue Planet Energy
Gregg Murphy first found his passion for renewable energy in 1994 when he built an off-grid solar powered home. Gregg's home was featured in The Solar Home Tour. From that point he founded Solar Northwest, where he taught college extension courses on renewable energy and helped many people cut the cord to carbon-based fuel utility power.
Murphy most recently was the Director of Sales and a Partner at Revolusun in Honolulu. He developed the RevoluSun Way selling process and authored the Solar Masters training course. Under Murphy's leadership Revolusun won numerous awards, locally and nationally. He was pivotal in growing Revolusun as a market leader, as well as developing and managing franchisee's whom purchased a RevoluSun Franchise.
Gabriel Perez
Latin America and Caribbean Regional Sales Manager Blue Planet Energy
A life-long resident of Puerto Rico, Gabriel Perez manages sales for Blue Planet Energy in the Latin American and Caribbean markets. Perez has worked professionally in the solar and storage industries for more than a decade. He was a member of the team that built Puerto Rico's first 20 MW solar-plus-storage power plant. Perez has closed more than US$ 30M in solar power purchase agreement contracts. In his former sales position with Unirac, he drove a 40% increase in sales revenue within the territories he managed.
Latin America and Caribbean Regional Sales Manager, Blue Planet Energy
Chief Executive Officer, Solo Energy
100%-renewable energy visionary and thought leader. Generation-ahead thinker passionately driven by the belief that the world will transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy within our lifetime.
Co-founder of Solo Energy where we are merging blockchain and our advanced energy storage platform to create the Virtual Power Plant of the future.
Solo deploys and aggregates distributed batteries and electric vehicles in homes and businesses to store energy at times of peak renewable generation. We're creating a shared energy economy where renewable energy is shared through peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading.
Session: Orkney: The Cutting-Edge of Marine Energy
Managing Director, Solo Energy
Dr Gareth Davies has worked as an environmental consultant for over 20 years. He trained initially as a marine biologist, obtaining his doctorate in deep sea biology. He has since completed over 350 projects and has particularly extensive experience in environmental impact assessment (EIA), best practicable environmental option (BPEO) studies, quantitative risk assessment, environmental surveys, environmental management systems development, waste management studies, stakeholder consultation, workshop organisation and training for the renewable energy, oil and gas and other industrial sectors. He has worked in many areas of the world including the Caspian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, Russia, North America, South America and numerous island groups.
Managing Director, Aquatera
Lee Jestings
Founder and CEO of Enexor BioEnergy
Lee Jestings is the founder and CEO of Enexor BioEnergy. Mr. Jestings has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry and has created a company dedicated to converting organics and unrecycleable plastic into clean energy onsite for commercial, industrial, and municipal customers worldwide.
Kristin Deason
Caribbean Representative, Green Growth Planning and Implementation, GGGI
Kristin Deason, Ph.D, is the lead representative in the Caribbean for the Global Green Growth Institute. She is based in St. Lucia at the headquarters of the OECS, GGGI's partner in the region. Dr. Deason previously served in Fiji as GGGI's Senior Regional Officer for the Pacific program at GGGI, where she developed projects related to renewable energy, green entrepreneurship, and NDC planning and implementation.
Prior to joining GGGI, she worked on renewable energy projects with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the U.S. Army and Navy, ARPA-E, and the governments of Germany and the EU. She holds a Ph.D in Energy and Environmental Management from the George Washington University and a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Virginia.
Vincent Guinaudeau
Senior Green Investment Specialist
Vincent is a senior green investment specialist at GGGI and he is part of the Pacific NDC Hub's Implementation Unit.
Vincent has a vast international experience in developing and financing mitigation and adaptation projects to support NDC implementation – with both private and public institutions and using a full range of financial instruments.
Before working within the Pacific NDC Hub, Vincent worked for a US investment bank (Morgan Stanley), for the UK Green Investment Group (financing large renewable energy projects) and for GGGI in Rwanda, covering several African countries.
Vincent graduated in Economics at the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Cachan (France) and holds a Master's Degree in corporate finance from Sciences Po Paris (France).
Panel: Regional Approaches to Supporting NDC Implementation and Enhancement: Lessons Learned from the Caribbean and the Pacific
Senior Green Investment Specialist, GGGI
Fernando De Sisternes
Energy Specialist, World Bank Group
Fernando leads the variable renewable grid integration program at the World Bank's Energy Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), and co-leads the Energy Storage Partnership. Since joining the World Bank he has worked with teams around the world on strategic energy planning, energy security, regional market integration, and renewable energy grid integration. Fernando has 13 years energy sector experience including roles at Argonne National Laboratory, the International Energy Agency, Siemens Gamesa, and other organizations as an independent policy consultant, with published works in IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, Energy Economics, Applied Energy, among others. He holds a PhD in Technology, Management and Policy, and a MS in Technology and Policy from MIT.
Daniel Hung
Director at Penghu County Government
Daniel Hung (洪棟霖) is the Director of General Affairs Department for the Government of Taiwan, Penghu County, where he serves as Director of Tourism, Director of Planning Office, Director of Economic Affairs, and Director of General Affairs. He is also part of the research team at the Center for the Blue Economy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, California, on a Non-Academic Professional Program Fulbright Scholarship. He has a Master of Science in Urban Planning from the National Cheng-Kung University of Taiwan. His goal is to research trends in marine spatial planning, maritime security, offshore energy, and sustainable tourism in both the U.S. and Taiwan, and to incubate 'Blue Economy Clusters', or partnerships between the U.S. and Taiwan.
Daniel Hung 洪棟霖
Director at Penghu County Government, Taiwan
Adam Borison
Senior Vice President, Nathan Associates
Dr. Adam Borison, an internationally recognized energy consultant, has applied advanced analytic methods to strategy, valuation, operations, and risk in power and fuels for more than 25 years. He has led engagements in investment evaluation, performance improvement, corporate M&A, ERM, project planning and management, product pricing and design, capital allocation, and government policy and regulation. He has submitted expert testimony in arbitration, litigation, and regulatory settings in the US and abroad.
Dr. Borison advised a major international energy company on its pipeline gas/power business strategy in the US Midwest, supported utility resource planning involving tens of billions in dollars of generation and transmission facilities in Canada, and evaluated on-grid, micro-grid, and off-grid renewable energy developments for multilateral banks and Caribbean governments.
Session: How can Islands Move E-Mobility into the Fast Lane?
Wanjohi Kabukuru
Journalist & Editor at the Indian Ocean Observatory
Wanjoh Kabukuru i is an award-winning international media trainer, editor and journalist, with a specialty in environmental journalism. Over the last 20 years his articles have been published in top-notch publications such as New African, African Business, Seychelles News Agency, African Banker, Radio France International (RFI), Inter Press Service (IPS), Diplomat East Africa, BBC Focus on Africa, Mail & Guardian, Africa Renewal and 100Reporters among other numerous publications. Wanjohi has worked extensively in the multi-cultural environments of more than 10 countries in East, Central and Horn of Africa together with the Indian Ocean nations and is a board member of several international media organisations. He is the current editor and head of the Indian Ocean Observatory Media Unit and a correspondent for the UN's Africa Renewal, based on Lamu Island, Kenya.
Daphne Ewing-Chow
Senior Strategic Communications Professional- Environment
Daphne Ewing-Chow is a Barbadian writer with a passion for sustainable agriculture and food systems. She is widely published in the area of agriculture, fisheries and marine conservation, is an environmental and agriculture contributor with Forbes, served as the head of communications for CC4FISH, Caribbean climate change in fisheries project at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and currently serves as the Head of Content at Loop News in the Cayman Islands.
Daphne has been highly involved in philanthropic initiatives with dance4life, the Zero Waste Trust and sits on the Board of Advisors for the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation. She is a member of the United Nations Island Voices Journalism Campaign and is a food sustainability panellist for the $3 million Zayed Sustainability Award, in the United Arab Emirates. Daphne holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs with a speciality in International Economic Policy from Columbia University in New York.
Francesco Sindico
Co-Director of the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance
Francesco Sindico is the Founder and Co-Director of the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance (SCELG) at the University of Strathclyde Law School in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He is a Public International Lawyer by training and has over ten years of experience providing legal advice to international organisations and national governments in the fields of climate change law, international water law and sustainable development law and policy. He leads the EILEAN initiative at SCELG, an effort to better understand how island communities engage with legal and political processes to promote resilience and sustainability. Francesco has collaborated with the Scottish Government in the implementation of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 by providing technical advice to the consultation leading to the National Islands Plan and working on guidance related to island communities impact assessment.
