Staff of the Ramsar Secretariat

Anada Tiéga, Secretary General (Niger)
A citizen of Niger, Mr Anada Tiéga earned his BS degree from the University of Niamey and his MS degree in Forest Watershed Management from the University of Arizona (USA). He has many years' experience in working with wetland conservation and sustainable use both at local level and internationally, and he has a strong record of successful work in coordinating large groups of government officials, donors, regional collaborative commissions, non-governmental environmental organizations, and field scientists and practitioners. He served for some years in the environmental administration of Niger, including as National Director of Wildlife and Fisheries, following which he worked for The World Conservation Union (IUCN) first in Niger then as Regional Coordinator for West Africa. In 1998, Mr Anada Tiéga became Regional Coordinator (currently referred to as Senior Advisor) for Africa for the Ramsar Convention at its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, and in his nearly six years with the Ramsar Secretariat he built productive relationships with the authorities and organizations in the Africa region, and thoroughly learned the workings of the Convention at the global level. Between 2003 and 2007, he was the Project Manager for the Lake Chad Basin GEF project on "Reversal of Land and Water Degradation Trends in the Lake Chad Basin Ecosystem", based in N'Djamena, Chad. Since August 2007, Mr Anada Tiega has been serving as the Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention. In this post he takes on a position of strategic leadership to guarantee the implementation of the Convention; moreover he works to ensure that the Contracting Parties are fully engaged and working in partnership with other conventions so as to secure sustainable development. His actions aim mainly at widening the “Ramsar Community”, while stressing the value of wetlands in natural resource conservation and sustainable development. 

Nick Davidson, Deputy Secretary General (UK)
A citizen of the UK, Nick Davidson has been Deputy Secretary General since February 2000, with overall responsibility for the Convention's global development and delivery of scientific, technical and policy guidance and advice. He has a BSc (Hons) in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen, and over 30 years’ experience of the ecology, inventory, assessment and conservation of coastal and inland wetlands and the ecology and ecophysiology of migratory waterbirds, with a 1981 PhD from the University of Durham (UK) on that topic. Prior to joining the Secretariat , he worked for the UK's national conservation agencies (Nature Conservancy Council, English Nature, and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee), particularly in coastal wetland inventory and assessment, and then as International Science Coordinator for Wetlands International. He has a long-standing interest in, and strong commitment to, the transfer of environmental science into policy-relevance and decision-making.

Paul Ouédraogo, Senior Regional Advisor for Africa (Burkina Faso)
A citizen of Burkina Faso, Paul has many years' experience in working on environmental matters, including forest and wildlife management as well as wetland conservation and sustainable use, both at local level and nationally. He has a successful record of coordinating short courses for African parliamentary capacity building, non-governmental environmental organizations, and field scientists and practitioners. He served for some years in the National Centre for Research (CNRST) of Burkina and at the University of Ouagadougou (ENSK). He also served as Executive Director of Naturama, a national NGO in the late 1990s. Following this he became IUCN Senior Technical Advisor for the Benin Wildlife Centre (CENAGREF). From 2005 to 2007 he served as IUCN's consultant coordinator for a Wildlife Corridor Programme for Ghana’s Northern Savanna Biodiversity Conservation. In 2007, Dr Ouédraogo became a Senior Technical Advisor for the Integrated Management of Critical Ecosystems Project under the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). With his technical assistance, the Rwandan government developed the legal instruments, technical and institutional tools for Rwandan wetland governance.


Lew Young, Senior Regional Advisor for Asia-Oceania (Hong Kong, P. R. China, status)
Hong Kong-born Chinese holding British citizenship, Lew has been Manager of the WWF Hong Kong Mai Po Nature Reserve since 1991, and was actively involved in the listing of the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar site in 1995. Since then he has worked closely with the Hong Kong government to develop the management plan and monitoring programme for the site. He has considerable experience in CEPA issues through his work at the Mai Po Marshes Wildlife Education Centre and his involvement in the establishment of Wetland Link International-Asia in 2005, a network that has been promoting greater communication and cooperation among wetland centres across Asia. Lew holds a MSc degree in Ecology from Aberdeen University in Scotland and a Ph.D from Hong Kong University, Department of Zoology, and he joined the Secretariat in 2008.

María Rivera, Senior Regional Advisor for the Americas (Colombia)
In recent years María has contributed to the implementation of the Convention in the Neotropics, both in her position as Technical Officer at CREHO, the Ramsar regional initiative office in Panamá, and before that in her work at the Ministry of the Environment in Colombia. María received a Bachelors degree in Biology and Chemistry from the Universidad Libre de Colombia, and a Masters in Natural Resources Management from the Ezequiel Zamora National University, Venezuela. She has also both organized and participated in courses in wetland management, notably at the RIZA Institute for Inland Water Management in the Netherlands, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Ducks Unlimited. María has served as a member of the Wetlands Synthesis group of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and since 2006 has been the member for the Neotropics of Ramsar's STRP. She joined the Secretariat in 2007.

