Secretariat

Dr. Nicole Arbour joined the Belmont Forum as Executive Director of the Secretariat in July 2021. She comes to this role from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), in Austria where she is External Relations Manager and is actively involved in developing and maintaining relationships between IIASA its national members.

Nicole has spent the bulk of her career at the international science interface, building and developing bilateral and multinational relationships and collaborations, and supporting relationships with international scientific organizations.

She has held several roles in Canada, including Senior Advisor, International Relations at the National Research Council Canada (NRC), Team Lead for the UK’s Science and Innovation Network (SIN) in Canada, and has worked as a research scientist in the Canadian biotech sector.

Nicole is passionate about science communication, science policy, evidence-informed decision-making, and science diplomacy. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Anne-Teresa Birthwright holds a PhD in Geography from the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica with experience in rural livelihood, climate change vulnerability and adaptation. She is a former Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellow where she supported the development of the regional Science Diplomacy Center to strengthen science diplomacy on global environmental change across the Americas. She has worked with various local and regional multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects focused on reducing risk to climate change and improving the livelihoods of rural communities. She has an interest in action-oriented research where solutions are developed to reduce vulnerability, shape policy, and encourage sustainable livelihoods. This interest led her to being the recipient of the 2017 Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence in International Achievement. As a research consultant, Anne-Teresa has also collaborated to produce several national documents including Jamaica’s first Climate Change Research Agenda which champions the role of science in solving societal problems, as well as supports the achievement of climate change targets identified in national policy frameworks. Similarly, she co-authored Jamaica’s first Adaptation Communication (AdCom). As an inaugural document, the development of Jamaica’s AdCom was crucial in the negotiation process at the United Nations 26th Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP26) held in Glasgow, Scotland. She is also the Vice President for the Jamaican Women in Coffee (JAWiC) ― the national chapter of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) Global which focuses on women’s empowerment within the island’s coffee industry. Recently, she successfully co-designed and co-managed the JAWiC’s first two major grant funding from the 2020/2021 and 2022/2023 Canadian Funds for Local Initiatives (CFLI) under the project “Strengthening the Capacity of Women Coffee Farmers through Training”, receiving a ‘Big Impact Award’ at their inaugural 2023 Gender Equity Awards ceremony.

Charles has been working for the European Commission since January 1985, in various positions mainly in the financial sector and fraud investigations in the area of development aid worldwide. Currently assistant to the Director in DG Research and Innovation monitoring the financial aspects of a specific Framework Contract, budget and close contact with the Science Counsellors of our DG spread around the world. Member of IMA (International Management Assistants).

Dr. Daniella da Silva Nogueira de Melo holds a PhD from the Political Science and International Relations Program at the University of Minho in Portugal. Her areas of research include European Union foreign policy, South Atlantic studies and maritime security. She has consulting experience in the internationalization of higher education institutions and in fundraising for national and international resources. She participates as a member of Erasmus+ projects with coordinators from Finland, Romania, Portugal and Paraguay, as well as nationally funded projects. Daniella graduated in International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo in 2015 and has a master’s degree in international relations from the San Tiago Dantas Interinstitutional Graduate Program in International Relations (UNESP, UNICAMP and PUC-SP) since 2018. Daniella works as a Project Coordinator at FAPESC in Florianopolis (Brazil), especially in the portfolio of International Relations and scientific diplomacy in articulation with key national and international partners.

Currently a Research Grants Management Officer at the National Research Fund- Kenya and a postgraduate student at the University of Nairobi (Masters of Research and Public Policy). With a deeper interest in Agricultural and Environmental Policies. He has a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies with Information Technology from Maseno University.

Emmanuel joined NRF-Kenya after 2 years in the banking sector, retail section.

He contributes to the research sphere at NRF-KE through grants management, monitoring and evaluation of funded research projects, carrying out impact assessment studies for completed projects and assisting in proposal development for resource mobilization from other development partners.

Fany Ramos Quispe holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering by the Polytechnic Institute of Mexico, and a MSc. in Environmental Change and International Development by the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. She worked with a variety of private and public organizations at the national and international levels. She has experience on projects related to renewable energies, waste and water management, environmental education, climate change, inter and transdisciplinar research, among others. After her postgraduate studies, she joined the Bolivian government mainly to support the international affairs related to climate change at the Plurinational Authority of Mother Earth, afterwards she joined the Centre for Social Research of the Vicepresidency as Climate Change Specialist.

For several years now she combined academic and professional activities with side projects and activism for environmental and educational issues. She is founder and former chair (2019-2020) of the environmental engineers’ society of La Paz, and collaborates with different grassroots organizations.

Fany is committed to help in the seek of better relationships between humankind and earth.