David Nicol
Managing Director at NB Communication Ltd
Founder and MD of NB Communication, a digital agency based in Shetland and Edinburgh, serving clients throughout Scotland and in London. Currently delivering the 'Promote Shetland' DMO service for Shetland Islands Council, while growing NB's reach nationally and internationally.
I have 20+ years deep expertise helping remote and rural locations with positioning and promotion to help attract the right people to live, work, study, visit and invest.
NB was ranked the number #2 small agency in the UK for customer satisfaction in the Drum's Digital Census
Dawn Repetto
Tourism Coordinator at Government of Tristan da Cunha
Dawn Repetto works and lives on the remote south Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha and was appointed Head of Tourism in March 2009. Before taking on this new position Dawn was employed in the Finance Department, but always felt that when visitors came to the island there was really no entity informing them of what they needed to know; she often felt visitors were a little lost in a very remote place. When the new position as Head of Tourism became available Dawn jumped at the opportunity. Dawn is married to Robin and they have two children, Jade and Amber. Although Tristan is remote Dawn has had the opportunity to work in the UK, St Helena Island and Isle of Man: seeing how tourism functions elsewhere has given her a clear concept of how visitors to the island want to experience life lived off the beaten track. Dawn loves being able to explain how Tristanians thrive without modern conveniences such as restaurants and ATMs; it's a life close to nature, based on fishing and subsistence farming.
Paul Durrant
Innovation & Technology Strategy lead, IRENA
Paul has over 20 years' experience of shaping UK and international innovation policies and programmes. In January 2018 Paul joined IRENA's Innovation & Technology Centre in Germany. There he leads on strategy and engagement with the aim of fostering deeper international partnership working to accelerate the adoption of the renewable energy technologies.
Paul graduated with a PhD in Nuclear Physics from the UK's University of Southampton before taking on technology policy roles in the UK Home Office and Department for Transport. For 10 years Paul led on Energy Innovation Policy & Strategy in the UK's Department of Energy & Climate Change and the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. From Autumn 2015 onwards Paul led UK engagement with the Mission Innovation initiative and later became Head of Mission Innovation's Secretariat.
Innovation & Technology Strategy lead, International Renewable Energy Agency
Dwayne Menezes
Founder and Managing Director of Polar Research and Policy Initiative
Dr Menezes has long pursued a career at the intersection of academia, policy, social entrepreneurship and the arts. In his academic career, he is a historian of the British Empire and the Commonwealth, with a focus on the role of indigenous actors in travel and exploration, imperial administration and Christian missions. He read History at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the University of Cambridge, graduating from the latter with a PhD in History. He also served as Research Associate at the Centre of Governance and Human Rights (CGHR) at the University of Cambridge; Visiting Academic at the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) at the University of Oxford; and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Heythrop College, University of London. At present, he serves as Associate Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, and Honorary Fellow at the UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London.
Ali Russell
Chief Marketing Officer, Extreme E
Ali Russell has been working in the sports industry for over 20 years, with a career spanning across multiple sports, including roles in rugby, football and motorsport. He has worked in several high-profile positions including Chief Marketing Officer at FIA Formula E, Chief Operating Officer at Rangers and Acting Managing Director at Queens Park Rangers.
Ali is currently setting up Extreme E, a pioneering new series set to revolutionise motorsport. Extreme E's mission is to showcase electric SUV performance in extreme conditions, whilst encouraging global action to combat the devastating environmental issues threatening our planets future. The series provides competitive platform for accelerating the development of electric vehicles, to help create a low – carbon future powered by renewable energy committed to supporting and partnering with organisations working to restore degraded environments in which we race, the precious ecosystems within them and the people who live there.
Vintura Silva
Lead for the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centres in Latin America and the Caribbean
Vintura Silva heads the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centre for the Caribbean, based in St George's, Grenada and is also part of the Caribbean MRV Hub team. He has been with the UNFCCC secretariat since 2008. Before his current posting, he lead the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centres for Africa , Latin America and coordinated the office for Asia Pacific. Prior to joining UNFCCC, Vintura had worked as an international consultant on climate change mitigation and national GHG inventories. He had completed his doctoral studies in International Business Administration and holds Masters degrees in international Business Administration, Industrial Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry.
Adele Lidderdale
Hydrogen Project Officer, at Orkney Islands Council
Project Officer - Hydrogen, primary contact within Orkney Islands council relating to hydrogen. Primarily liaising with the partners to complete the deliverables regarding the Surf'n'Turf and BIG HIT projects here in Orkney.
Richy Ainsworth
Hydrogen Project Manager, at EMEC
Richy began working at EMEC in 2018, having graduated with an MSc in Marine Renewable Energy from the International Centre for Island Technology (ICIT). As EMEC's Hydrogen Project Specialist, Richy is responsible for managing a range of EMEC Hydrogen projects and works closely with the hydrogen development team focused on future hydrogen infrastructure and use. Prior to moving to Orkney, he studied MEng Mechanical Engineering at Strathclyde University, and while studying worked as a science communicator at Glasgow Science Centre. Following graduation, Richard moved to New Zealand working in operations and maintenance in the ski industry, later returning to the UK and working as an Aircraft Mechanic for British Airways until 2017.
Tara Carroll
Owner, Cove Cool-out Restaurant & Bar
Born to a Family of foodies where the entire family would go to Grandma's house on Sundays for some good "Ole" Cooking. Tara had a yearning desire to replicate this same feeling and experience and offer to the Public, whilst having a positive environmental impact.
Tara went on to Complete her Degree at University of the West Indies, where she obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Management Studies and also helped in forming the Germaine Mason Foundation.
She then Formed Cove Cool-out Restaurant & Bar while in University and started a Fish Fry based on a Popular Location called Hellshire Beach using authentic techniques of cooking and also hiring locals from that area.
Hellshire is at risk from sea level rise and Tara uses staff from the area for her weekly events. She is also looking into fish farming and already grows some of the inputs for her business. Nothing out of season is served at the Cove including lobster and conch; sustainable seafood is the priority.
Asia Williams
Blue Economy Entrepreneur Consultant, at Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship.
Asia is passionate about climate change and the impact it is having on the environment. She previously worked in the UK as an Infrastructure Consultant on sustainable housing projects and public transport programmes to reduce areas with high car dependency. She also worked with the Environment Agency on their Flood Risk Programme to upgrade and introduce new schemes in areas where modelling showed climate change would have a negative impact. She worked with the Commonwealth Climate Change Network as an advisor, training young persons on climate change, and supporting engagement activities at COP24 negotiations. She started coming to Jamaica in 2017 on a partnership project with UN-Habitat to assess the flood risk in Montego Bay's North Gully and recently moved to Jamaica from the U.K where she supported the Climate Change Division's communication activities and now gets to spend some weekends ocean diving and volunteering with the marine parks.
Blue Economy Entrepreneur Consultant, at Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship./p>
Sylvie Gustave Dit Duflo
Vice-President of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe
Aged 48, she is the mother of 2 children and lived in Guadeloupe, (French West-indies).
She obtained a PhD in Brain Sciences in 1998 at the University of Montpellier II, in France. She began her university career in 1999, at the University of Aix-Marseille I, as an assistant professor, a career she will pursue at the University of Antilles-Guyane, from 2006. She will take the Head of the Department of Biology from 2009 to 2015. Parallel to this professional career, she began a political career in 2008 and became a township councilor in the town of Baillif, then a regional elected representative since 2010. From 2015, she will become vice -president of the regional council of Guadeloupe, in charge of environmental issues. From 2016, she will become the Chair of the Water and Biodiversity Committee, a member of the National Water Committee, and a member of the National Biodiversity Committee.
Bryan Urban
EVP, Stationary Solutions, Leclanche
Bryan Urban, executive vice president, Stationary Solutions business unit and head of Leclanché North America, is an accomplished energy industry executive with more than 25 years of energy development, finance and operational experience, covering a broad array of power generation and energy infrastructure assets in the Americas and Asia/Pacific.
Throughout his career, Urban has been instrumental in the development of more than 9,000 MW of power generation; led over $6 billion in project and corporate financings in both conventional and alternative energy sectors; and has been involved in numerous energy infrastructure projects on a strategic and deal execution basis.
Urban leads a veteran global team focused on the stationary market and is based out of the company's North American headquarters in Dallas. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Indiana University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Dagmara Avanindra
Founder & CEO DAVA Energy Solutions
Dagmara Avanindra is an accomplished engineer, technologist and sustainability expert who has dedicated her career to creating more accessible, affordable and sustainable energy solutions – particularly in the Caribbean region.
