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, based on site at Sophia Point, I am responsible for managing all operations, development and running of the Sophia Point Centre and to lead on delivering the scientific mission behind the organisation.

I am a conservation ecologist, with a background in the delivery of landscape-scale conservation projects, with experience in habitat creation and land management, forest management, protected sites management, research and GIS. I have worked on research and conservation projects, putting people at the heart of conservation in projects across Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar and the UK for over 15 years.

I am excited for the opportunity that Sophia Point will bring to the local community, and for the next generation of Guyanese leaders in conservation and science to develop their skills here at Sophia point.

I work at Sophia Point as the centre’s site manager. I am helping to landscape the site since the construction of the new facilities, I am in charge of the maintenance of the building and I support visiting groups and events.

I have lived in the neighbouring village of Burn Bush for many years now, so I know the area, the people and the wildlife well! I am excited to share this amazing place I call home with the students who come to learn more about the rainforest and Guyana.

I am Sophia Point’s trail guide. I maintain the trails that allow visitors to move easily through the rainforest and I take groups into the forest.

I 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. I enjoy helping Guyanese and international visitors to understand our 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 for international development and social impact organisations and 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. I’ve since held senior roles at Oxfam GB, the UK’s Department for International Development, Girl Effect and the ONE Campaign.

Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre offers a wonderful 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.

I have worked as UK lawyer for almost 30 years, initially as a barrister and then solicitor specialising in white collar defence and regulatory investigations and litigation. I co-founded and was managing partner of a Chancery Lane law firm for over half that time.