MEET THE TEAM!

SYLVIANE VOLAMPENO

President

Sylviane is a primatologist and received her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2010. Her study focused on the reproductive behavior and habitat use in the blue-eyed black lemur in Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park.
Her areas of interest include primate conservation and biological research, sustainable use of ecosystem services and local community development, and environmental education. Her areas of expertise are lemur ecology, conservation, community development, environmental awareness, and fundraising.
Sylviane is a member of IUCN/SCC Primate Specialist Group and Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP)

GUY RANDRIATAHINA

Secretary

Guy is a primatologist and member of the IUCN/SCC Primate Specialist Group.
His areas of expertise include natural resources management, environmental education, community communication as well as project development and implementation. Guy has experience working in the north part of Madagascar for more than 10 years and has good knowledge of the local communities' culture.
Guy is a member of IUCN/SCC Primate Specialist Group and Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP)

RINDRA RAMANANKIRAHINA

Treasurer

Rindra is a primatologist and received her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover, Germany in 2013. Her doctoral research focused on sociality and communication in woolly lemurs. Rindra is currently working as a program manager at the SIT (School International Training) Madagascar Program: Madagascar Biodiversity and resource management. She lectures at the Institute of Higher Education of Antsirabe Vakinankaratra and the University of Antananarivo and works with OpWall (Operation Wallacea) Madagascar.
Her areas of expertise are diurnal and nocturnal lemur study, supervision of graduate students and social media.

HERMAN RAFALINIRINA

Board Member & Field Coordinator

Herman is a primatologist and received his Ph.D. in Antropobiology and Sustainable Development from the University of Antananarivo, Madagascar in 2017. His doctoral research focused on the synergy of parasite infection and socio-ecological factors in the brown lemur in Ranomafana national park. His areas of expertise include Biostatistics, animal health, parasitology, lemur behavior, and survey and spatial modeling.

Herman is a member of IUCN/SCC Primate Specialist Group and Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP)

VICTORIA GEHRKE

Conservation Coordinator

Victoria is a primatologist with a Masters in Global Wildlife Health & Conservation from the University of Bristol. She has experience in applied conservation research and sustainable community development programs from various countries including Madagascar, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Indonesia. Victoria's research focuses on forest connectivity and ethnoprimatology (human-wildlife interaction).

Her skills lie in wildlife rehabilitation & release, forest conservation, and restoration of ecosystem services, alongside NGO administration and grant management for Mikajy Natiora.

Victoria is based in Sweden and helps Mikajy Natiora with grant management, research, and partnership liaison.