Mónica Álvarez Malvido Organization: International Ranger Federation Role: Federation Development Officer Location: Mexico City, Mexico

Mónica Álvarez Malvido is the Federation Development Officer of the International Ranger Federation where she leads different initiatives as the first State of the Ranger Report. She has over ten years of working experience in government and NGO sector working on biodiversity conservation projects and leading protected area partnerships in Latin America. Before her current position she worked at the National Commission for Protected Areas in Mexico as Interinstitutional Affairs Coordinator and Focal Point for RedParques. She has a Bachelors´ Degree in International Relations at the Universidad Iberoamericana and a Masters´ Degree in Environmental Management from the University of Queensland sponsored by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). She holds a Diploma on Mechanisms for managing controversies in protected areas by The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) and is the current focal point for the World Commission of Protected Areas - IUCN in Mexico.

"The role indigenous rangers and traditional owners play in conservation and natural resource management is critical for the wellbeing of society. There is so much to learn, recognize and share from their practices and their connection to nature. I'm excited to meet some of these people and learn from them. At the International Ranger Federation we work with rangers from diverse contexts and regions so they are better recognized and resourced, I hope I can find new partners to collaborate with to look after our planet."

Jada Antelope Organization: USDA Forest Service, Shoshone National Forest Role: Wilderness Ranger Intern Location: Dubois, Wyoming, USA

Jada Antelope is a proud member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe from the Wind River Reservation. She is currently working for the Shoshone National Forest, out of Dubois, Wyoming where she is a wilderness ranger. Gaining experience for this position included 5 seasons of service with Montana Conservation Corps and 3 seasons of climate science expeditions for Central Wyoming College. This May she received her Associates of Applied Science in Expedition Science and Outdoor Recreation. As a wilderness ranger she finds it mentally/emotionally beneficial rangering in the backcountry, visiting with hikers, and hanging out with her crew in the wilderness.

"I am very excited to attend WILD12 as caring for the land has been my go to summer jobs since 2016. I am in awe of the speakers who will be at the congress and am very excited to interact with whomever I can. I think that we live in a world where everyone can benefit from listening to what they have to share! I am a part of a community that cares a whole lot but has very little education on ways they can help our climate. I will be very proud to help share this information through my social media and engage my community as much as I can!"

Kelsey Bean Organization: USDA Forest Service, National Grasslands Visitor Center Role: Visitor Center Manager Location: Wall, South Dakota, USA

"Hello, I’m Kelsey Bean, I am the Manager of the U.S. Forest Service’s National Grasslands Visitor Center located in Wall, SD. I have worked for the USFS for 10 years in a variety of positions, including recreation management, interpretation, archaeological technician, timber, and public affairs. I am passionate about our public lands, spending a lot of my free time outdoors enjoying nature. Being Native American, Cherokee and Sac & Fox, I feel representation of our land's first stewards is very important and hope to bring more awareness on conservation and stewardship of public lands.

I’m excited to attend the 12th World Wilderness Conference because it is being held in my area and may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. From the conference I hope to learn more about conservation and stewardship from experts around the world in hopes it will aid me as I work towards inspiring others with my position at the National Grasslands Visitor Center. Grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America and there is great importance in conserving and restoring them. I am also excited about the focus on Native American stewardship and knowledge, this will be a great opportunity to learn more about indigenous stewardship."

Mike Chamberlain Organization: Ventana Wilderness Alliance Role: Executive Director Location: Monterey, California, USA

Mike Chamberlain is the Executive Director of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance (VWA), which works to ensure the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness areas thrive, with protections resulting in climate-resilient landscapes, pristine watersheds, and healthy wildlife populations. We also educate and inspire the next generation of Wilderness advocates. Mike joined the VWA in 2022, bringing 25+ years of environmental and conservation nonprofit leadership under his belt (including a 22-year stint at the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium). Mike is the proud dad of three kids and enjoys sailing, skiing, scuba (and of course, backpacking and hiking in the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness).

