Team

Team

Meet our team of international staff who are committed to securing a healthy future for mountain gorillas

  • Cath Lawson

    Cath Lawson

    Board Chair

    Cath has over 10 years of programme management experience working for a number of leading environmental NGOs and across a diverse portfolio of projects and programmes. She has strong technical knowledge, with a particular focus on the illegal wildlife trade in Africa. Cath is skilled in building relationships with key partners and stakeholders at all levels and have managed and supported work that is funded by a range of donors, including statutory funding, trusts and foundations, individuals, and corporates. Cath works as Senior Programme Manager, Eastern Africa at Fauna & Flora International and is IGCP’s board chair.

    Cath.Lawson@fauna-flora.org

  • Focal Point
    Matthew Lewis

    Matthew Lewis

    Board Member

    Matthew is the Regional Director at Conservation International . He is a Wildlife biologist and conservationist with 25 years of international experience managing and implementing field projects for a variety of species conservation programs in North America, Asia and Africa.

    mlewis@conservation.org

  • Focal Point
    Jessica Farish

    Jessica Farish

    Focal Point

    Jess Farish joined Fauna & Flora International as part of the Africa team in 2015. Her current role includes the IGCP Focal Point position for FFI, together with supporting project level monitoring and evaluation, project management and operations management across the Africa team. Jess holds a Masters degree in Conservation Science, from Imperial College, London and has over 8 years’ experience working for a variety of wildlife conservation NGOs.

    Jessica.farish@fauna-flora.org

  • Comms Gatekeeper
    Marsden Momanyi

    Marsden Momanyi

    Comms Gatekeeper

    Marsden Momanyi, is a Communications Manager for Wildlife at WWF and is based in Kenya. He leads communications around WWF’s wildlife conservation strategy and initiatives including several key species and landscapes globally. He joined WWF in 2017 from the African Union (AU) where he served as a strategic communications expert supporting regional conflict prevention, management and peace-building policy and advocacy efforts over a period of six years. He has over 15 years development communications experience with leading international and regional organizations among them the African Technology Policy Studies Network, Amref and ActionAid. He has a Masters degree in Communications from the University of Leeds and Bachelors degree in Communications from Loughborough University.

    mmomanyi@wwfint.org

  • Comms Gatekeeper
    Tim Knight

    Tim Knight

    Comms Gatekeeper

    Tim is a communications specialist who has worked closely with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) as a writer and editor since 1999. Tim has been actively involved with IGCP throughout that time and helped create IGCP’s first website in 2003. He has edited FFI’s annual magazine for almost 20 years and is co-author of With Honourable Intent - A Natural History of Fauna & Flora International, which includes an in-depth account of IGCP’s origins.

    tim.knight@fauna-flora.org

  • Staff
    Wellard Makambo

    Wellard Makambo

    Director

    Wellard joined IGCP in 2007. Wellard is a Congolese national and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with a major in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. Wellard has served as a manager in charge of coordinating the IGCP program across the three countries with support of the Country Coordinators. Since 2022, Wellard assumed a new position as IGCP Director. Wellard is passionate about football, music, and community development.

    wmakambo@igcp.org

    DRC

  • Jean Paul Hirwa

    Jean Paul Hirwa

    Deputy Director

    Jean Paul joined IGCP in June 2023 as Deputy Director. He completed his master’s degree in an Erasmus Mundus master’s program on Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems, which offered him opportunities to attend universities and research institutions in France, Cameroon, Belgium and Panama. Jean Paul has worked in the field of conservation, in different positions since 2009. Jean Paul’s role at IGCP is to provide input to develop and adapt the IGCP conservation strategy, ensure high-quality implementation, monitor progress and impacts of that strategy across the three countries, in close collaboration with the entire IGCP team and various partners. Jean Paul is passionate about making significant impact in communities. He likes traveling, music plus watching and playing tennis.

    jhirwa@igcp.org

  • Staff
    Alice Mbayahi

    Alice Mbayahi

    Communications and Media Engagement Expert

    Alice joined IGCP in 2015 as Communications Officer and became the Communications and Advocacy Manager in February 2020. Alice is a Ugandan national and holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies from Makerere University, and a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Uganda Christian University. Alice manages and champions IGCP’s communication and advocacy mountain gorilla work in the region. Alice is passionate about advocacy comms for best practices and community development.

    Uganda

  • Staff
    Benjamin Mugabukomeye

    Benjamin Mugabukomeye

    Rwanda Country Coordinator

    Benjamin joined IGCP in 2010. Benjamin is a Rwandese national and holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Kibungo and a Diploma in wildlife management from Wildlife school/ Cameroun. Benjamin coordinates IGCP’s strategic engagement with government, park edge communities and civil society partners to support the conservation of the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Benjamin is passionate about harmonious living between park adjacent communities and the park.

    Rwanda

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The mission of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) is to secure the future for mountain gorillas, and does so by facilitating collaboration, supporting conservation science and responsible tourism practices, and promoting effective community engagement.

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