Brian Williams

Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific, Wildlife Works

Brian Williams is Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific at Wildlife Works, where he leads the development of community-centered forest conservation and carbon projects across the Asia-Pacific region. His work focuses on building partnerships that align forest protection and biodiversity conservation with meaningful, long-term economic benefits for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Brian brings experience navigating the practical challenges of translating carbon finance, conservation objectives, government policy, and community priorities into durable models that work on the ground.

Cathy Watson

Senior Advisor, CIFOR-ICRAF

Cathy Watson is an Ashoka Fellow, journalist and social entrepreneur with 40 years’ experience in Africa, reporting from Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Uganda where she also founded NGOs: Straight Talk produced newspapers in four indigenous languages and radio shows in 16; Mvule Trust was a Guardian Christmas Charity and supported 3400 youth on courses, including 156 foresters. Now Senior Advisor at Landscape Alliance in Kenya, she has worked across the Global South from Peru to Vietnam. She is particularly exercised by seed systems for indigenous species and restoration in cocoa, refugee-hosting and urban landscapes. In Nairobi, she has created green jobs and a biodiversity corridor with over 140 tree species. Editor of the 2026 compendium Urban Forests and Green Spaces in Africa: Case Studies and Lessons from Across the Continent, Cathy believes Africa’s future lies in the hands of its botanists.

Steven Nitah

Executive Vice President, Nature for Justice

Steven Nitah is a respected Indigenous leader from the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation, serving as Managing Director of First 30×30 Canada and Executive Vice President at Nature For Justice. He brings extensive experience in Indigenous-led conservation, land stewardship, and climate action. As Chief and Lead Negotiator, Steven helped establish Thaidene Nëné and advance a relationship agreement recognizing the Nation as an equal partner in governance, operations, and management. His work reflects the spirit and intent of Treaty relationships through shared responsibilities and benefits. Through First 30×30 Canada, Steven supports Indigenous governments in advancing conservation, protecting special places, and pursuing nature-based solutions.

FACILITATOR

Samantha Taylor

Vice President for Development and Partnerships, Terraformation

Samantha Taylor is VP of Development at Terraformation, where she leads global fundraising and strategic partnerships to mobilize capital for high-integrity, native, biodiverse reforestation. She was formerly VP of Development at Emergent Climate and Managing Director at Bozell Worldwide, and served as Senior Advisor to American Forests, The Nature Conservancy, and Safe Water Network. A native of London and raised in Kenya, Samantha brings more than two decades of international leadership building the partnerships and resources needed to turn ambitious environmental solutions into impact at scale.

FACILITATOR

Yihan Wang

Climate Strategy and Impact Advisor, Terraformation

At Terraformation Yihan Wang focuses on mobilizing and scaling diverse forms of capital for forest and restoration projects. Before joining Terraformation, Yihan led the Catalytic Climate Finance Facility at the Climate Policy Initiative, a joint program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Affairs Canada, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She also managed portfolios at The Nature Conservancy’s NatureVest, where she focused on structuring and managing innovative conservation finance vehicles.