Ricardo was born in Mexico. His love for nature was inherited from his grandmother, a gifted tree grafter. He still recalls the excitement of helping her in the orchard and planting his first tree. Ricardo’s been working in environmental conservation and international development for several years, advocating for local communities in development and conservation efforts. Before joining ITF, Ricardo worked for five years as Programme Manager for a non-profit in the USA with projects in Central America. Ricardo’s published numerous scientific materials, peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, technical manuals, blog posts and even a soil conservation comic. He’s been an active member of many international networks, and been a guest researcher/partner of EARTH University in the Renewable Energies and Circular Economy Laboratories.

My favourite tree – Kapok Tree, Ceiba pentandra

James joined ITF as Head of Fundraising and Communications in October 2019, bringing nearly twenty years experience in the not for profit sector. He started his career in security and climate change policy research, and fundraising for Oxford Research Group. Most recently he worked on product strategy for a responsible business consultancy in London, while studying for a Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling at Oxford University. Following two years leading Oxfam’s major fundraising appeals, James became Oxfam’s Head of Strategic Communications Planning. He is particularly interested in the role ITF can and does play in the promotion of a conservation or ecological ethic.

My favourite tree – Silver Birch, Betula pendula

Fiona joined ITF in February 2020 as Finance and Facilities Manager, bringing 25 years’ experience in the non-profit sector. Fiona was previously Head of Finance at Forest Peoples Programme, an international human rights charity. As well as developing financial systems, Fiona has capacity building experience with local community partners including in Peru, Cameroon, Guyana, DRC and Rwanda. Fiona lived for 8 years in Mozambique, working with local organisations, managing finance and logistics support for returning refugee families displaced by civil war. Returning to the UK in 1998, Fiona studied part time, becoming a full member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in 2009. She is particularly attracted to ITF’s emphasis on the importance of trees for mental health.

My favourite tree – Boabab, Adansonia digitata

Teresa joined ITF in 2018, previously she worked as a Senior Programme Manager at thee Green Belt Movement which was founded by the late Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai. Teresa Studied Environmental Science at the undergraduate level and a Master’s degree in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi. Teresa has over 10 years’ experience empowering community based organisations in environmental management, forest and water resource management, programme Coordination, Community mobilization, Resource Mobilization and gender integration in Natural resource management. In her free time, Teresa love walking and Exploring nature.

My favourite tree – African Cherry, Prunus africana

Sam joined ITF in September 2019. He read Music at Oxford before receiving an MSc in Marine Environmental Management at York. Since then, he’s worked as a freelancer in conservation and campaigning, living and working in London, Moscow, Azores, and across the Middle East. Most recently his work’s been in topics such as coral reef restoration, illegal fishing and cetacean conservation. He’s even worked on sailing boats looking for whales. As a teenager he read ‘The Man Who Planted Trees’ by Jean Giono, and since then has been fascinated by the possibilities of large-scale landscape restoration. Sam is a qualified sailor, keen diver and daily narrowboater. In his free-time he enjoys being outdoors, be it walking, rock climbing, swimming or camping.

My favourite tree – Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris

Esther joined ITF in December 2020, bringing with her seven years’ experience of charity communications. After graduating in English Language and creative writing, Esther started working for a large international development charity and has remained in the third sector ever since. She has worked across fundraising, marketing and communications in both social care and international aid charities. Esther is particularly interested in ITF’s emphasis on the awe that trees bring and how nature is integral for our mental health.

My favourite tree – Blue Jacaranda, Jacaranda mimosifolia

Lorna joined ITF in November 2020 after working for a youth charity in Oxford. She has experience in all aspects of administration including finance, HR and office management. Lorna loves the impact trees can have on our wellbeing, their contribution towards the environment we live in and their natural beauty. In her spare time she volunteers for a Breast Cancer charity, supporting facilitators to run courses for survivors towards the end of their treatment. She also runs her own part time business creating fine silver jewellery. Lorna loves learning new skills, the most recent being permaculture, photography and modern calligraphy.

My favourite tree – Yew Tree, Taxus baccata

My favourite tree – Bullhorn Acacia, Vachellia cornigera

Elizabeth joined ITF in January 2021. She is currently working towards her Masters in Disaster, Adaptation and Development at King’s College London.  Originally from Houston, Elizabeth received her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and spent three years working in politics in Washington, DC.  She is especially interested in the work ITF do with community forests and the impacts these forests can have on conservation and food security. As an avid squirrel lover, Elizabeth spends her spare time looking at trees and the wildlife around London, running, and tending to her excessive number of houseplants.

My favourite tree – Black Mangrove, Avicennia germinans

Stephen is an assessment consultant and management trainer, serving as a Transnational Education Expert for UK-NARIC. He has a Politics BA (University of Sussex), International Economics MA and a PhD in Fisheries Policy (University of Warwick). After teaching and a spell as NGO representative to the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, Stephen moved into the field of educational qualifications at Oxford and Cambridge and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. A qualified company secretary, Stephen then served successively as Chief Executive of: the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, the British Accreditation Council, and the VTCT. His wife Rebecca is related to the botanist Dr Fred Foxworthy, who identified many Dipterocarpaceae.

