Dr. Daniella Soamiarina
Dr. Armèle Daniella Soamiarina is a physician with a passion for public health, bringing clinical expertise and operational coordination experience to support the health needs of rural communities alongside conservation initiatives in northern Madagascar. Throughout her career, she has worked with NGOs focused on community health, coordinating clinical field activities and leading ongoing capacity-building for frontline health workers. Her work aims to strengthen access to essential health services for isolated communities. Guided by the understanding that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected, she promotes health practices that respect biodiversity, encourages early disease detection, and works to reduce treatment abandonment. Driven by a strong commitment to community impact, Dr. Soamiarina applies her technical expertise to integrated approaches that strengthen community autonomy, improve equitable access to care, and support the protection of local ecosystems. She works closely with regional health authorities, community health workers, and local partners to design tailored interventions, measure impact, and help ensure the long-term sustainability of health and conservation initiatives.
Mahery Fanantenana Rabearimanana
Mahery serves as Conservation Allies’ Conservation Health Brigade Coordinator in Central Madagascar. She is a community health professional with interdisciplinary experience at the intersection of public health and community development, driven by the belief that healthy ecosystems and healthy communities are deeply interconnected. Her work reflects a strong commitment to improving well-being in rural, biodiversity-rich areas of Madagascar. Throughout her career, Mahery has contributed to conservation-linked health initiatives that empower communities, strengthen local capacity, and promote equitable access to essential health services. By placing community voices and needs at the center of her work, she supports approaches that enhance resilience while reinforcing conservation outcomes. She is particularly passionate about integrated solutions that recognize community health as a foundation for sustainable conservation. Through collaboration with local partners and institutions, she works to ensure that conservation efforts deliver meaningful, long-term benefits for both people and nature.
Rijalalaina (Rija) Rasolofonirina
As the Conservation Health Brigade Program Manager, Rija leads the implementation of integrated Population-Health-Environment approaches at Conservation Allies, working closely with health authorities, conservation partners, and local communities in Madagascar. He also serves as a board member of the PHE Network in Madagascar. He is a specialist in local development and community health, with more than 20 years of experience in project design, management, and monitoring and evaluation within international organizations such as CARE, UNDP, and MSI. He holds a diverse academic background, including a degree in agricultural engineering and a master’s in local development and project management from the University of Antananarivo, complemented by a Master of Business Administration from the University of the People (United States).
Dr. Mireille Misaina Rajoelisambatra
Dr. Mireille Misaina Rajoelisambatra serves as the Conservation Health Coordinator for Conservation Allies in southern Madagascar, where she brings compassion, expertise, and a deep commitment to community well-being. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Antananarivo and has completed professional training and fieldwork with the World Health Organization. Throughout her career, Dr. Rajoelisambatra has worked closely with remote and underserved communities, supporting disease surveillance, vaccination programs, and community health promotion initiatives. She is particularly passionate about preventive health and the vital connection between human well-being and environmental conservation. Her work focuses on strengthening community-based health systems that support both people and nature. Her long-term vision is to help build resilient, healthy communities through integrated conservation and public health approaches in southern Madagascar.
Jacquelyn (Jackie) Vari
An environmental enthusiast and creative collaborator, Jackie is eager to grow Conservation Allies’ base of support as our Conservation Philanthropy Officer. She brings over 5 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and communications as well as conservation work and she is proud to be leading the overall fundraising strategy whilst guiding the donor experience as part of the Conservation Allies team. She attended Sweet Briar College where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and an Arts Management Certificate, with honors research that focused on comparing pollinator preferences between native and nativar plants. More recently, she completed a Master’s of Nonprofit Studies at the University of Richmond and enjoys combining her hard-science, ecological background with compassionate, mission-driven work. In her off time, Jackie enjoys hiking with her beagle, Shenandoah, attending ballet performances, sewing a new dress, guessing somebody’s MBTI, and traveling. She is a quintessential lifelong learner and strives to make sure that all of her work serves the purpose of cultivating stronger communities through collaboration. She is thrilled to contribute to the vital work being done by the Conservation Allies team.
Lourdes Nuñez
Lourdes is a dedicated conservation biologist with extensive experience in biodiversity preservation, particularly focused on bat conservation in Guatemala. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Rural Development from San Carlos University, where she developed strategies for managing protected areas tailored to local communities. Throughout her career, Lourdes has collaborated with local communities and international organizations on various conservation and ecology projects. Her work has included roles as an environmental consultant, professor, and researcher, with partnerships across Latin America that utilize bats as flagship species to protect critical ecosystems. As an EDGE Fellow, Lourdes is recognized for her leadership and commitment to conservation. Her diverse background in fieldwork, capacity building, and scientific research positions her as a versatile and passionate leader in the conservation field.
