IUCN - The World Conversation Union

Lynn Holowesko, Bahamas, is an Attorney-at-Law, with expertise in environmental law. She has over 30 years of experience in conservation and sustainable development at national, regional and international levels, including 15 years as President of the Bahamas National Trust (an NGO member of IUCN); 5 years in the Bahamas Diplomatic Service and 10 years in the Bahamas Government sector.

Lynn Holowesko’s international experience includes service as Bahamas Ambassador for the Environment (1995–2000); Founding Chair, Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission (1995–2000); Co-Chair, United Nations Environment Programme, Panel of Experts on Environmental Law for the Montevideo Programme (1999–2000); Chair, Legal Drafting Committee for the UN Protocol on Biosafety; Council Member, Ad Hoc Committee for the Protocol on Biosafety; Bahamas Ambassador to the United Nation’s Commission on Sustainable Development (1995–2000), Bahamas Administrator: Convention on Biological Diversity and head of delegation to Conference of the Parties (1995–2000); Bahamas Administrator: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and head of delegation to Conference of the Parties (1995–2000); Board Member, Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (1991–1997); Bahamas head of delegation at Inter-American Development Bank Consultative Meeting on Development and Environment (1989–1993); Bahamas National Trust head of delegation at IUCN General Assemblies/Congresses (1984–2000).

Lynn Holowesko an IUCN Regional Councillor (2000 – present); Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee (2005 – present); and has served as Chair of the IUCN Council Task Force on Governance (2000 – 2004); and Deputy Chair, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (1992–2000).

Huguette Labelle, Canada, holds a Doctor of Philosophy, Education. She is a Companion of the Order of Canada. She has been awarded honorary degrees from 12 Canadian Universities and has received the Vanier Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, the Outstanding Achievement Award of the Public Service of Canada and the McGill Management Achievement Award.

She has served as Deputy Head of different Canadian Government Departments including Secretary of State, Transport Canada, the Public Service Commission and the Canadian International Development Agency. She has served on more than 20 Councils and Boards.

She is currently Chancellor of the University of Ottawa and is serving on the board of a number of organizations such as the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Transparency International Katimavik, the African Virtual University and is Chair of the Financial Services Ombudsnetwork. She is Co-chair of the National Advisory Committee for the World Urban Forum. She is also providing advisory services to several national and international institutions.

Huguette Labelle is a Vice President of IUCN and an IUCN Regional Councillor (2000 – present).

Russell A. Mittermeier, USA, is President of Conservation International, a position he has occupied since 1989. Prior to this, he worked for 11 years for World Wildlife Fund - U.S., his last role there being Vice-President for Science. Since 1977, he has been the Chair of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, and a member of the SSC’s Steering and Executive Committees since 1984. Mittermeier also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Among the honours he has received are the Order of the Golden Ark of the Netherlands (1995), Grand Sash and Order of the Yellow Star, Republic of Suriname (1998), and the Order of the Southern Cross of the Brazilian Government (1998). He has conducted fieldwork in more than 20 countries, and is author of 13 books and more than 400 papers on primates, reptiles, and conservation biology.