STEERING COMMITTEE

Francis Asamoah is a Ghanaian wildlife ecologist and a passionate environmental communicator with over seven years of experience in crafting compelling conservation narratives.

He expertly blends field expertise with strategic communication for both local and international organizations, such as the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group and the Amphibian Survival Alliance, to bridge science and public engagement.

When he is not translating complex ecology into impactful stories, he is leading habitat restoration, tracking species and gathering data, or researching to understand factors that influence species habitat selection and distribution.

Joshua Laizer is a seasoned professional with over six years of experience in community engagement, regenerative agriculture, and project design and management. With a proven track record in both public and non-profit sectors, Joshua has worked extensively across local and international landscapes, collaborating with various NGOs and providing consultancy services for a range of impactful projects.

Currently serving as the Regenerative Grazing Expert for Afriscout, a global community social enterprise, Joshua offers strategic guidance for the implementation of regenerative grazing initiatives in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, underscoring a commitment to sustainable agricultural practices that benefit both communities and the environment.

In addition to this role, Joshua is the Co-founder and Finance Director of TACCEI, where he focuses on driving sustainable development efforts and enhancing community resilience. He is also the Founder and Coordinator of the GLFx Maasai Steepe Chapter, hosted by TACCEI. In this capacity, Joshua brings together landscape actors to promote landscape restoration and climate action, emphasizing core restoration activities that address environmental challenges.

As the Head of the Indigenous Youth Program at the Youth Initiative for Land in Africa and Secretary General of the African Youth Pastoralist Initiative, Joshua is dedicated to empowering youth and amplifying the voices of pastoral communities.

Passionate about fostering collaborative solutions and sustainable practices, Joshua’s work not only supports local ecosystems but also aims to create lasting social change across the continent.

Shahrukh Nasim Khan is an American scientist, environmentalist, and public health advocate with expertise in engineering, Ph.D. candidate in Industrial/Energy Engineering at the University of Tennessee and a current Youth Delegate for UN Conference of Parties (Nuclear For Climate delegation).

Shahrukh has experience with World Wildlife Fund, DOE, and currently an Engineer at FAA and his leadership roles include and are not limited to: World Bank youth delegate, UN Associations national council chair and Global Peace Chain youth ambassador.

Carter Cheng is the European Focal Point of the UNCCD Youth Caucus, Managing Director (London) of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP), Engagement Coordinator for the Democratising Education for Global Sustainability and Justice (DemEd) programme at the University of Cambridge, and a World Economic Forum Future 50 Leader.

She is also serving on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council and the judging panel for the FAO World Food Forum Youth Policy Board. She has experiences across the UK Cabinet Office, Spanish Ministry of Youth, United Nations ESCAP, Peking University, the University of Hong Kong and more.

At Cambridge, Carter’s MPhil and PhD research focuses on designing governance models to turn climate tech innovation into a catalyst for equity, inclusivity and resilience. She holds a LLM (Yenching Fellow) from Peking University, a MSc in Economic History from the LSE, and a BA in International Relations (Dean’s List) from the University of St Andrews.

Daniela Solis is the Coordinator of the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH), a multi-stakeholder community dedicated to improving soil health globally. She has over five years of experience leading initiatives at the intersection of sustainable land and soil management, food systems, climate resilience, and livelihoods.

Her work focuses on mobilizing diverse actors through strategic partnerships, policy advocacy, international dialogue, and knowledge co-creation. Through CA4SH’s #Youth4Soil Initiative, she has coordinated youth participation at the three Rio Conventions and worked to amplify the voice of youth advocates in international processes.

She holds a master’s degree in environmental management from Bocconi University and previously worked at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as an Associate in Food & Agriculture (WBCSD).

Audrey S-Darko, is a Land Youth Negotiator, climate tech entrepreneur and sustainable land advocate. She leads Sabon Sake, an organization at the intersection of regenerative agriculture (restoring soil health and degraded ecosystems) and carbon financing for climate vulnerable farming communities.

She is committed to deploying nature and tech-based solutions that restore soil health and biodiversity, improve the economic wellbeing of land stewards and accelerates the transition towards climate resilient farming and food systems, especially in rural landscapes. Her organization collaborates with climate-committed organizations and individuals to build and scale climate action strategies and land restoration projects (e.g. waste-to-biochar initiative) that provide practical pathways to achieving a Just Transition to NetZero.

Audrey is keen on ensuring policy, governance, culture work well for land and its people, bringing about systemic change. She enjoys grassroot mobilization, stakeholder engagement, convening youth and creating a knowledge-sharing environment that provides solutions to land degradation, climate change issues, governance and other thematic areas that preserve land and climate.

Mahathi Aguvaveedi is a policy and communications professional focused on soil and land restoration. Currently working with the Save Soil movement, she operates at the intersection of regenerative agriculture, soil health, and public policy—building cross-sectoral coalitions that connect grassroots organizations, think tanks, scientists, and policymakers. She has also collaborated closely with media and social media influencers to promote ecological causes over the past few years.

A Columbia University alumna, Mahathi holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Economics. Over the past decade, she has worked with UN agencies and social enterprises across food systems, public health, and refugee support.

She is a strong advocate for ecological generalists—leaders who can bridge disciplinary silos to build integrated responses to global challenges. Mahathi believes that youth play a pivotal role in shaping our collective future—economically, socially, and environmentally—and is committed to empowering them. She also serves as a Youth Innovation Coach with the India Youth Climate Network.