She founded DAVA Energy Solutions, based in Aruba, with a wholistic approach of delivering scalable clean energy solutions by working with utilities, IPPs, regulators, governments and knowledge centers, which ultimately results in executed utility scale energy projects.
Avanindra serves on several boards including board member of Solar Head of State, Oakland, Calif.; chairman of 360o of Innovation, Aruba; and board member of LABACA – Latvian American Business Association of California.
She gained a better understanding of the Caribbean region by first working for the former Prime Minister of Aruba, Mike Eman, in the Bureau of Innovation and Sustainability. Avanindra has a master's degree in Electrical Engineering – Circuit Design from Stanford University where she graduated with honors.
Jo Edghill
Co-Founder and Director of Megapower Ltd. in Barbados
Jo Edghill is a co-Founder and Director of Megapower Ltd. in Barbados. Jo lived overseas for 10 years working on a range of rural development initiatives in Asia and the South Pacific, including a European Union funded democratic governance project in Papua New Guinea, before returning to Barbados in October 2011.
Jo recognised a distinct market opportunity, for electrified transport, powered by renewables, and jointly formed Megapower Ltd. in February 2013. Megapower's vision is for a network of publicly accessible charging stations, powered by renewable resources, enabling the rapid uptake of electric vehicles in Barbados and the Caribbean.
Megapower is now seen as the Caribbean's leading Electric Vehicle Specialist Garage, currently working in 8 Caribbean countries.
Co-Founder and Director of Megapower Ltd
Clement Jomo Williams
General Manager (Ag.) St. Kitts Electricity Company
C. Jomo Williams is an experienced and successful utilities industry professional with more than 10 years' experience as an engineer and manager in both the generation and distribution of electricity.
In his role as general manager (Ag.) at the St. Kitts Electricity Company Limited (SKELEC), he has been pivotal in helping transition the company from a government department to a corporatized entity. He has also been a proponent of change management and is always eager to incorporate new technologies and practices to help enhance the company's greatest asset, its people. Williams encourages their advancement through collaboration and exposure as he is a believer that "Great things are accomplished by talented people who believe they will accomplish them," – W. Bennis"
Williams is an engineering professional with a Master of Science degree focused in Engineering Management from University of South Florida.
Scott Macaw
Head of Business Development HowardScott
Scott Macaw, head of business development for HowardScott, enjoys two decades of experience in transactions and private equity specializing in clean energy.
At HowardScott, a global developer of micro-grid and renewable energy projects, Macaw has structured, raised finance for, invested in and originated more than 100 cross border transactions within the technology and real estate sectors.
He led the turnaround of Graciólica, a project to deliver world leading levels of renewable penetration on the island of Graciosa in the Azores, Previously, he was a key investor and board member of Swiss SIX-listed battery technology company Leclanché and was an investor and board member in Danish company, Suncil, which provides a range of solar powered, street masts for lighting and smart infrastructure.
Macaw graduated with a BCom Finance from Melbourne University, Australia and an LLM in International Law from St Thomas University, Miami.
Petra Granholm
Research Coordinator at the Åland Islands Peace Institute in Finland
Petra Granholm is a research coordinator at the Åland Islands Peace Institute in Finland. She is actively involved in the Bärkraft network, which is a bottom-up, inside-out sustainability process in the Åland islands, an autonomous and demilitarised archipelago in the middle of the Baltic Sea. In 2019, Bärkraft won the first EU sustainability award in the category "public entity (< 100 000 individuals)".
Petra holds a Master in Political Science from Åbo Akademi University, Finland and a Master of Resource Management from the University of Akureyri, Iceland. She was born and raised on the Åland Islands and has through family strong connections with rural areas in Iceland.
Fiona Wilson
Senior Regional Manager for the Clinton Climate Initiative's Islands Energy Program
Fiona manages the Clinton Foundation's clean energy projects in the Africa and Indian Ocean region, serving as Senior Regional Manager for the Clinton Climate Initiative's Islands Energy Program. Her work focuses on implementing innovative models for renewable energy solutions in an island context, supporting island governments to achieve their renewable energy goals. Over the past few years, she has supported the Government of Seychelles in developing and de-risking the country's 4 MW marine floating solar project. Prior to joining the Clinton Foundation, she worked in environmental finance, specializing in industrial energy systems and renewable energy IPP projects in the Southeast Asia and Southern Africa markets. Fiona is a graduate of Princeton University, where her research centered on renewable energy development in South Africa.
Simon Gazdowicz
Member of Multiconsult's Solar and Smart Energy Advisory Team
Simon is a key member of Multiconsult's Solar and Smart energy advisory team specializing in system design and procurement, particularly for floating PV and hybrid systems. He has played a key role in all FPV projects thus far at Multiconsult. He is currently the key technical resource for the 4MW saltwater floating PV tender in the Seychelles and was responsible for the system design of the Mt Coffee Hydro-Solar hybrid pre-feasibility study in Liberia.
Abil Castañeda
Chief Tourism Officer at Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in Belize
Cynthia Alexander
Principal Officer for Renewable Energy and Energy Management Unit at the Seychelles Energy Commission (SEC)
Cynthia Alexander is the Principal Officer for Renewable Energy and Energy Management Unit at the Seychelles Energy Commission (SEC). The SEC is mandated to regulate the electricity sector, as well as implement the energy policies and strategies including the promotion of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. Cynthia works on development and implementation of different renewable energy and energy efficiency projects including the 4 MW Floating PV Project. Additionally, she is active in education and awareness on RE, EE and sustainable development. As Principal Officer for RE and Energy Management, she has also worked on numerous RE and EE programs supported under regional and bilateral co-operations for the Seychelles.
Gadi Taj Ndahumba
Head of the Power Sector Division at the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF)
Gadi Taj Ndahumba is the Head of the Power Sector Division at the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF), an organization hosted by the African Development Bank, where he provides transactional support to numerous African governments in the context of power sector projects. He is currently involved in several projects on the continent which aim to solve the energy deficit of Sub-Saharan African countries through conventional and innovative technologies. Gadi is notably working on the first African utility scale floating solar PV project and a deep ocean water application project, both to be developed in African islands. This experience has made him well aware of the bankability issues of new technologies and their importance in our efforts to change the energy landscape of Africa.
Prior to joining the ALSF, Mr. Ndahumba was a financial services lawyer at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, a top-tier Canadian law firm, where he worked on project finance transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. During his time at McCarthy, he advised several leading wind energy developers as the Canadian electricity market began to diversify its energy sources.
Judith Ephraim
Programme Coordinator, Sustainable Energy Unit at Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission
Judith Ephraim joined the Sustainable Energy Unit at the OECS Commission in July 2015. Prior to that she served as the Chief Energy, Science and Technology Officer of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology in Saint Lucia. Over the past 14 years, Ms Ephraim has worked on a number of portfolios in the Government of Saint Lucia including, Sustainable Energy, Science and Technology, Climate Change and Hazard/ Disaster mitigation. Ms Ephraim holds a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Geoscience from the University of Bristol UK, and a MSc in Resources Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe (now Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) in Germany.
Vanessa Toré
Director Foreign Economic Cooperation at Ministry of Economic Development of Curaçao
Jeppe Mikel Jensen
Project Coordinator, Clean Energy for European Union Islands
Jeppe Mikel Jensen is the coordinator of the newly established Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat. Having worked in a EU and UN context on strengthening local climate action in the EU and the global south for more than ten years, he is now bringing his experience in building networks from the bottom up to the EU's island communities. Jeppe holds a master in social geographer, with a specific focus on participatory planning and local empowerment.
Carla Daniel
Carla Daniel is a biologist, passionate about species conservation in the Caribbean, especially in her native island Barbados. She has worked on projects targeting a variety of species including endemic birds, bats, parrot fish, spiders and critically endangered sea turtles and geckos. A Conservation Leadership in the Caribbean fellow, she has conducted training sessions, presentations and workshops around the region; sharing knowledge and building capacity. Through her work with the Barbados Sea Turtle Project, where she is currently Field Director and Director of Public Awareness and Education, she has advocated tirelessly for the protection of vulnerable coastlines and the maintenance of the delicate balance which allows ecosystems to be preserved. It was primarily because of this that Carla has worked hard to mitigate the impact of Sargassum inundations on the Beaches and coastal ecosystems of Barbados. Advocating for the development and implementation of best practices in its management and utilisation.
