Expertise: Biodiversity management, Climate change and Environmental policy.
Locations: Caribbean (based in Antigua).
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Melesha Gunning-Banhan is an Environmental Consultant who works with Governments, Non-Governmental Organizations, Regional and International Environmental agencies to promote sustainable management of the natural resources within the Caribbean Region. After spending more than fifteen years working with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and as a regional project manager with a focus on biodiversity management, climate change and environmental policy development, Melesha knows what truly underscores behaviour change, biodiversity protection as well as the development of environmental policies and laws—and in the Caribbean Region, this takes a lot more than just education. It’s how well you connect with and understand the culture of the Caribbean, its people and its environmental governance history.
Melesha has had great success in managing, implementing or participating in various environmental projects throughout the Caribbean, including projects spanning multiple countries. She is very familiar with the region and the intricacies of managing a multi-disciplinary team and the uniqueness of the Caribbean environments. Her experience involves previous work on the UN chemicals conventions, the UN convention on biodiversity as well as climate change and various capacity building initiatives. In Antigua and Barbuda, working with the Environment Division, she worked extensively with the DCA through the EIA process and has institutional and technical knowledge that is critical to the project being executed. In addition to her broad environmental management experience, Melesha is a trained clinical psychologist and Pastoral Counsellor.
Melesha holds a BS in International Relations from the University of The West Indies, a MSc in Environmental health and safety Management, a MDiv with a Counselling focus and a Doctorate in Psychology.