Melissa has worked in the conservation NGO and academic sectors since 2015. She holds a PhD in savanna ecology from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Melissa has led and overseen projects in protected area expansion and investigating the roll-out of Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in South Africa. Her research interests have focused on the interactions and conservation of threatened birds and their habitats with a particular focus on the Endangered Secretarybird.
Melissa is a visiting researcher in the School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and has taught and supervised a number of students within the ecological science sector.
Melissa’s range of analytical, project management, presentation skills and experiences gained in academia and conservation provide a dynamic mix of strengths which further Conservation Alpha’s mission to create innovative, measurable impact that drives enhanced performance and catalyzes investment in biodiversity conservation.
Melissa is driven by a passion to promote well-designed, sustainably financed, integrated conservation landscapes which support the survival of species and maintain the health and functionality of ecosystems.