Angelo Ramy Mandimbihasina
Angelo has over two decades of dedicated service in biodiversity conservation within Madagascar’s unique ecosystems. Since 1999, he has contributed significantly to the field through his work in Protected Areas across the island, beginning while preparing his Master’s degree at the University of Antananarivo. Specializing in the conservation of Critically Endangered species, Angelo is known for his expertise in conservation genetics and population management of the Ploughshare tortoise. During his tenure at Baly Bay National Park from 2005 to 2011, he worked closely with local communities on reintroduction programs and population surveys using distance sampling methodology. His research revealed population declines driven by poaching and fire, leading him to establish community patrol systems and coordinate mixed brigade operations that resulted in multiple poacher arrests. Angelo is skilled in Geographic Information System (GIS) and SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) technology, integrating NASA FIRMS fire alerts and Global Forest Watch deforestation data into patrol planning. Since 2017, he has served as the implementation lead for SMART community patrol systems across six Protected Areas in Madagascar, including Menabe Antimena, Ankarafantsika, Baly Bay, Alaotra, Lake Sofia, and Ambondrobe. His research on Ploughshare tortoise population monitoring and conservation genetics has been published in peer-reviewed journals that have garnered international attention from the conservation community.
Soro Cyrene
Soro is the Conservation Outreach Officer at Conservation Allies, where she works closely with international partners to spotlight their efforts through storytelling, strategic communications, and visual design. She manages Conservation Allies’ social media, writes news articles and newsletters, maintains the website, and supports partners with brand strategy and graphic design. Soro brings over six years of experience in conservation communications, rooted in a decade-long commitment to wildlife welfare. Before joining Conservation Allies in 2023, she worked in wildlife rehabilitation across California and spent several years in South Africa working hands-on with endangered seabirds. She holds a BSc in Wildlife Conservation and Management from Cal Poly Humboldt, and her work is driven by a deep interest in wildlife welfare, environmental ethics, and conservation law. For media inquiries: soro@conservationallies.org
Dr. Paul Salaman
Dr. Paul Salaman is a globally recognized conservation leader with more than 30 years of experience advancing biodiversity protection and nonprofit effectiveness across the tropics. Born in Australia and educated in the United Kingdom, his passion for wildlife began early—sparked by an encounter with Sir David Attenborough at age eight. By fourteen, he was already managing a nature reserve and traveling across the UK in search of wildlife, laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to conservation. During his university years, Paul organized and led multiple research expeditions to Colombia, work that contributed to the establishment of a national park and a network of private nature reserves. His scientific contributions include the discovery and description of four bird species new to science. In 1998, he co-founded Fundación ProAves, which has become one of Latin America’s most effective conservation organizations. Paul has played a pivotal role in scaling conservation impact globally. In 2013, he established Rainforest Trust (formerly WLT-US) and grew it 50-fold to a leading international NGO. Under his leadership, the organization helped secure protection for more than 40 million acres of critical habitat, safeguarding endangered species across 60 countries. Paul is presently the Chair of IUCN US Fund that supports the world’s conservation network: the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A leading expert in global biodiversity conservation, Paul has been at the forefront of advancing science-based strategies to protect the world’s most threatened species, including directing urgent interventions for those at imminent risk of extinction. While he has authored numerous scientific publications, his career has been defined by bridging the gap between research and real-world conservation action, with deep field experience across South America.
Dr. Caitlin Eschmann
Dr. Caitlin Eschmann brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in primate behavioral ecology, conservation research, science education, animal welfare, and project management to her role as Executive Director at Conservation Allies. Here she leads efforts to support field conservation projects across Madagascar and Latin America, advocating for an integrative approach to environmental conservation that emphasizes grassroot efforts, active community engagement, and holistic conservation tools. Dr. Eschmann’s passion for conservation is evident in her extensive fieldwork and research experience on Critically Endangered primate species throughout Africa and Asia. Dr. Eschmann holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Bristol, UK, where her research focused on the social systems and vocal communication of blue-eyed black lemurs and black lemurs in Madagascar, providing valuable insights into their speciation and conservation initiatives. Similarly, her M.Sc in Primate Conservation from Oxford Brookes University, UK, concentrated on the impacts of an increasingly urbanized environment on the behaviors of purple-faced leaf monkeys in Sri Lanka. Dr. Eschmann also contributes her expertise to the IUCN Primate Specialist Group – Madagascar and the American Zoos and Aquariums’ Prosimian Taxon Advisory Group. Beyond her academic and professional achievements, Dr. Eschmann is deeply committed to advancing her field and mentoring the next generation of conservationists. Through programs like the Lemur Love Writing Fellowship, she continues to support Malagasy students in turning their field data into scientific papers. Prior to her position with Conservation Allies, Dr. Eschmann was a dedicated educator at the New York Hall of Science and Liberty Science Center, inspiring students and guiding them on their own intellectual journeys.