Nicola Crook
PhD researcher with the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow
Nicola Crook is PhD researcher with the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Her research focuses on the legal options available to Scottish island communities in terms of public participation, with a particular focus on the Island (Scotland) Act 2018. She has recently worked alongside the Islands Team of the Scottish Government to draft the National Islands Plan as required by the Islands Act, which included a three month consultation process on 36 of Scotland's inhabited islands. She is also a member of EILEAN (Islands, Law and Sustainability), which is a research hub which seeks to highlight examples of innovative policy and management practices on islands, and is currently an academic partner of the Scottish Islands Federation. Prior to her current research, Nicola specialised in environmental law and worked as a legal consultant in Brussels and a Research Assistant for the Sabin Centre for Climate Change Law and Policy, Columbia University, NYC. Her research background includes a first class (Honours) Law Degree and a Master of Laws in Climate Change Law and Policy with distinction from the University of Strathclyde.
Carlos Fuller
Regional and International Liaison Officer at the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre
Mr Carlos Fuller is the Regional and International Liaison Officer at the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre. His primary responsibility is to coordinate CARICOM Member States in the international climate change negotiations. He is a Meteorologist and was the Chief Meteorologist in the National Meteorological Service of Belize. He has represented Belize in the climate change negotiation process since 1990. In that capacity he served as the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC) in 2017 and 2018. He is presently the Chief Negotiator on Climate Change for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) under the Chairmanship of Belize. He is also the Special Advisor to the President of the Commission on Climatology of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on High-level Science-Policy Climate Related Issues. He holds the George Price Lifetime Achievement Award for Emergency Management and the Officer of the Order the British Empire (OBE) for public service.
Lauren Doughton
Project Manager: Promote Shetland, NB Communication
Lauren is the Project Manager on the Promote Shetland contract, a DMO service promoting Shetland as a desirable place to live, work, study, visit and invest.
Lauren has a background in heritage and arts engagement. She first arrived in Shetland in 2006 to undertake fieldwork for her PhD in the Bronze Age archaeology of the islands and liked it so much that in 2010 she decided to stay. Prior to joining NB Communication she worked various roles in heritage and cultural engagement, recording and promoting Shetland's place names, exploring the early roots of democracy as part of the team on the THING Project, and leading the marketing team at Shetland Arts Development Agency.
James Stockan
Leader of Orkney Islands Council
James Stockan is the elected Leader of Orkney Islands Council. He is leader of the Independent group of Councillors at COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities). James was first elected to the Council in 2003 and has served various roles including Chair of Economic Development, Chair of the Development and Infrastructure Committee. He also served as Chair of HiTrans - Highlands and Islands Transport partnership. James has a background in family business and was Executive Director of Todds in Orkney. Born, bred and still living in Stromness, James strives to help deliver community benefit and excellent services for the people of Orkney
Leader of the Orkney Islands Council
Sabine Berendse
Green Phenix
Founder of Green Phenix. Sabine is also a global goodwill ambassador, founder of the Sea Turtle Conservation Curacao organization.
"I'm a passionate social entrepreneur with most of my working experience in the Caribbean. My most important goal is to create a circular economy in the Caribbean, starting from Curaçao. The reason for this is that I want to do my part to keep our oceans usable for future generations".
Ricardo Lochan
Curaçao Innovation and Technology Institute
Project Coordinator at the Curaçao Innovation & Technology Institute (CITI). CITI is a unification of the former organisations: Stimul-IT and InnovatieCentrum Curaçao. By means of this merger CITI became the national agency for innovation and technology in Curaçao. We aspire to transform brilliant ideas into sustainable development while focussing on Entrepreneurship, Research & Development and Education. By translating global developments in the ICT area we work together with local and international collaborators towards a Knowledge Economy and an Information Society. We do what we do because we want to see the island of Curaçao as an internationally competitive, respected, creative and intelligent society, playing a leading role in the region.
Angelique Pouponneau
Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles' Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust
Angelique is the Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles' Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust. She has 7 years' experience in environment conservation in the Seychelles in various capacities bringing a unique inter-disciplinary and cross-sectoral perspective to her role. Her expertise includes the ocean-climate nexus and matters relating to transboundary harm.
Angelique has always had a passion for advancing the sustainable use and conservation of our oceans. She was born and grew up in a fishing district, Bel Ombre, in Seychelles where she gained a firsthand perspective on the critical importance to preserve marine resources.
Angelique is a lawyer (Seychelles and UK) and she holds an LLM in Environmental law specializing in the law of the sea and natural resources law. Also, Angelique is a trained climate change negotiator under the AOSIS Climate Change Fellowship Programme at the United Nations.
Angelique has worked in different countries in the Caribbean, Pacific and the Indian Ocean on a wide-range of projects relating sustainable fisheries, sustainable management of marine biodiversity within and beyond national jurisdiction, and climate change, in particular, climate adaptation and climate finance. Further, she served as a legal expert of the African Group of Sixth Committee in works of oceans and law of the sea at the United Nations.
Moreover, Angelique has experience working with civil society as a co-founder for a not-for-profit organization in Seychelles and a Board member of a Commonwealth-wide youth-led organization.
Chief Executive Officer at Seychelles' Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust
Stephen Mariani
Energy Resource Analyst in the Resource Planning group at Alameda Municipal Power (AMP)
Stephen Mariani is an Energy Resource Analyst in the Resource Planning group at Alameda Municipal Power (AMP). AMP is an electric utility owned by the city of Alameda, which is located on an island spanning 22 miles in the San Francisco Bay Area. The resource planning group has a broad scope of responsibilities from ratemaking, forecasting load, and evaluating resource needs, to meeting AMP's compliance obligations (e.g. California's Cap & Trade program, Renewable Portfolio Standards, and Low Carbon Fuel Standard program). Currently, Stephen is working on the rollout of a new time-of-use rate pilot for electric vehicle owners. Prior to AMP, Stephen worked as a consultant in the demand side management space for investor-owned utilities across the U.S. and as an intern for an electricity markets consulting firm for independent system operators in the U.S. and Canada. Stephen has a B.A. in Economics from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Paul Mondesir
Capital Works Manager (Physical Infrastructure) with the Climate Resilience Executing Agency for Dominica (CREAD)
Mr. Paul Mondesir has over three decades years of work experience in the international development, private and public sectors; striving to protect the vulnerable and assisting to empower countries via infrastructural and sustainable energy development projects.
He served as the Programme Manager (Infrastructure and Rehabilitation) at the European Union Delegation in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and more recently as Regional Programme Manager for the Sustainable Energy for the Eastern Caribbean Programme at the Caribbean Development Bank. Currently he is the Capital Works Manager (Physical Infrastructure) with the Climate Resilience Executing Agency for Dominica (CREAD). A St. Lucian national, Mr. Mondesir holds a MSc. in Degree in Construction Project Management from Robert Gordon University, Scotland and a BSc. in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of Technology, Jamaica; he also has a post graduate Diploma in Public Administration. He is a registered Civil Engineer in Barbados and St. Lucia, as well as a Chartered Project Manager.
Cletus I. Springer
Former Chairman of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI)
Mr. Cletus I. Springer has been engaged in SIDS-related planning and sustainable development for nearly 3 decades. A trained Urban Planner, he has served (since 2008) as Director of the Department of Sustainable Development of the OAS, based in Washington D.C.
Before joining the OAS, Mr. Springer served as: Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Tourism & Public Utilities, (1992-94); and Planning, Development, Environment and Housing (1994-97); and Adviser in Policy and Strategy Development with the OECS Secretariat, (1998-2001). Between 2001 and 2008, Mr. Springer ran a consulting practice that advised Governments in the Caribbean, Asia and Pacific regions, as well as inter-governmental entities such as CARICOM, UNDP, ECLAC, the Commonwealth Secretariat, World Bank, PAHO, and the OAS, among others
He is a former Chairman of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI). He serves as a member of the Board of PANOS Caribbean; and as Program Adviser on Green Economy with CANARI.
He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies (Public Administration and Mass Communications); Oxford Brooks University (Urban Planning); and Aberdeen University (Environmental Impact Assessment).
Ellise Darwton
Corporate Secretary/Legal Officer | Dominica Electricity Services Limited
Ellise Darwton is the Corporate Secretary/Legal Officer, at Dominica Electricity Services Limited (DOMLEC), the sole electric utility on the island of Dominica. DOMLEC operates within a liberalised electricity market, with a non-exclusive generation licence and an exclusive transmission and distribution licence.