Tobias Salathé, Senior Regional Advisor for Europe (Switzerland)
Tobias received his MSc.and PhD degrees from Basel University and has worked with ICBP (now BirdLife International) and DG XI of the European Commission, among other posts, and most recently with the Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat in Arles, France. He speaks and writes all of the Ramsar languages and German as well, and is the author of a large number and variety of research reports and other publications. He joined the Secretariat in 1999.

Claudia Fenerol, Partnerships Coordinator (USA)
A citizen of the United States, Claudia joined the Secretariat as Coordinator of the partnerships programme, bringing with her important knowledge and experience in partnership building and resource mobilization. In coordination with other members of the Secretariat, she oversees the development, engagement and maintenance of partnerships, with a key focus on developing new strategies for partnerships and fundraising with the private and public sectors. Prior to joining the Secretariat, Ms. Fenerol worked for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) raising funds to implement activities and supply technology to developing countries under the Programme Action for Cancer Therapy. Prior to her work at the IAEA, she worked for the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). For most of her career, Ms. Fenerol has worked in the international field of sustainable development, developing partnerships and new policies. She has experience in national government operations through her work in enforcement, strategy and policy development at the US Environmental Protection Agency. Her University education includes Applied Environmental Science, Geography and Law.

Mireille Katz, Executive Assistant to the Secretary General (Switzerland)
After taking a degree in English and general linguistics, and with a Masters degree in teaching and an interest in nature conservation, Mireille joined IUCN in 1985 in the international relations unit, which was then in charge of the Ramsar Convention. She continued with the Ramsar Secretariat after it was established and has worked for the Convention in several different roles since then (Administrative Officer, Communications Officer, and now as Executive Assistant to the Secretary General). Mireille manages the Secretary General’s office and assists him to manage his dossiers and his priorities. She provides administrative services to the Standing Committee and oversees the planning and logistics for meetings convened by the Secretary General. She administers the Ramsar Award given at each Conference of the Parties. Mireille also has a post-graduate certificate in writing and communication from the University of Geneva.


Dwight Peck, Documentation Officer (USA)
From New Jersey, USA; joined the Secretariat as part-time help in 1993 (full-time in 1995). 2 BAs in Philosophy and English Lit, Univ Kansas - 2 world records in track and field relay events; MA and PhD, Renaissance Literature, Ohio Univ.; MLS, Library Science, Univ. Rhode Island. Instructor, Ohio Univ.; Ass't Prof, Western Civilization, History of Ideas, Oklahoma Bapt Univ; Assoc Prof., Comparative Lit, American College of Switzerland. Head Librarian, Academic Dean, American College of Switzerland. Librarian, American Library of Geneva. Publications: articles and one book on 16th century history, etc. Formerly Ramsar Communications Officer, presently half-time, responsible for official documentation and publications.

Sandra Hails, CEPA Programme Officer (UK)
Born in Scotland, earned a BA and PhD in biological sciences at the University of Stirling. Spent 12 years in Southeast Asia as a lecturer and researcher at both school and university levels. Continued to develop an early interest in conservation and wrote regularly about natural history and conservation for the press as a freelance writer. On returning to Europe in the late 1980s she continued this conservation interest, working as a freelance consultant doing research and editing for IUCN, WHO and WWF before joining the Ramsar Secretariat, originally as a consultant in 1997 and then as full-time CEPA Programme Officer.

Oana Penea-Barsin, Communications Officer (Switzerland / Romania)
Oana joined the Secretariat as a Communications Officer in March 2010, bringing her knowledge in innovative communications strategy and planning. In collaboration with other members of the Secretariat, she ensures communications to a wide range of stakeholders by overseeing the information content of the Ramsar web site. Her work covers the management of electronic list-server discussion groups, the posting of new focus areas and projects for the Convention and the processing of requests for information about the Convention from the public and the media. Oana holds a Master of Arts from the University of Lausanne and she also completed a certificate in Corporate Marketing and Communication.

Alexia Dufour, Regional Affairs Officer (France)
A French national, Alexia has advanced university degrees in environmental sciences and ecology from the Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et Forêts (National School of Rural Engineering, Water and Forests) in Paris and the Universities of Lausanne in Switzerland and Besançon in France. She has taught ecology at university level, as well as biology and geology at high school level. For her doctoral studies she managed a research project on the links between landscape structure and plant biodiversity in the Jura region of France and Switzerland. Alexia's practical wetland experience includes working on a management plan, involving local stakeholders, at the Estagnol Pond Nature Reserve in southern France. She joined the Secretariat in 2007.