"During my long career as an ocean conservationist, the most surefire way for me to grow and expand my horizons was by attending conferences with colleagues. Bringing like-minded people with varied perspectives and backgrounds together to exchange ideas and identify areas to collaborate is the perfect recipe to improve our ability to make an impact. Now, with a shift to land conservation, I'm thrilled about the opportunity to make new connections as I embark on this new area of professional focus."

Kaitlin Martin Organization: Grand Staircase Escalante Partners Role: Stewardship Programs Manager Location: Escalante, Utah, USA

Kaitlin was born and raised in Montana, where she also attended college studying Natural Resource Conservation at the University of Montana. Kaitlin spent the next six years working as an aquatic ecologist for the Bureau of Land Management in Moab, UT. She transitioned into the nonprofit world as the Stewardship Programs Manager for Grand Staircase Escalante Partners in Escalante, UT for the last three years. Kaitlin has a deep passion for protecting the wild landscapes of the Colorado Plateau and accomplishes this through her work with land management agencies, volunteers, and tribal members to conserve and understand Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

"I am excited to attend the 12th World Wilderness Conference to learn from diverse voices about innovative ways to protect wilderness that I can bring home to the Colorado Plateau. I am especially excited to learn about strategies to address our culture's broken relationship with nature through an Indigenous lens and how these lessons can be applied through programming and policy at my nonprofit. I am also looking forward to meeting and connecting with other passionate people and finding ways we can work together to build a more wild and protected planet."

Kaitlin de Varona Organization: Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) Role: Executive Director Location: Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Kaitlin is passionate about public lands and finding creative ways to steward these precious natural resources within collaborative partnerships. She values hard-work, teamwork, communication, and striving for a better world through conservation. Kaitlin fell in the love with wilderness in 2010 after joining a summer trail crew in the Spring Mountains of southern Nevada. This transformational experience led her to pursue a bachelor's degree in environmental studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as well as a master's degree in Natural Resources with a Certificate in Geospatial Information Science at North Carolina State University. Kaitlin has worked a variety of conservation jobs across the country in trails, endangered species, fire, non-native invasive species, youth development, and wilderness stewardship. She accepted the Executive Director position at Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards in 2021 and currently serves as a Board of Director with National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance. Kaitlin lives with her family in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband and three kids finding time to introduce them all to adventure and the magic of the outdoor world around us.

"I can't wait to connect with the global wilderness community! My passion for protected wild public lands is great, and an opportunity to further my knowledge and understanding of how to be a good land steward while also supporting the people it protects and supports everyday is invaluable to me. I truly looking forward to the indigenous perspectives and themes I anticipate will anchor many of our discussions and interactions at the event. Thank you for the opportunity!"

Kim Waites Organization: Wild Alabama Role: Wilderness Stewardship Coordinator Location: Moulton, Alabama, USA

Kim Waites is the Wilderness Stewardship Coordinator for Wild Alabama, managing stewardship efforts across three Wilderness areas in Alabama's National Forests. She holds a degree in History and English from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with a focus on Asian and Religious history. Passionate about conservation, Kim is a Leave No Trace Level Two Instructor, Leopold Land Ethic Educator, and Wilderness First Responder. In 2023, she completed Wilderness Character Baseline Assessments for Sipsey, Cheaha and Dugger Mountain and was awarded the Individual Champion of Wilderness Stewardship by National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance and Society for Wilderness Stewardship. She is also the Alabama State Advocate for Leave No Trace and a certified "C" level Traditional Tools instructor.

"I am excited to attend the World Wilderness Congress because it is a unique opportunity to connect with global conservation leaders, exchange innovative ideas, and gain insights into the latest wilderness stewardship practices. I am excited to learn from diverse experiences, and collaborate on strategies to preserve wilderness areas. The WILD12 Congress will provide a platform to network with like-minded individuals, further my knowledge, and inspire my passion for conserving natural history and resources."