As Legal Officer, Ellise's primary focus is to provide sound legal and regulatory support to the board and management on all aspects of the company's operations, its legal and regulatory environment and on matters specific to the energy sector. She advises on and provides legal oversight of all major projects of the company. In her role as Corporate Secretary, Ellise provides governance oversight to the Company's Board and manages shareholder relations.
Charlin Bodley
WIRE Programme Manager
Ms Charlin Bodley is the Sustainable Energy Project Development and Gender Expert with the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE). She attained post-graduate qualifications and practical training in Geothermal Energy Project Management and Financing, graduating from the United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme, in Iceland in 2018. Charlin has been integrally involved in the Saint Lucia Geothermal Development Project as a champion, project team member and team lead for the Environmental Social Impact Assessment process.
Her passion for geothermal energy development in the Caribbean, lead her to being the founder of the Women in Geothermal Energy (WING) Caribbean Chapter, to influence diversity and acceleration of development of the resource in the regional geothermal industry. She is also the part-time programme manager for the Women in Renewable Energy Network, owned by the Clinton Climate Initiative and CARILEC.
Siana Teelucksingh
Renewable Energy Consultant, Clinton Climate Initiative
Siana Teelucksingh is a Renewable Energy Consultant. Siana focuses on bringing clean, affordable energy to the people of island nations. For the past four years she has supported the Clinton Climate Initiative and Rocky Mountain Institute's Islands Energy Program. Siana has facilitated multi-stakeholder processes for decision making with island governments and utilities in St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Dominica and Mauritius on a variety of programmes including integrated planning, power flow analysis and derisking projects.
Siana previously worked at a renewable energy start-up company in Trinidad, where she was a consultant to the Government of T&T for a feasibility study of the manufacture of solar panels from regionally sourced raw materials.
Siana obtained her MSc. in Sustainable Energy Futures from Imperial College London. Siana started her career in energy as a geoscientist at bpTT, working on resource development, petroleum systems and reservoir characterization
Michael Doran
Partner in the Finance Group - London office of Baker & McKenzie
Michael Doran is a Finance partner based in London. He has a rapidly expanding sustainable finance practice – helping to come up with creative solutions to novel funding problems, informed by and benefiting from his deep experience of the financial markets. He has strong recent experience in Green Bonds and the challenges facing the rapidly evolving Green Bond market. He has broad experience of general debt capital markets financings (including all nature of liability management exercises), equity linked bonds, NPL portfolio transactions, sovereign advisory work (including new money deals and sovereign debt restructurings) and bond/ debt restructurings in the developed, emerging and frontier markets. His clients include private equity / credit funds, sovereign governments, investment banks, state-owned entities, state agencies, supranational banks, sovereign wealth funds and multinational corporations. With James Tanner he co-authored the recent IFLR Article "Critical Challenges Facing the Green Bond Market" (29 August 2019) and with James and US securities laws colleagues he co-authored the Baker McKenzie Client Briefing "In the know : Green Bonds - Growth and Challenges in the 144A Market". Michael is a regular commentator on Sustainable Finance and ESG legal and market developments and matters generally. He spoke and moderated at the September 2019 Baker McKenzie Sustainable Finance Forum in Vienna and presented in June 2019 in Rome on "Sovereign Wealth Funds and Sustainable Finance" at the International Forum for Sovereign Wealth Funds - GC Summit ".
Senior associate in the structured capital markets department of the London office of Baker & McKenzie
James Tanner is a senior associate in the structured capital markets department of the London office of Baker & McKenzie. James specialises in debt capital markets, securitisation and portfolio sales/acquisitions of both distressed and non-distressed assets. He also has experience across a range of financing transactions and products, including sovereign advisory matters, cross-border restructurings and CLOs. His practice increasingly is focussed on sustainable finance, in particular in the Green Bond space. Before joining Baker McKenzie, James spent six years as an associate in the London and Hong Kong offices of White & Case LLP, where he also trained. He is a co-author of the article "Critical Challenges Facing the Green Bond Market" which recently appeared in the International Financial Law Review and the Baker McKenzie publication "Green Bonds - Growth and Challenges in the 144A Market".
Suzanne Shaw
Founding Director, Impact Investment Lead The LEAP Co.
Suzanne Shaw is Founding Director, and Impact Investment Lead, of The Leap Co., a company that supports and invests in Caribbean businesses that deliver positive environmental/social impact alongside solid financial returns. Suzanne has 15 years' international experience in energy and environmental economics and finance. She worked as a consultant in Europe and the Caribbean, integrating sustainability in private-sector investment decision-making and in public-sector planning, in energy, transport and solid waste sectors. Previously, she worked for the European Commission, advising on low-carbon energy policy and investment decision-making. She was an adviser in conceptualizing the Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator, an initiative to enhance regional climate resilience through private sector. Suzanne seeks to use investment and finance as a leverage to achieve sustainability outcomes, whilst simultaneously driving long-term private sector profitability.
Founding Director, Impact Investment Lead at The LEAP Co.
Sandra Kwak
CEO, Founder – 10Power
Executive strategist and systems thinker, Sandra is applying disruptive innovation to create a regenerative future. Before launching 10Power, she scaled AutoGrid from prototype to a global brand, creating automated intelligence out of big data from the smart grid. Prior, as Co-Founder / President / COO of energy efficiency company Powerzoa, she brought building management hardware and software tools to market. Sandra has also served as CEO of a software company producing the world's first mathematically lossless video codec. She worked at Pacific Gas & Electric implementing the ClimateSmart program and has consulted with clients including Mitsubishi, the Transamerica Holding Company, and The San Francisco Foundation. Sandra has an MBA in Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School and a BA in Political Science and Visual Art from Emory University.
Patrizia Isabelle Duda
PhD scholar at University College London (UCL)
Patrizia is PhD scholar at University College London (UCL) where she studies informal disaster networks in the Arctic and Caribbean. She is currently a visiting PhD scholar at Yale University's School of Management and is also affiliated with the University of Adger, Norway, through her research on the collaborative NORRUSS project, focusing on Norway-Russia relations and disaster diplomacy on/for Svalbard.
Her additional affiliations include the World Association for Emergency and Disaster Medicine (WADEM), UK Polar Network (UKPN), YANA (Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance), and she is the founder of ADECA (Arctic Disaster Early Career Association).
Before shifting to disaster governance, Patrizia spent over 15 years conducting academic research and working in the fields of business consulting and international security, notably with Booz Allen Hamilton, IBM, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), the German-Israeli Chamber of Commerce, the Israeli Ministry of Health, World Bank, and many start-ups, focusing on strategic consulting, business development and change management.
Kiara Kealoha
Global fellow and outreach associate with the Hawai'i Green Growth (HGG) United Nations Local2030 Islands Hub
Kiara Kealoha is a global fellow and outreach associate with the Hawai'i Green Growth (HGG) United Nations Local2030 Islands Hub, which develops local solutions to global sustainability challenges, building on island culture and values and indigenous knowledge. The HGG Local2030 Islands Hub highlights islands as laboratories for innovation that catalyze and scale integrated ridge-to-reef projects, cutting across the energy, water, food and urban nexus.
Kiara holds an MSc in Environment, Politics, and Development from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a BA in History and Science with a secondary field in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard University. Kiara is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, and was born and raised on the island of O'ahu. She is now based in Zürich.
Suzanne MacDonald
Chief Community Development Officer at the Island Institute
As Chief Community Development Officer at the Island Institute, Suzanne is responsible for designing the organization's strategic approach to sharing information and experiences across all areas of its work in order to further the sustainability of communities in Maine and elsewhere. For nine years, she directed the Institute's Community Energy Program, partnering with island communities in Maine, New England, and beyond to develop and implement practical strategies to lower their high energy costs. Suzanne holds an M.A. in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts University and a B.A. in international development and political science from McGill University. She serves as Vice-Chair of the Efficiency Maine Trust Board of Trustees and sits on the Maine Climate Council's Buildings, Infrastructure, and Housing Working Group. She is also a Senior Fellow in the Environmental Leadership Program. In 2015, Suzanne gave a TEDx Talk entitled "What Islands Can Teach Maine About Energy." Suzanne and her family live in Rockland and enjoy a close connection to the Monhegan Island community.
Alexis Chatzimpiros
Samso Energy Academy/Tentou Project
Alexis holds a Physics Degree and an M.Sc in Energy Production and Management. He has been developing and coordinating international energy and sustainable development projects for 13 years. He has extensive experience in island and sustainable development policies in the EU, advocacy for appropriate policies for local and regional authorities, and coordination of networks. Since 2017 he coordinates an international project aiming to bring together and support communities around the world willing to engage in their own energy transition.