Virginie Pirens, Project Management Officer (Belgium)
Virginie coordinates and administers the many activities undertaken and planned in partnership with, and with support from, the Danone-Evian Group. Virginie holds masters degrees in European Studies and in Oriental Languages and Literature. She moved to  the Ramsar Convention  in September 2010 after working for two companies, Capital International SA and J.P. Morgan. Her work in the private sector has provided her with a good understanding of project and risk management, accounting, data analysis and assessment practices. Most recently, Virginie has gained Project Management Professional certification (PMP), from the Project Management Institute, USA. In addition, her language skills and her commitment to and interest in environmental conservation make her an ideal ambassador and facilitator for the ongoing and future undertakings in the framework of our longstanding partnership with the Danone Group since 1998.

Anna Goodwin, Finance Officer (UK)
An economics graduate of Warwick University, Anna worked for 11 years with Arthur Andersen as an auditor and general business advisor, with clients ranging from pop groups to chemical manufacturers, from tractor makers to computer games developers. Recently she has been working for UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, looking after the millions being spent there in the East and Horn of Africa. She has traveled widely in the UK, the Middle East, USA, Japan, and now Switzerland. Married with two children, Anna joined the Secretariat in 2008.

Monica Zavagli, Scientific and Technical Support Officer (Italy)
Monica joined the Secretariat in 2007 working for two years as Assistant Advisor for Europe and currently  providing technical and scientific support to the work of the Convention’s Scientific Panel (STRP); she has previously gained international experience on coastal and inland wetland conservation by working with the Royal Society for Marine Conservation in Jordan and volunteering in National Parks in Costa Rica. In 2004 she worked at the Italian Permanent Mission to the UN offices in Geneva dealing with environment-related issues. Since 2007 Monica has been also involved in several coral reef resilience assessments with WWF and IUCN in Tanzania and Seychelles. She holds a BSc in Natural Science and MSc Hons in Nature Conservation with focus on Marine Ecology from the University of Bologna.

Valerie Higgins, Administrative Officer (UK)
Valerie studied at Oxford Brookes University, then worked for the British Foreign Service. Her working languages are English, French and some Spanish. She joined the Secretariat in 1996, where she oversees most administrative matters and is in charge of human resources management and in-house databases. For Ramsar Conferences of the Parties she manages registration.

Montserrat Riera, Administrative Assistant (Spain)
Montse joined the Secretariat in 1992 and organizes the office's filing, mailings, and inventory. She has long experience serving as head of our Registration and Documentation Distribution teams at meetings of the Conference of the Contracting Parties.



Catherine Loetscher, Administrative Assistant (Switzerland)
Catherine, who joined the Secretariat in 2004, leads on logistical matters, taking care of travel and accommodation arrangements for staff and delegates, practical organization of meetings, visas, living arrangements for our interns, etc. Her native language is French but she has excellent knowledge of English, Spanish, and German as well, and frequently helps out with translations and proofreading as well. She has considerable administrative work experience both in the French- and German-speaking parts of Switzerland and in Spain.

Saber Masoomi, Assistant Advisor for the Asia-Pacific (I.R. Iran)
For the past six years, Saber has been working with the UNDP/GEF Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project as a Technical Assistant and then as Coordinator of the Drought Risk Management Component. During this time, he coordinated the first and second Iranian Wetland Festivals which were held with the participation of NGOs and local communities around Urmia and Parishan Lakes. In this work, he gained experience in working with different wetland stakeholders from the local communities to the highest levels of government. Saber will also bring valuable language skills to the Secretariat with his knowledge of Turkish, Azeri, Arabic, Farsi as well as English.

Nury Furlan, Assistant Advisor for the Americas (Guatemala)

Nury has a first degree in Forest Engineering and has recently completed a Masters degree in Geomatics and Natural Resource Evaluation at the Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare in Florence, Italy. She has worked most recently as a land cover photographic interpreter at the Global Land Cover Network division of FAO in Florence. As well as bringing these technical skills, Nury will be working in her mother tongue, Spanish, and in English to support the Americas region.

Kati Wenzel, Assistant Advisor for Europe (Germany)
Kati has a postgraduate degree in Biology and Environmental Management from the Free University of Berlin, and during this course she spent a year at McGill University in Canada. For her Master’s thesis she compared conventional and organic rice farming techniques in South Korea, the latter using an invasive freshwater mollusc as a biological weed control agent. She has previously interned for CATHALAC in Panama focusing on Integrated Water Resource Management. She was also an intern at the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal where she researched biodiversity trends at a local, national, regional and global level as well as trends in drivers of change. Kati is a German citizen.

 

Ako Charlotte Eyong, Assistant Advisor for Africa (Cameroon)
Ako Charlotte Eyong is a Cameroonian citizen with a BSc. Degree in Environmental Science from the University of Buea in Cameroon and an MSc. Degree in Water Resources Management and Environmental Protection with a thesis on “Integrated Water Resources Management” from the University of Dschang. Charlotte’s career objective is working towards the integrated management of the environment to promote sustainable development. Charlotte speaks both French and English. She has four years working experience mostly in environmental-related NGOs as an intern, volunteer, and consultant and she is excited to contribute to the Ramsar Convention’s objective of wetland conservation and wise use.