Lian Wilson is the General Manager of Community Conservation at Zoos Victoria, where she leads strategic initiatives that harness the power of people to secure a sustainable future for wildlife and communities. With a strong focus on leadership, Lian oversees a team of conservation specialists and drives the development and delivery of award-winning campaigns and education programs that foster emotional connections with nature and inspire pro-conservation behaviours. As a senior leader, Lian is deeply committed to cultivating the next generation of conservation leaders. She champions youth development and has played a pivotal role in designing and delivering behaviour change training for industry professionals and community groups, building sector-wide capacity in conservation engagement.

Lian’s leadership extends beyond Zoos Victoria. She sits on the International Zoo Educators Board as Journal Editor, contributing to the global advancement of conservation education. She also currently serves as Chair of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (Australasia) Conservation Engagement Committee, where she provides strategic direction to regional conservation engagement efforts. In addition, Lian has also contributed strategic advice to government expert panels and groups, helping shape policy and programs that connect communities to nature. With a Bachelor of Science (Marine Zoology) from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Diploma of Education from Monash University, Lian brings both scientific expertise and educational insight to her leadership. Her work reflects a deep commitment to organisational change, professional development, and the transformative power of conservation leadership.

Debra Erickson is the Executive Director of the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, where she leads marine conservation initiatives and mentors the next generation of conservationists in the field. She also directs all interpretive programs at Atlantis Paradise Island, ensuring that habitat content and conservation messaging inspire millions of visitors each year. In addition, she is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Wildlife Madagascar, a community-based conservation organization dedicated to safeguarding Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity while supporting the resilience of local communities.

Over the course of her 40-year career, Debra has consistently held senior leadership positions in some of the world’s most respected zoos and aquariums. She led interpretive teams at the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego and oversaw both interpretive and education teams at SeaWorld Orlando and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Throughout her career, she has championed conservation education as a core mission and mentored countless professionals, including most recently those entering the field in Madagascar.

Her leadership has produced a legacy of innovative and award-winning interpretive plans, including Manatees: The Last Generation, Wild Arctic, Tiger Trail, and Walkabout Australia—each honored with Top Exhibit Awards from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She also spearheaded the creation of San Diego Zoo Kids, a 24-hour, commercial-free television network now serving over 400 children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses in 15 countries, bringing the healing power of animals to children and families worldwide.

Prior to her current leadership role at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa, she worked for the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) from 1992 to 2021. She was Director of Education for almost 10 years,  Director of uShaka Sea World for 10 years, through the amazing years of building and then moving from the old Sea World to uShaka Sea World. After a few years as the CEO of SAAMBR she returned to her passion for conservation and education as the Conservation Strategist of the Association.

Judy holds a PhD from the University of Queensland in Australia, where she studied how best to inspire visitors from multiple cultures to care for the environment. She also has a Master of Science Degree in Ichthyology (Fish) and a Degree in Business management.

Judy has presented at many national and international conferences and has published widely. She has run workshops locally and internationally on zoo and aquarium conservation learning, visitor research and science communication. She has also run many training courses on marine topics for groups ranging from rural mussel collectors to marine protected area managers in various locations along the eastern seaboard of Africa.

She was the co-founder and first chairperson of the South African Marine and Coastal Educators Network (MCEN). This association, started in the mid 1990s, has grown to be the voice and network for marine education in South Africa. She was an international advisor to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association Conservation Education Committee and served as a member of the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication. She is now on the IUCN Behaviour Change Task Force. Judy is currently a Council Member and Chair of the Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Committee for the World Association of Zoos & Aquariums (WAZA).

Valerie Syrowicz is the Head of Strategic Projects and Alliances at Parque Zoológico Nacional La Aurora in Guatemala City and has been in charge of the Conservation Education department since 2014. She also supervises the community education and conservation research programs for the AGHN Marine Conservation Center since 2018. She has 20 years of professional experience primarily in social development programs and public and private alliances.

She has a special interest in providing equal access to quality education, reducing the gap for science and conservation education in Guatemala, prompting behavior change in the population and measuring results.

She is part of the ALPZA (Latin American Zoo and Aquarium Association) Education Committee since 2018. Valerie was an IZE Sponsor Delegate in 2016 and hosted the In Country Training in Guatemala in 2017. She received her B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and has a PM4R Professional Masters Certification in Project Management for Development Projects from the Inter-American Development Bank.

Aileen is an accomplished professional educator with 20 years’ experience in teaching, curriculum development at national level, and in creating effective and award-winning learning programmes. She holds a B.Sc. in Science Education and spent a decade working as a secondary school science and global development teacher, during which she secured funding from Irish Aid to lead the Climate Justice Schools Programme connecting schools in Ireland and Tanzania.

From 2015 until 2024, Aileen served as Head of Discovery & Learning at Dublin Zoo, Ireland, where she developed the Conservation Education Master Plan and was instrumental in the creation of key learning infrastructure including the Discovery & Learning Centre, Zoorassic World and improved interpretation. She also lectured part-time in Science Education at Dublin City University, supporting trainee primary school teachers with science and climate change education.

As a firm believer in continuous professional development, Aileen has studied management, strategic planning, innovation and leadership to enhance her effectiveness in conservation education leadership. She is passionate about building teams and their capacity to empower people to make informed choices that positively impact wildlife and the planet.

Aileen also serves on the EAZA Conservation Education Committee since October 2023 and in July 2024, she was appointed as Director of Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, Ireland.