Stephanie Nowers
Co-facilitator for the Islanded Grid Resource Center
Stephanie Nowers is the co-facilitator of for the Islanded Grid Resource Center (IGRC) and for the Alaska Wind Working Group, which both provide resources and networking for small, islanded and remote grids seeking to integrate renewable energy primarily wind power. The goal of both groups is to increase information sharing and capacity building, eliminate redundant efforts, and promote collaboration, and ensure best practices and performance analysis related to the operation of wind, wind-diesel hybrid and other hybrid systems, She has worked in the communications field for 20 plus years and is the owner and founder of K.I.S. Consulting LLC based in Palmer, Alaska.
Mark Glick
Tenure track faculty of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute
Mark Glick is a tenure track faculty of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, overseeing energy policy and innovation and coordinating State and University of Hawaii assets towards fulfillment of Hawaii's ambitious energy transformation and supporting similar objectives in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Glick previously served five years as Administrator of the Hawaii State Energy Office where he led Hawaii's internationally regarded clean energy transformation efforts. He also served as Vice Chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), the only national non-profit association for energy officials from each of the 56 states and territories with the purpose of advocating for the interests of the state energy offices to Congress and federal agencies. Selected highlights of his tenure as Hawaii's Energy Administrator include: 1) exceeding Hawaii's 2015 interim renewable portfolio and energy efficiency portfolio standards; 2) contributing to passage of the nation's first 100 percent renewable portfolio standard and interim goal of 30 percent RPS by 2020; 3) leading the nation for five consecutive years in the per capita value of energy savings performance contracts; 4) spearheading the statewide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement process culminating in publication by the U.S. Department of Energy of a programmatic EIS that examines the potential environmental impacts of energy efficiency activities and renewable energy technologies that could assist the State of Hawaii in meeting the goal established under the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative; and 5) overseeing all energy related regulatory filings and legislative testimony of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
Michael F. Childers
Chair of the Steering Committee at Great Lakes Islands Alliance (GLIA)
Michael serves as Chair of the Steering Committee, Great Lakes Islands Alliance (GLIA); Member of the Wisconsin Coastal Management Council; Commissioner of Madeline Sanitary District; past Town Board Supervisor, Town of La Pointe, Wisconsin; Church Council Member for St. Johns United Church of Christ on Madeline Island; Chief Financial Officer of Tammy Baldwin for Senate; and is a small business owner (Madeline Island Candles) on Madeline Island, Wisconsin with his husband Glenn Carlson. Michael holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Matt Preisser
Coordinator for the Great Lakes Islands Alliance
Matt Preisser serves as Coordinator for the Great Lakes Islands Alliance, a role which includes running the day-to-day activities of the network; facilitating meetings; and developing the foundational documents, tools, and support structure to connect these distant communities. He has over twenty years of experience in multi-disciplinary environmental policy, planning, and management; community development; and facilitation and strategic planning.He is employed by the State of Michigan, where he focuses on policy, planning and management of the North American Great Lakes, and the communities that depend on them. His passion is to explore collaborative governance models to improve efficiencies, find untapped synergy between siloed entities, and achieve shared outcomes. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bucknell University and a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University.
Roger Berle
Founding Co-Chair of The Maine Islands Coalition
Roger Berle is a Founding Co-Chair of The Maine Islands Coalition, having represented Cliff Island in Casco Bay on the Coalition since 2002. He has been a resident of Cliff Island since 1968 and his family roots there go back to 1905. As both a summer person and year-round resident, he has seen and experienced the island community from multiple perspectives. He owned and managed a construction firm on Cliff, Finestkind Builders EPD, for thirty-four years and employed two generations of workers in serving Casco Bay's islands.
Following his dissolution of the business in 2005, Roger has been able to further concentrate on two life-long interests: involvement in and leadership of nonprofits (NGO's) in two universes: land conservation and Maine islands. His organizational memberships, now or formerly, include the Land for Maine's Future Board, Portland Trails, Oceanside Conservation Trust, the Portland Land Bank Commission and the Maine League of Conservation Voters, of which he is currently Board Chair.
Both under sail and by power, he has boated the Maine Coast for sixty years and maintains friendships on each of the fifteen year-round Maine islands.
Stewart Morgan
Director and Co-Founder Of Kyloe
Stewart is our co-founder and a Bullhorn and cloud technology expert. He loves helping clients find the ideal solution to help automate sales and recruitment processes.
Zulaika Mook
Head of the division within the Ministry of Economic Development
Zulaika Mook is the Head of the division within the Ministry of Economic Development that is responsible for economic development and innovation.
Sean de Boer
Director of the National Statistical Office of Curacao
Sean de Boer studied General Social Geography at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands between 1992 and 1995 and started his career almost immediately afterwards as a junior statistician at the National Statistical Office in Curacao in 1996.
Between 1996 and 2014 he developed into a senior statistician with numerous publications added to his name and led the execution of 2 censuses. Sean also contributed to a variety of activities that can be related to neighborhood development, teaching at universities and conducting qualitative studies
In 2008 Sean was seconded to a project for the island territory of Curacao, which involved the development of a system of administrative registries. His contribution as the program manager lasted until 2014, after the island territory of Curacao became constitutionally an autonomous country within the Dutch Kingdom.
Sean has been working as the Director of the National Statistical Office of Curacao since 2011.
Crispin d'Auvergne
Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management Coordinator (OECS)
Experienced Risk Management Coordinator with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry. Skilled in Sustainable Development, Environmental Issues, Government, Natural Resources, and Biodiversity. Strong program and project management professional with a MSc focused in Climate Change from University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Crispin d'Auvergne
Nilesh Prakash
Head of Climate Change & International Cooperation, Government of the Republic of Fiji
Chamberlain Emmanuel
Head of the Environmental Sustainability Cluster at the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
Chamberlain Emmanuel is Head of the Environmental Sustainability Cluster (ESC) at the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, headquartered in Saint Lucia. His portfolio includes oversight of programme and projects spanning: Climate Change and Disaster Resilience; Biodiversity and Ecosystems; Land and Water Resources; Oceans Governance and Fisheries; Sustainable Energy; and Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Management.
His journey at the OECS commenced in February 2010, after transitioning from service to the Government of Saint Lucia starting February 2001 in capacities as Chief Engineer (A/g), Contracts Manager and Civil/Project Engineer.
As a Civil Engineer and Project Management Professional with nearly twenty (19+) years of practical experience, Chamberlain has acquired and demonstrated competences and expertise in infrastructure and development projects and programmes funded by several diverse international development agencies.
Head of the Environmental Sustainability Cluster (ESC) at the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
McHale Andrew
OECS Country Adviser for the Caribbean Business Angels Network (CBAN)
McHale ANDREW is a development economist with acquired work skills ranging from investment promotion to economic analysis and policy formulation; tourism market intelligence and research to strategic planning and business/institutional management. He is currently an independent consultant and part time OECS Country Adviser for the Caribbean Business Angels Network (CBAN), which is coordinated by the EU- funded Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA)
McHale has held positions as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Invest Saint Lucia, the national investment promotion agency; Executive Vice President of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA); Research and Development Advisor at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO); Permanent Secretary in Saint Lucia's Ministry of Tourism; and Director of External Relations at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), where he served for some ten (10) years, prior to a five (5) year stint as an economist at the Ministry of Finance in his native Saint Lucia.
Angus Friday
Executive Chairman of the Atlantean BioSphere Program
Angus Friday is Executive Chairman of the Atlantean BioSphere Program and co-chair of the Blue Innovation Institute and also serves as an adviser to the Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator, a multi-stakeholder platform with the potential to help catalyse over $1 billion to assist Caribbean nations in creating the World's First Climate Smart Zone. Friday serves as the local lead for the Climate Smart Cities project supported by the Green Climate Fund which seeks to make St. George's the first Climate Smart Capital City in the Caribbean. He is also the developer of Myristic Mountain a sustainable agri-tourism project in the north of Grenada, where he is supporting the development the northern coastal cluster. More recently, he was selected to lead the Blue Economy Round Table, on the occasion of the visit of His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, to Grenada.
Angus recently completed a 5-year diplomatic tour of duty as Grenada's Ambassador to the United States, Mexico and the OAS and also as Grenada's High Commissioner to Canada. As Ambassador, Angus played a leading role in the inception of the Caribbean Climate Smart Coalition and in Grenada's role as chair of the World Bank's Small States Forum.
