Africa Region Board of Directors
The Africa Region of the Society for Conservation Biology has an international following of members that support conservation on the African continent. The board of directors is an elected body that facilitates the goals and activities of the Region.
Future Members
If you are interested in being a member of the African Board you must be a member of SCB and a member of the Region. Generally two-to-four board members are elected annually. The Call for Nominations goes out in September or October and the election runs in October or November. Region members receive an email about the open positions and the start of the election process.
Current Board Members
Adedotun Onoyinka Afolayan (PhD)-President SCB-AR
Dr. Adedotun Onoyinka AFOLAYAN is a distinguished researcher with a PhD in Ecology and Environmental Biology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Currently, she serves as Deputy Director (Research) at the National Center for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan, Nigeria a centre responsible for the conservation of the immense national biodiversity (mostly plants and animals).
Dr. Afolayan is the current President of the Africa Region of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB-AR). She was also both President-Elect (2018-2021) and President (2021-2023) of the Nigerian Society for Conservation Biology (NSCB). Besides this, she is an alumnus and a Fellow of the Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP), as well as an alumnus of the International Foundation for Science (IFS).
Dr. Afolayan has made significant contributions to research in Nigeria and her research expertise spans environmental toxicological research studies involving environmental pollution assessment (soil, water and biota). Besides, she is experienced in tissue culture techniques for conservation and mass propagation. She has led and collaborated on various national and international research projects, including the International Foundation for Science Collaborative research study, IITA's Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) and the Program for Seed Systems Innovation for Vegetatively propagated crops in Africa (PROSSIVA).
Dr. Afolayan has mentored students at various levels and has also facilitated courses and supervised students at the National Open University of Nigeria. Her dedication to research and conservation has earned her recognition, both nationally and internationally.
Beyond her institutional roles, Dr. Afolayan is the founder and CEO of My Environment Wellbeing Initiative (MEWIn), an NGO that focuses on ensuring the overall well-being of the environment through different biodiversity conservation initiatives. The NGO's main goal is to engage all stakeholders including the younger generation, in proactively engaging in conservation activities that will contribute to the well being of their respective environment such as school and community garden establishments, reforestation, live genebank establishment, environment clean up causes, soil and water pollution status assessment etc.
Dr. Afolayan's passion for biodiversity conservation drives her work and she is committed to ensuring the conservation and sustainable utilization of the diverse biological resources.
Term ends on 31 December 2028
LinkedIn | Academia | Website
Prof. Margaret Awuor Owuor-President-Elect SCB-AR
Margaret Awuor Owuor is a National Geographic Explorer and a trained teacher of Biology. Through her training in Zoology, Botany, Ecology, Conservation, Marine and Coastal Management and Stakeholder engagement, Margaret’s central theme to research is on exploring how communities use and value ecosystems, biodiversity and their ecological functions resulting in benefits that these natural systems provide, and if this understanding of the value of nature can change perceptions and behavior of communities and policy makers for conservation in the face of biodiversity loss and development. Her research has focused on mangroves and freshwater wetlands in Kenya and Brazil. She involves multiple stakeholders (from local community groups to Government institutions) coupled with spatial analysis of different land cover and land use and economic tools to develop choices and values of multiple ecosystems. Margaret, in collaboration with teams in Brazil, conducted the first Cross Basin assessment of ecosystem services from the mountains to the mouth of the Amazon River on the Atlantic coast under the Perpetual Planet Amazon Expedition’s, exploring the ecological and social value of mangroves. Margaret is currently the Co-PI in the Perpetual Planet and Rolex Oceans Expedition in the Gambia. Margaret uses short videos to highlight the drivers of change to biodiversity and ecosystems, enhancing community voices to champion for conservation and management of natural resources. She is a strong believer of diversity and inclusivity in her work. Margaret is currently a Professor of Integrative Biodiversity Conservation Science at the Wyss Academy for Nature and the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern leading a research group working on transdisciplinary studies on ecosystems services, role of global policy on biodiversity conservation and nature based solutions for freshwater and arid and semi arid ecosystem conservation. Margaret previously worked as a Lecturer and Head of Department of Hydrology and Aquatic Science at South Eastern Kenya University, Kenya. She holds a Ph.D. in Marine and Coastal Management from the University of Cadiz in Spain, and an MSc. in Water and Coastal management from the University of Plymouth, UK and the University of Cadiz in Spain.
Term ends on 31 December 2028
LinkedIn | Twitter
Dr. Jean Aimé Ruticumugambi -Member at Large
Dr. Jean Aimé Ruticumugambi is a postdoc researcher at the Yale school of the environment, Yale university (USA). He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Forestry from the University of Rwanda and his Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Lay Adventists of Kigali, Rwanda. He earned his Ph.D. in Bioscience Engineering: Natural resources from Ghent University, Belgium. A central objective of his research is to address the complex interactions between forests and agricultural systems by examining how landscape structure defined by the amount and spatial configuration of land-cover types such as forests, wetlands, and croplands influences wildlife populations in tropical smallholder agricultural landscapes, and how landscape heterogeneity can reconcile biodiversity conservation with productive land use through spatial simulation modeling and field studies across diverse agroecological zones.
Because landscape structure is strongly shaped by human activities including agriculture, forestry, and urban development, his work provides insights that are directly relevant to land-use planning and sustainable natural resource management.
