Our Team

I am an artist and social historian with a diverse portfolio of works and special projects. I am dedicated to social impact and equality in the art world and beyond. I co-founded, fund-raised and directed a £1m project to establish the Diaspora Platform and Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale, showcasing 22 artists from culturally diverse backgrounds. I founded the Khadija Saye Arts programme at IntoUniversity which addresses the issue of BAME representation in the creative industries.

I am most excited about Sophia Point as an opportunity to transform the way we view and value the rainforest. Doing this right will be crucial in communicating environmental challenges within and beyond Guyana.

I have been a Member of Parliament in the UK since 2000, and am currently the Shadow Foreign Secretary. I have dedicated my time inside and outside of parliament to campaigning on racial and social justice issues, and fighting to make high-quality education accessible to all.

I am Guyanese in origin and a dual national of Guyana and the UK. I am excited to help bring first-class & accessible research facilities to Guyana. By doing this, I believe Sophia Point will help transform both education and conservation efforts in Guyana and the wider world.

As Centre Director, I am based on site at Sophia Point, overseeing the establishment and development of the Sophia Point Centre.

My background is in environmental research and policy. I have advised Member’s of the UK Parliament, worked on sustainable food systems at think-tank Chatham House, and supported WWF Guyana’s community-based conservation programme.

Having first visited Guyana in 2010 and spent a year living in the community of Chenapou I have been lucky to experience the natural wonders of this country. Sophia Point is exciting because it creates a space for young Guyanese to access their environment, study the rainforest and ultimately decide how best to protect it for generations to come.

I am a Bartica native, former soldier, carpenter and Election Commission Officer. I have travelled widely across Guyana.

At Sophia Point, I do many things, from maintenance, groundskeeping and furniture building, to driving the boat and supporting the construction and building.

Being at Sophia Point is like being part of a family. Those working here and those who visit all work together. It is the opportunity to do what you love, and love what you do.

I am currently working as Sophia Point’s trail guide. I have been working to develop the system of trails that allow researchers to move easily through the rainforest.

I absolutely love working as a guide. It is exciting to show people what is in the rainforest and the many plants, trees and animals that Guyana has. Sophia Point is allowing Guyanese and international researchers to understand so much more about our rainforest and it is a pleasure to help them with their work.

I am a language teacher by training and have taught in the UK for the past 7 years.

At Sophia Point, I support the outreach programme with local schools and lead educational content development.

Besides the joy of being located in such a tranquil and beautiful setting, I am excited to be part of a community of fascinating people who are all working together to ensure the future of this incredible rainforest.

I am the Director of the Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity (CSBD) and a lecturer within the Department of Biology at the University of Guyana.

As an entomologist and behavioural ecologist, my research focuses heavily on neo-tropical butterflies. I have investigated the diversity, behaviour, genetics, physiology and ecology of many local species within multiple habitat types.

Sophia Point presents a unique and easy-to-access opportunity for the students and faculty of the University of Guyana to study the natural world. Further, it provides a direct link to supporting the field-based training mandate of the CSBD.

I am currently the Technical Director at Conservation International Guyana. I have over 20 years experience designing and implementing conservation and development programs. I have been involved in managing a sustainable livelihoods project in the Rupununi region, leading the design and operationalization of a community development planning program and leading the CI-Guyana responsible mining initiative with is aimed at fostering greater responsibility and sustainability in the artisanal, small and medium scale gold mining sector. I have supported multi-stakeholder consultation processes providing feedback and advice to a major, province-wide, transit policy initiative in Ontario, Canada as well as a significant urban re-naturalization project in the City of Toronto.

I am excited that Sophia Point will provide a space for Guyanese biodiversity and ecological researchers and practitioners to have an accessible world-class facility to conduct research with global experts, to ensure that Guyana's ecosystems are conserved for the benefit of Guyanese people and the world. I am also excited that Sophia Point will enable local communities to learn and share about their environments and find lasting solutions to the challenges they face.

I am Deputy Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Director of EMBL-EBI. EMBL is Europe’s inter-governmental organisation which delivers cutting-edge molecular biology research and scientific infrastructure. I also run a small research group focused on using genomic information from different species to understand living processes.

I am excited about the combination of the mission of providing a place for both research and education in one of the world’s most untouched rainforests. I am proud that this is being executed with the deep involvement of the Guyanese research community. Sophia Point also has an educational and community mission from the local communities at Bartica and along the Essequibo river, up into the virgin rainforest of Guyana, and then out to communities across the world, from UK to US and beyond. Connecting the future generation with this rich world which we have the responsibility to steward for a collective future is key for the health of this planet.

I work on communications for mission-driven organisations and am currently Executive Director of Communications for the ONE Campaign, an advocacy group focusing on ending extreme poverty in Africa. I was lucky to spend time in Zambia early in my career, where I worked with the Ministry of Education on a training programme for rural school teachers, and have since held senior communications roles at Girl Effect, Oxfam GB and the UK’s Department for International Development.

The opportunity to open a window on the rich biodiversity of Guyana and enable it to be experienced and studied, benefitting all of us.

I am Chief Executive of Lee Valley Estates, a real estate developer creating homes and community facilities to support sustainable regeneration in the UK.

I am passionate about ensuring Sophia Point is accessible to all Guyanese who wish to study the rainforest. I will bring my knowledge of project management to help support the construction of the Sophia Point Centre.