Karlis Noel
Self-Taught Inventor
Karlis Noel spends his days in his lab in the small, picturesque community of Laborie in St. Lucia. The former fisherman's story might sound like an overnight success, but his present accolades in the field of engineering are the result of years of hard work and an unceasing drive to make life easier for communities in the throes of a water crisis.
Noel was not able to complete secondary school, but he never allowed that to interfere with his thirst for knowledge. The self-taught inventor, with a knack for engineering, is receiving acclaim for building the Eastern Caribbean's first solar-powered, mobile desalination plant. With a grant from the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF-SGP) to the Laborie Fishers and Consumers Cooperative Project, Noel was able to build the facility, which can produce 1,000 gallons of water daily.
The facility is a marvel to behold. It is located near the ocean, opens up 'transformers-style' to get the desalination process going andif there is a storm, it can be folded up, taken away and stored in a safe place until the all-clear is given.
Tajana Huzak
Assistant Minister of Directorate for Islands (Croatia)
Tajana Huzak is the Assistant Minister of the Directorate for Islands within the Croatian Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds. She also previously served as the Chief Advisor to the Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure.
Assistant Minister at Islands Administration of Croatia
Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
Manager at RNZ Pacific
Dominic Godfrey
RNZ Pacific Journalist
Manisha Deena
Multimedia journalist at Lexpress
Tourki Mohamed Ali
Youth Activist & Social Entrepreneur, Comoros Islands
Tourki Mohamed Ali is a youth activist and social entrepreneur from the Comoros. He completed studies in public management at Howard University as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship and studied Business Development and Entrepreneurship at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Dwight O. Richards
Manager, Grid Performance Department, System Operations, JPSCo. Ltd.
Dwight Richards is the Manager for the Grid Performance Department in the System Operations Division at the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited.
He is from the Parish of St. Andrew but now resides in the Parish of St. Catherine, Jamaica. He is a lifelong scholar and an avid football player and fan. . After graduating from the Wolmer's School for Boys at a tender age, Dwight progressed to earn a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Technology, Jamaica and later a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Management from Florida International University.
Mr. Richards has fifteen (15) years of experience in the power industry; ten of which was spent in the field of power generation. His core responsibilities at JPS includes the implementation and management of Grid Optimization Solutions; Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) negotiations; Power Plant Grid Integration; Operational and Technical PPA Management; and preserving Regulatory and Stakeholder Relationships.
Leah O'Dwyer
Head of eBus Solutions , ChargePoint
Leah O'Dwyer
Chief Legal Officer and Head of Business Affairs at Extreme E
James Taylor is a motorsports executive at Extreme E, a pioneering new series set to revolutionise motorsport. Extreme E's mission is to showcase electric SUV performance in extreme conditions, whilst encouraging global action to combat the devastating environmental issues threatening our planet's future.
The series will provide a competitive platform for accelerating the development of electric vehicles to help create a low – carbon future, whilst also partnering with organisations in the race locations to help restore the degraded environments as part of the Extreme E legacy programme.
James has extensive experience in creating and promoting new sports and entertainment businesses, having worked for IMG to establish and develop a number of its major motorsports, cricket, football and mass participation properties. James was part of the IMG team who founded the Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament.
Prior to joining Extreme E James was Vice President of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
Inga Burton
University Engagement Manager at Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Martin Mohr Olsen
Firmly rooted in the north of Scotland Inga was brought up in Orkney with her family originating from Shetland. Growing up the sense of place and community was strong and Inga went on to study Environmental Biology & Environmental Management. Continuing down this route Inga has worked in the private, public and higher education sector where sustainable development has been a key focus. Her position as University Engagement Manager with Highlands and Islands Enterprise combines her passion for education with sustainable development within the context of strengthening communities and rural and remote areas.
Wayne Elliot
Caribbean Development Bank
Wayne Elliott is an Economic Research Analyst at the Caribbean Development Bank. His research interests are within the areas of private sector development, international finance, climate change and sustainable development. Recently, he co-authored a research piece that sought to showcase innovative mechanisms and instruments that could help to finance the development of the Caribbean Blue Economy amidst the development challenges faced by the region. Mr. Elliott holds a Master of Science in Business and Financial Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Mathematics from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus.
Joe Dignan
Founder of Kintechi Ltd
Joe is the Founder of Kintechi Ltd, an independent consultancy based in London focused on delivering digital transformation at local, regional and national levels. He is a recognised subject matter expert in the digital transformation arena. A professional hybrid; at home in both the public and private sector, he has a background in the Public Sector (where he spent seven years as a chief officer in local and regional govt focussed on economic development), ICT, SME linkage, economic development, education and digital enablement in the UK, Europe, the Far and Middle East. He is on the World Bank's Smart City Expert Framework, a member of the Stakeholder Group for the European Commission's Smart Cities and Communities Group, the EU-China smart city expert group; Advisory Board Chair, Senior Research Fellow, Visiting Programme Director and Special Adviser to the board of Digital Jersey.
Pelenise Alofa
National Coordinator for the Kiribati Climate Action Network
Pelenise Alofa – also known as 'Maike Pilitati' – is from Kiribati's Banaba island and is National Coordinator of the Kiribati Climate Action Network (KiriCAN) a network of 20 organizations active on climate change. In 2012 Pelenise established partnership between KiriCAN and Live & Learn Environmental Education International, an organization doing adaptation projects in Kiribati and she now sits on the Board.
She is currently employed by the University of the South Pacific, Pacific Centre of Sustainable Development as In-Country Coordinator for the European Union/Global Climate Change Alliance project which aims to develop and strengthen the Pacific ACP countries' capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change through capacity building, research and community engagement.
Devon Gardner
Programme Manager of Energy and Head of the Energy Unit at the Caribbean Community Secretariat
DEVON GARDNER has been the Programme Manager for Energy and Head of the Energy Unit at the Caribbean Community Secretariat, since September 2014.
In this role, Devon has oversight of the Energy Programme, which is tasked with the identification of common policies and strategies for transforming the energy sector within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This transformation requires a shift in a majority of the energy systems within the region from their current states of inefficiency and over‑dependence on imported fossil sources, which exposes them to the uncertainties and volatilities of mostly expensive global oil prices, to a state of greater efficiency and high penetration of indigenous renewable sources. In particular, the Energy Programme promotes a transition to energy systems that favour sustainable and clean energy production, as well as efficient delivery and use, which simultaneously provides legal certainty for investors and improved predictability in price and supply for users.
Chavan Dabeedin
Transmission And Distribution Manager at Central Electricity Board Mauritius
Johanan Dujon
CEO of Algas Organics
Johanan Dujon is CEO of Algas Organics, the Caribbean's first indigenous biotechnology manufacturing company. Recognizing the crippling effect of Sargassum on his home island of St. Lucia, Johanan founded the company in 2014, with the vision of valorizing the invasive plant species into world-class, organic, crop protection and crop nutrition products.
Under his stewardship, Algas Organics has processed over 1 million pounds of Sargassum seaweed into fertilizer for export regionally and internationally. Johanan has been recognized for his innovation locally and internationally:
Commonwealth Youth Award For Excellence in Development 2019, Forbes 2019, Young Leader of the Americas 2018, Prime Minister's Award for Innovation in Microbiology 2018, Huffington Post 2017, OECS Top 30 Entrepreneur under 30 2017, Caribbean Beat Top 25 Achiever Under 25 2017, and Young Entrepreneur of the year 2017.
Gary C. Jackson
Executive Director of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Dr. Gary C. Jackson is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), whose mission is to increase awareness and development of the renewable energy and energy efficiency agenda within the Caribbean region. The Centre's three main priorities are to create an expert knowledge base; optimise technological solutions through the development of tools; and embed and transform by utilising sustainable energy as a means to advance the well- being of at-risk and vulnerable groups. Its vision is to transform the energy landscape into a climate resilient, sustainable and affordable sector, focused on improving the lives of our people.
Dr. Jackson was appointed as Executive Director in October 2018. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and MSc in Project Management, both from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He also holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. He is a Registered Engineer (PE) in Jamaica, a member of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Adrian Begley
Arranmore Community Council
Global Islands Partnership
The Global Islands Partnership (GLISPA) is led by the Presidents of Palau and Seychelles, Prime Minister of Grenada and Premier of the British Virgin Islands, with a mission to promote action to build resilient and sustainable island communities by inspiring leadership, catalyzing commitments and facilitating collaboration for all islands. Since its launch in 2006, GLISPA has engaged high-level leaders to catalyze US$150 million for island action and assisted 35+ countries to launch or strengthen major sustainable island commitments. GLISPA now has more than 30 members and 37 friends as part of its island resilience movement.