Gabriella is a Project Coordinator at Santa Catarina Research Foundation (FAPESC). She has studied Journalism and holds a degree in Marketing from the University of Itajaí (Univali), where she conducted research on the communication of SDGs practices across Higher Education Institutions in Brazil. Currently pursuing an MSc. in Business at the same institution, she focuses her study on Sustainability Transitions, knowledge communication, and Agri-Food systems in the Global South. As an active member of the Sustainability and Management Study Group (GESeG-Univali), she contributes to multidisciplinary discussions on sustainability. With over a decade of experience as a consultant in communication and marketing, she specializes in media strategies and cross-media content related to sustainability. Passionate about generating relevant research for more sustainable outcomes, she aims to leverage her expertise to create a positive impact on the world.

Hilario Espinoza holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Panama, a M.S. in Crop Protection from the University of Göttingen in Germany, and a M.S. in Project Management from the EUNCET Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He has more than a decade of research experience working at the interface of basic and applied science, with a focus on plant-fungi interactions. He also has expertise in science education and capacity-building and has worked with the government of the Republic of Panama to provide research and career opportunities for Panamanian students of all academic levels. Hilario joined the Belmont Forum secretariat through the IAI – STeP fellowship program.

Jonathan Misael Heredia Cajas is a Systems and Computer Engineering professional based in Quito, Ecuador, with experience in systems administration, IT infrastructure, and corporate technical support, combined with a strong background in web design and development. He has worked extensively with WordPress, website management and maintenance, as well as corporate design, digital communication, and social media management, integrating technical, visual, and strategic criteria. His skill set includes Windows and Linux server administration, security best practices, incident resolution, and digital platform optimization. He is recognized for his analytical, organized, and results-oriented approach, with the ability to deliver practical solutions and adapt to demanding technical and communication environments.

Kadès Ben Mabiala is a multidisciplinary leader with over 10 years of experience as a venture capital trader specializing in financial markets, sustainable finance, and the development of innovative solutions for climate change mitigation.
As the President and Founder of UNCIALIUM (United Network for Climate Inclusivity Advocacy Livelihoods Inherent Utilization and Mobilization), he advocates for climate inclusion and sustainable livelihoods, placing vulnerable communities at the center of climate resilience initiatives. He is also actively engaged in science diplomacy and climate governance, contributing to global initiatives such as the Global Indigenous Youth Summit on Climate Change (GIYSCC) and advocating for the establishment of an African carbon market.
He serves as the CEO of TYCHIQUE, an innovative fintech offering a digital platform designed to streamline governance and facilitate financial transactions. At the Consortium Innovation Stratégie Globale (CISG), he leads partnership development efforts, fostering strategic collaborations for innovation and sustainable development.

Kasan became a Program Officer at the office of Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) in 2019 after finishing his post-graduate degree in International Development Studies. He had previously worked at the Teachers’ Council of Thailand as a Foreign Affairs Officer, and at the secretariat office of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) on an internship program. He joined the Belmont Forum Secretariat on behalf of TSRI.

Dr. Larisse coordinates the ocean-related agenda, supports Steering Committee Meetings, and assists the Executive Director with strategic engagements and multilateral affairs. Before joining the IAI STeP Program and the Belmont Forum Secretariat, she received international training in Climate Change, Ocean Governance, Geoethics, Scenarios and Modeling for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as well as Innovation and Science Diplomacy.

She served as Executive Secretary for the Brazilian Marine-Coastal Diagnosis (BPBES), worked as a university professor and researcher on climate change and ocean projects, and founded the Instituto Geração Oceano X. Based in Brazil, Larisse has also lived in Canada, France and Spain. She is a biologist with a specialization in Environmental Sciences, holds a MSc in Zoology and a Ph.D. in Ecology.

Laurent is a liaison officer for European and international cooperation at the Institute of Ecology and Environment of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). He holds a bachelor’s degree in English (University of Toulouse) and a master’s degree in European and International Studies (Institut National Universitaire d’Albi) where he specialized in cultural relations and cooperation. Before joining the CNRS and the Belmont Forum Secretariat, he worked in the cultural field, participating in and managing international, intercultural and socially inclusive projects, both in France and abroad. His interest in philanthropy and contemporary global issues, particularly global climate change, led him to join the fascinating world of international scientific cooperation.

Rumbidzai Petronella Kuwora is a communications and stakeholder engagement professional with over a decade of experience in external relations, strategic marketing, and project management. She holds a BCom (Hons) in Marketing Management, an Master of Business Administration, and a Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing. Currently serving as the External Relations Officer at the Research Council of Zimbabwe, Rumbidzai has led international partnerships, managed grants engagement, coordinated major regional events, and developed communications that elevate organisational visibility. She focuses on evidencebased communications and strategic partnerships that advance sustainability and research impact.

Yiwei has been working for NSFC as a Program Officer since 2019. In this role, she’s mainly responsible for communicating with partners on bilateral and multilateral programs and supporting other activities related to international organizations. Prior to her work at NSFC, Yiwei has obtained a double Master’s degree in Translation and Interpreting from Southeast University and Monash University. During her internship, Yiwei worked for the UNAIDS China office and assisted Strategic Information Adviser in collecting and disseminating information on national and provincial AIDS epidemic situation and supporting the work of UNAIDS in collaboration with national partners.