Dr. Ruticumugambi has been a Lecturer in the Department of Forestry at Rwanda Polytechnic, Kitabi College (2015–2025), an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Rwanda in the Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resources (May 2023 to date), and a member of the Board of the Society for Conservation Biology, Africa Region (January 2022 to date).
Enid Sarah Khanda-Director Communications SCB-AR
Enid Sarah Khanda is an Environmental scientist with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science from Egerton University, Kenya. She is driven by a strong commitment to biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resource management, and environmental stewardship. She is currently serving as an Environment Management Officer at the County Government of Laikipia. Sarah is a registered member of the Environment Institute of Kenya (EIK) as well as a licensed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) expert by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). She currently serves in the Society for Conservation Biology-Africa Region Board of Directors as the Communications Director since May 2024.
Beyond her technical expertise, she is deeply passionate about communication and a firm believer of communication being an enabler in conservation. She enjoys transforming complex scientific concepts into clear, accessible messages that inspire action, foster collaboration, and encourage responsible environmental practices among diverse audiences. Enid is particularly passionate about elevating the voices of young people and women in conservation. She actively supports inclusive platforms that empower youth and women to participate in decision-making, contribute to conservation initiatives, and become champions of environmental sustainability within their communities. As an enthusiastic learner, she is eager to deepen her understanding of conservation biology and explore the science that underpins species conservation, ecosystem resilience, landscape connectivity, and biodiversity management. Enid is motivated by opportunities to engage in research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based conservation that bridges science, policy, and community action.
Emmanuel Akampurira (PhD)-Editor-In-Chief African Conservation Telegraph
Emmanuel Akampurira is a Ugandan conservation biologist working at the intersection of wildlife science, political ecology, and community-based conservation in and around protected areas. He currently serves as the chief editor of the African Conservation Telegraph newsletter and as the chair of the regional council of the Society for Conservation Biology. Emmanuel works as the Manager of Research at the Uganda Wildlife Research and Training College (UWRTC), where he leads the development and implementation of the college’s research agenda and strengthens the research–management interface for Uganda’s wildlife sector. He holds a PhD in Political Sciences (Political Ecology of Wildlife Conservation) from Ghent University, where his doctoral research examined the political ecology of conservation conflicts in western Uganda, focusing on communities living within and around national parks. He earned a master’s degree in Tropical Forestry from Bangor University and a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Health and Management from Makerere University, providing a strong interdisciplinary grounding in ecology, forestry, and wildlife management. He has over 15 years of experience in research and wildlife management, and his work has taken him across borders, regionally (Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda) and globally (the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands). His research interests and expertise include human dynamics of wildlife conservation, human-wildlife coexistence, biodiversity monitoring and assessment, animal behaviour, and the impacts of development (e.g., oil and gas) on biodiversity conservation. Emmanuel is a member of the IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group representing Uganda and Africa. He is a founding member of the African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance.
Dr. Jean Bernard Ndayambaje
Jean Bernard Ndayambaje, PhD, is a biotechnologist, researcher, and data analyst with over 10 years of experience in higher education, scientific research, laboratory management, and academic leadership. He has expertise in biotechnology, medical chemistry, toxicology, research supervision, and data analysis using Python, SQL, Business Intelligence, and Machine Learning. His background includes university teaching, departmental leadership, bioprocess engineering, and medical laboratory practice, supported by international academic qualifications and multilingual communication skills.
Claire-Diversity Equity Inclusivity and Justice
Ms. Kyasiimire is an accomplished community conservationist; with extensive experience in working on Natural Resource Management (NRM) and community conservation initiatives with communities, government agencies, farmers, conservation agencies and research organizations. She has firsthand experience of challenges and opportunities in working with protected areas and marginalized communities; with a focus on women. She is an enthusiastic policy analyst; passionate about conservation and community development; and how policy has shaped and continues to shape the same. She has successfully coordinated and managed large and complex integrated programs on wildlife conservation, ecosystems management and community development in some of the most challenging areas of Eastern Africa
Clare has served as Grants Coordinator for SCB's (global) Chapters Committee and is currently the SCB-AR DEIJ Director. She works as Programme Coordinator for the African Agribusiness Incubators Network, (AAIN-Uganda) based in Kampala, Uganda.
She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Uganda Management Institute, Kampala and loves to write in her free time.
Dr. Fatsuma Olaleru Director Young Women in Conservation Biology
Fatsuma Olaleru is a conservation biologist who lectures, conducts research and does community service at the Natural Resources Conservation Unit, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Lagos. She teaches undergraduate and graduate students ecology, Zoology, and conservation biology courses, and supervises their projects and theses. Her research interest is in non-human primates population and nutritional, with focus on populations inhabiting human dominated landscapes. I terms of community service, she a reviews for many national and international journals such as The Zoologist, African Primates, Academic journals. She serves as an editorial board member for African Primates and the International Primatological Journal.
ResearchGate, Orcid, Scopus Author ID: 57219224058, Google Scholar
Dr. Michelle Fasona, Finance
Dr. Michelle Iyabo Fasona is the current Financial and Monitoring Director of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) African Section. She is a Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Lagos State University (LASU), Epe Campus, Nigeria. She holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of Lagos. Her research focuses on biodiversity conservation, landscape ecology, habitat connectivity, wildlife ecology, GIS and remote sensing, and ecosystem management. Dr. Fasona has received research support through the A.G. Leventis Scholarship and the SL Edu Research Grant, as well as the WWF Prince Bernhard Scholarship Programme. She is actively involved in conservation research and environmental education.