Penghu County Government
The Penghu County Government (澎湖縣政府) is the local government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) that governs Penghu County, an archipelago of over 90 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait. It is one of 22 subdivisions within Taiwan, and one of the country's three smaller island counties. The government is located at Penghu County Hall in Magong City, the largest city on located on the largest island, which is also named Magong. The islands were formerly known as the Pescadores Islands and cover an area of 141 square kilometers
Solar Head of State
Solar Head of State (SHOS) is an international non-profit organization that promotes access to solar energy. Their model was inspired by a campaign initiated in 1979 by US president Jimmy Carter who had solar water heaters installed on the White House to conserve energy and set an example for the American public amidst an energy crisis. Since then, the NGO has focused its work on small island developing states (SIDS) with installations of solar panels on government buildings in Jamaica, Saint Lucia and the Maldives. SHOS is now working in partnership with the Organizational of Eastern Caribbean States and the Pacific Island Development Forum to install solar panels on government buildings across these organizations' combined 24 member states.
Islands Revival
The Islands Revival project is collecting stories of population turnaround in order to raise the profile of demographic recovery in island settings, and to identify ways of ensuring that such developments are supported by island policy. During the spring and summer of 2019, Islands Revival is inviting groups from across the Scottish islands to contribute examples from their own communities, to be published on the Islands Revival blog. These contributions will inform a workshop, which will facilitate discussion between communities, local and Scottish Government, island businesses and international experts, culminating in a Workshop Declaration with recommendations regarding how policy can best support island repopulation. The project is supported by the Scottish Government-funded SEFARI Responsive Opportunity Initiative and led by the James Hutton Institute and SRUC.
University of Magallanes
In 2007, the University of Magallanes fulfilled a dream longed for by the community of Porvenir, on the Chilean side of the island of Tierra del Fuego. Under the coordination of the Technological School of the University of Magallanes, about 60 students joined these three new technical course (University Technician in Tourism; Administration Technician; Higher Level Technician in Basic Education) becoming the pioneers of the permanent regional presence of the institution in Tierra del Fuego.
In addition, the University of Magallanes, through the University Center Porvenir, develops various outreach activities to the community such as participation in the Anniversary Week of Porvenir, training activities and projects with the business sector. As another proof of the boost to university activities in the Province of Tierra del Fuego, the University of Magallanes received a house in the town of Sombrero, which was handed over as a loan by the National Petroleum Company on April 18 in a ceremony that counted with the presence of executives of the company, university authorities and the commune.
Branson Centre Caribbean
Opened in Montego Bay, Jamaica by Richard Branson in September 2011, the Centre is a hub for budding entrepreneurs who gain access to knowledge, markets, networks and resources through the a dynamic and practical business training and support programme. Through the Centre's personalized and family-like approach, Branson entrepreneurs form personal relationships and business linkages through a peer and partnership network that assists them to grow their operations. They also receive ongoing support in the form of mentorship, coaching, expert guidance and information exchange. Branson Centre entrepreneurs are selected through a rigorous recruitment process used to identify the most passionate and socially minded visionaries who use "business as a force for good" and act as change-makers in their community. By supporting the development of small and growing businesses, the Centre helps to create jobs and contribute to the economy in the Caribbean region.
UCL IRDR
Natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunami, floods and storms destroy lives and damage economies across the globe; pandemics have the potential to bring death and suffering on an unprecedented scale; while climate change may increase the severity of both natural and health disasters.
How society sees risk, how to link understanding of the causative mechanics to statistical approaches, and how to increase resilience and reduce the risk of disasters are common themes cutting across research in natural, environmental, health and technological hazards. The IRDR, with its new academic staff, many jointly appointed with key UCL departments, its rapidly growing trans-disciplinary PhD research centre, integrative masters teaching, programme of public events and partnerships with humanitarian, financial, research and civil protection organisations, seeks to bring together this diverse expertise at UCL. We aim to maximise the impact and value of UCL activities and to increase and enhance cross-disciplinary collaboration and cooperation globally.
The Clinton Foundation
The Clinton Foundation is a non-profit organization established by former President of the United States Bill Clinton with the stated mission to "strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. Its offices are located in New York City and Little Rock, Arkansas.
The Clinton Climate Initiative collaborates with world-class partners to increase the resiliency of communities facing climate change, and create replicable and sustainable models for others to follow. Our unique and innovative models encourage cross-sectorial collaborations. At the core of our engagement philosophy is Systems Thinking; identifying and activating leverage points that can create significant positive impact in climate change mitigation and energy transition for communities around the world. Through our programs and with our distinctive resources we aim to create measurable, meaningful, and lasting contributions.
Regional Collaboration Centre - St. George's
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat has signed a partnership agreement with the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF) to establish a regional collaboration centre in Saint George, Grenada in an effort to assist in the development of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in the region.
Countries supported: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname
Polar Research and Policy Initiative
Polar Research and Policy Initiative (PRPI) is a London-based international, independent think-tank dedicated to Arctic, Nordic, North Atlantic, North Pacific and Antarctic affairs.
Headquartered in the UK and with a presence across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific, PRPI operates principally in the international arena and is committed to supporting sustainable regional development through multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral and multi-national dialogue and cooperation. Every year, PRPI convenes 50-60 high-level policy dialogues around the world that bring together policymakers, business executives, civil society heads and thought leaders to exchange ideas, make connections and identify avenues for collaboration on topics of shared concern or interest. In addition, it also advances greater understanding about its focus regions through analysis and commentary it publishes on its digital platform, The Polar Connection, and various national and international media outlets, as well as through policy reports, briefings, edited volumes and written/oral evidence to Parliamentary inquiries.
RNZ International
RNZ International (Māori: Ko Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa) is a division of Radio New Zealand and the official international broadcasting station of New Zealand. It broadcasts a variety of news, current affairs and sports programmes in English and news in seven Pacific languages. The station's mission statement requires it to promote and reflect New Zealand in the Pacific, and better relations between New Zealand and Pacific countries.
MORE ABOUT THE ORGANIZER
James is the founder of Island Innovation, an organization that works with diverse rural and island communities around the world to develop solutions for sustainable development and prosperity. Island Innovation uses its global network to find innovative answers through modern technology and sharing good practice, building digital bridges between far-flung islands. James also has a Masters Degree in Island Studies from the University of the Highlands and Islands.
James is also a co-founder of Solar Head of State, which works with governments to push action on renewable energy. The NGO has focused on small island developing states (SIDS) with solar installations on the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Government House in Saint Lucia and the Presidential Palace of the Maldives. SHOS is now working with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Pacific Island Development Forum to install solar on the official residences across these organizations' combined 24 member states.
Growing up on a farm in Shropshire, England, James now lives as a digital nomad, moving wherever his latest project takes him!
Why should I attend the Virtual Island Summit?
The summit is the first of its kind, and totally free! You can learn from world-leading experts from diverse backgrounds about the latest projects being deployed in island communities, with applications far beyond. Each session will be interactive with opportunities to ask questions and make connections.
How much does the Summit cost? Do I need anything to participate?
The summit is totally free!! You can sign up here and all you need to take part is to download Zoom webinar software (see instructions here).
All are welcome to participate in the summit – feel free to invite friends and colleagues. Participants can take part in every session, or simply chose the sessions most relevant to them.
Will the Summit be recorded?
The summit will be broadcast LIVE, taking place over multiple days in various timezones. Ideally, we want guests to join live as there will be opportunities to ask questions and interact with fellow attendees. However, all sessions will be recorded and made available online a few weeks after the summit.
What is Island Innovation?
Island Innovation is a consultancy and advisory firm offering specialized services across various economic sectors. We bring together the private sector, government, NGOs and academia to advance innovation for sustainability in island communities worldwide. The organization works with diverse rural and island communities around the world to develop solutions for sustainable development. Island Innovation uses its global network to find innovative solutions through modern technology and sharing good practices.
Can I speak or recommend a speaker or topic?
We are continually adding more speakers and sessions!
If you would like to nominate a speaker click here.
If you would like to propose a topic or panel click here.
Can I sponsor the Summit?
We have limited opportunities for sponsors of specific sessions or the event as a whole. If you are interested in sponsoring the event click here and we will be in touch.
Can we organize a local screening of the summit?
We are exploring opportunities to screen parts of the summits on islands around the world to ensure local communities can take part. If you would like to organize a screening on your island please get in touch.
Can I give feedback or make a suggestion?
We always welcome ideas! Please get in touch.
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