My favourite tree – Olive, Olea europaea

Maria Grecna is Vice-Chair /Treasurer of ITF. She studied accounting at Prague School of Economics, then got her M.A. in Finance from London Business School. In 2013, she co-founded Earlwoode Partners, an investment management firm focused on residential assets in Spain. Prior to Earlwoode, Maria spent eight years as Managing Director of Värde Partners, a leading alternative asset management firm. Previously, she’s held various positions at Citi and Credit Suisse First Boston. During 2015-2019, Maria served as independent director of NH Hotel Group, one of the largest hotel chains in Spain. In February 2020, Maria joined the board of Liberbank, also as independent director. She is based in Mallorca where she lives on an organic almond and carob farm.

My favourite tree – Carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua

Kate Schreckenberg is Professor of Environment and Development at King’s College London. Her main interests focus on community-based resource management and equity in the context of ecosystem services. Kate has 30 years research and policy experience, including fieldwork in Africa, Asia and Latin America. She has a BSc in Botany, MSc in Forestry (Oxford), and PhD in Geography (SOAS). Kate’s worked for the German Sahelian Programme, UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme, World Forestry Institute in Hamburg and Overseas Development Institute. She was Director of the UK’s £43m Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) programme and in the past 20 years has been principal or co-investigator on research projects worth over £9 million.

My favourite tree – Apple, Malus domestica

Miriam grew up in the Kenyan highlands, where her interest in trees begun. She has a long background in Risk & Compliance across Africa and Europe. Miriam specialises in financial crime management, compliance programmes and financial inclusion initiatives such as mobile money in emerging markets. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. In her free time, she plays an advisory role for a water conservation project in Central Kenya. Muringato Water Resource Users Association (WRUA) manages, conserves and protects water resources within its catchment area, restoring ecosystems and increasing water availability for social-economic development. Miriam plans to use her knowledge to promote fundraising via mobile money and ensure ITF has effective fraud management.

My favourite tree – Nandi flame, Spathodea campanulata

Josiah grew up in Kenya before moving to study Information Technology in the UK. He then joined the British Armed Forces for 7 years. He is an experienced IT professional, specializing in Data Management with consultancy experience in the Public and Private sectors. Voluntary contribution includes School Governor (6 years), Education capacity building program in Kenya and Communication Non-Executive Director at Ivybridge Link. His love for the environment started as a young child in rural and urban Kenya. Josiah hopes to bring his experience in capacity building and education programmes to inspire sustainable livelihoods through ITF both now and for generations to come.

My favourite tree – Mugumo fig, Ficus thonningii

Mardi is Managing Director at the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB). For over a decade she’s played a leading role here, integrating environmental information into corporate reporting. Mardi’s eclectic career includes leading flagship campaigns for WWF, and working on the UK’s carbon market policy for the Department of Eneregy & Climate Change. She’s a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, with multiple advisory roles for bodies including Global Reporting Initiative Stakeholder Council, Corporate Reporting Dialogue, Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative and the IIRC Council. She’s qualified as a forester and environmental scientist (Melbourne University), agricultural economist (SOAS) and holds the Financial Times NED Diploma. She’s a founding Board member of WOCAN, a woman led environmental NGO. Mardi enjoys collecting gin, open-water swimming and exploring new places with her young daughters.

My favourite tree – Woolemi pine, Wollemia nobilis and mountain ash, eucalyptus regnans

Managing Director at Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, Rachel is a climate policy enthusiast and sustainable development professional with a strong background implementing development projects across sub-Saharan Africa. She holds an LLB from the University of Kent and an MSc in Public Policy and Human Development from Maastricht University and the United Nations University. She’s a qualified lawyer in Kenya and the UK. Rachel has a track record in policy planning, strategy development, compliance and risk management, fundraising and project management in a variety of themes including, sustainable economic growth and economic empowerment for women and youth. She also has a long-standing interest in positive change for local communities, promoting sustainable livelihoods and advocating for multi-stakeholder engagements.

My favourite tree – Acacia Tree, Acacia

An economist by training with degrees from the Universities of Sheffield and Amsterdam, Christine has served as a diplomat for nearly 30 years in Embassies and International organisations. Since 2011 she’s been senior director of a Swiss company providing technology to governments worldwide to combat fraud, including in supply chains. She has strong experience in strategy development, governance, compliance and risk, reputation management and partnership engagement. Christine’s led business CSR initiatives, including policies to achieve carbon neutrality. She has professional HR qualifications and is a Chartered Member of the Institute for Personnel Development. Christine is well-placed to support ITF in developing the next phase of its strategy, international programmes and to contribute to best practices in management and external relationships.

My favourite tree – Horse Chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum

Liane has over fifteen years experience in people operations, talent acquisition and people management. She spent the early stages of her career with multinationals such as Microsoft, Morgan Stanley and Google, but has more recently transferred to a British start-up technology company called Improbable. Challenges at Improbable have included; leading company acquisitions including cultural and operations integrations; building foundation intern and graduate programmes; leading on global Diversity and Inclusion strategies; and accountability for the global transition to remote working. She believes combining her personal passion for the environment with her experience in workforce planning, culture, digital transformation, change management, data-based decision making and agile delivery methodology will benefit the ITF leadership and wider organisation.

My favourite tree – Oak, Quercus