A panel discussion by women leading community centered conservation initiatives. From research and conch hatcheries, to plastic reduction and citizen science, explore how communities are central to their work to enhance, protect, and restore ecosystems and community resilience and pride.
Moderator, Tamara Thomas, is the Executive Director of Ocean Ties and Ocean Advisor to the IUCN, and has over 15 years of expertise on Ocean Issues – across several international conventions and relevant fora including the Convention on Biological Diversity; UN Framework on Climate Change; BBNJ; as well as on matters related to seabed mining. Among her previous roles, she served as Director of International Ocean Policy for Conservation International, International Ocean Policy Advisor of the Global Oceans Program at The Nature Conservancy and Advisor to the Chair of the United Nations Preparatory Committee of BBNJ. Ms Thomas aides in the creation of country and international level policy to support integration of marine nature-based solutions and innovative finance approaches and positions them as integral to global development agendas. She holds a masters of environmental management from Yale University and currently serves as Ocean and Ocean-Climate Advisor to The Republic of Seychelles and co-leads, within BBNJ, Area Based Management Tools including Marine Protected Areas and Environmental Impact Assessments within the African Group and is on the Board of Directors for Sea of Life.
Mahoganee Amiger is a Gullah/Geechee Musician Creative, interdisciplinary artist born and raised in the Coastal Carolinas of the US. For Mahoganee the intersecting arts of music, writing, photography, mixed media and being born a black woman in the remnants of the Antebellum South has created the perfect artistic genius.
Mahoganee, referred to as “Da Sea Island Songbird” has a unique style of vocal storytelling in partnership with her husband, music producer and sound engineer, Mr. BounceBack they blend style elements of Jazz, Funk, Blues, Hip-hop with West African, Caribbean influence and instrumentation, touching on all elements of both contemporary and traditional American roots music, making her a quintessential modern FOLK singer.
Through Responsible ARTistry, Inc, Mahoganee leads as the Executive Director and is proud of their advocacy work with local and international youth making impact on the world by using Art to Entertain, Elevate, Enlighten and Explore the possibilities of utilizing the power of Creativity and Imagination to advance the Gullah/Geechee Culture and Heritage specifically by highlighting the spirituality of water and memories held within to advance environmental responsibilities of land and water stewardship.
Mahoganee is a Certified Teaching Artist in the field of music, has been awarded the Leo Twiggs Arts Leadership Scholar through the South Carolina Arts Commission. Most recently selected as a 2023 Riley Fellow in the Diversity Leaders Initiative at The Riley Institute at Furman and chosen by The Culture of Health Leaders Institute for Racial Healing into its 3rd Cohort of National Leaders for 2024.
Kelley Dennings is a senior campaigner with the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity where she develops and executes advocacy and outreach initiatives that address the connections between reproductive health, gender equity, endless growth and the climate and extinction crises. Her campaigns focus on solutions from voluntary family planning to alternative economies to address how the effects of patriarchy, capitalism and other systems of oppression affect people and the environment. Prior to the Center, she worked in waste management and forest conservation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in natural resources from N.C. State and a master’s degree in public health from the University of South Florida. She is certified in public health and as a family planning health worker and is a member of the American Public Health Association, the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health and SisterSong. She is a current board member of the National Women’s Health Network and Shareable and the founding president of the nonprofit Social Marketing Association of North America. She has been published in EcoWatch, Environmental Health News, Journal of Environmental Health, Journal of Extension, Journal of Population and Sustainability, Journal of Social Issues, Ms. Magazine, Nonprofit Quarterly, Resource Recycling, Rewire, Social Marketing Quarterly, Sustainability Times and The Hill.
Becky Holt, M.B.A. is a brand strategist and creative producer with over a decade of experience in the ocean and seafood sector. Throughout her career, she has highlighted the work of mission-driven international brands and shared the stories of those on the front lines of seafood production, renewable energy, and conservation.
Becky began her journey in seafood sustainability as a Senior Executive at the Global Seafood Alliance, where she produced eight documentary short films that showcased the personal stories of water farmers worldwide and managed a large membership program. Since then, she has collaborated with leading organizations such as the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI), overseeing media relations and content creation for the global platform that benchmarks and recognizes seafood leaders and certification schemes.
Currently, Becky serves as the Assistant Director at the FAU Queen Conch Lab, a research and conservation program focused on restoring the threatened queen conch population in the Caribbean and creating new blue jobs for local communities. In this role, she manages project communications, grant writing, and the international development of the Lab’s expanding hatchery initiatives.
www.queenconchlab.com holtr@fau.edu
Sasha Machuca is born in raised in the Corozal district of Belize. Jammed packed schedules have never deterred her from embracing new responsibilities and challenges. In 2023 she joined Sea of Life, as their Community Liaison for Belize's first Plastic Solutions Academy. The mission, vision and core concept behind the initiative resonated with her. Sasha has managed numerous education and outreach activities on plastic pollution at Sea of Life, including the national citizen science campaign TrashBlitz. Together with communities across Belize SoL has logged close to 20k data units in 12 months.
Prior to this, she’s also done volunteer work for the Herbarium of Belize, Toledo Institute of Development and Environment, and the Environmental Research Institute. In her down time, Sasha is also the social media content creator for the Belize City Animal Aid and a professional Quality Assurance Laboratory Technician. Sasha wishes to live a meaningful life. You can find her where there is a worthwhile cause.
Jaeda Simone Sutherland, a Belizean native born on May 4th, 1998, is a passionate advocate for gender equality, maritime industry advancement, and environmental sustainability. Hailing from Hattieville Village in Belize, Jaeda embarked on her academic journey with an Associates in Literature from St John's Junior College before pursuing a Bachelors in Business & Enterprise from Edinburgh Napier University. With plans to further her education with a Masters in Maritime Studies, Jaeda is committed to deepening her knowledge and expertise in the maritime field.
Currently serving as a Project Officer at the Belize Port Authority, Jaeda plays a pivotal role in advancing initiatives that promote safety, sustainability, and growth within the maritime sector. She also proudly represents the maritime community as an Ambassador for the Maritime SheEO Community and holds the esteemed position of President of the Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean (Belize Chapter).
A devoted advocate for women's empowerment, Jaeda utilizes her platform to champion gender equality and amplify the voices of women in traditionally male-dominated industries. With less than five years of experience in the maritime industry, Jaeda's dedication and passion have already made a significant impact, driving positive change and raising awareness of the importance of maritime affairs in Belize and the wider Caribbean region. As a mother and dynamic leader, Jaeda is committed to shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for generations to come.