Our Team

Schannel Van Dijken — Senior Director, Marine Heritage and Aotearoa Country Program Lead

Guided by curiosity and heritage, Schannel is a National Geographic Explorer, and a marine biologist working with Conservation International’s (CI) Asia-Pacific Program as Marine, Government and Partnerships Director. He has worked in 15+ countries across diverse environmental initiatives from Antarctica to Europe, Asia and Oceania. He has demonstrated leadership, sustainability, and environmental management experience honed in working at the intersection of traditional knowledge, science, education, tech, and environmental policy.

Trusted technical practitioner, Schannel is a passionate Pacific advocate, Polynesian voyager (double-hulled traditional voyaging canoe), divemaster and waterman. He has spent significant time on the open ocean exploring nature across many Islands between Aotearoa New Zealand, to Hawaii to Mexico, Cocos & Galapagos Islands.

Mark Erdmann, Ph.D. — Vice President, Marine, Asia-Pacific Field Division

Mark's work largely focuses on the management of marine protected areas, as well as research on reef fish and mantis shrimp biodiversity, satellite tracking of endangered sharks and rays, and genetic connectivity in MPA networks.

Mark provides strategic guidance and technical and fundraising support to focal marine programs in Conservation International’s Asia Pacific Field Division, including especially the Bird’s Head Seascape and Pacific Oceanscape initiatives, as well as marine programs in China, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Samoa and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI).

Mark was trained as a coral reef ecologist (Ph.D. University of California Berkeley),and maintains research associate positions at University of Auckland, University of Sunshine Coast and California Academy of Sciences. Mark also supervises several Master’s and PhD students at the University of Auckland, and is active on the boards of a number of NGOs working in the Coral Triangle, including Thrive Conservation, Manta Trust and Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia. Mark and his wife and three children live in Auckland, and he maintains a deep personal commitment to do whatever is necessary to ensure his children will be able to enjoy the same high-quality underwater experiences that continue to provide the inspiration for his dedication to the marine environment.

Debby Ferdiany — Vice President, Operations, Asia Pacific Field Division‬

Debby leads the strategic and efficient management of CI’s Asia Pacific Field Division and its programs across 14 countries, overseeing finance, grants and contracts, human resources, and administration to maximize conservation impact. She ensures compliance with organizational policies, donor regulations and local laws, collaborates with senior leadership and country leads to optimize financial and project management, and serves as a strategic advisor to senior leadership.

Debby began her career with USAID-funded projects and international NGOs, building a strong foundation in development work. Thirteen years ago, she joined CI, initially contributing to the Indonesia program before advancing to lead regional operations for the APFD. Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, Debby relocated to Auckland, where she has enjoyed a vibrant and fulfilling life.

Emmeline Johansen — Senior Communications Director, Asia-Pacific Field Division

Emmeline has worked in marketing and communications for over twenty years dedicating over a decade to Conservation International’s global mission to protect nature for people.

Initially joining CI in Phnom Penh with the Cambodia country office, Emmeline expanded her focus to the Asia-Pacific region, forming the first regional communications network within Conservation International, and leading the Division’s efforts to garner global attention for the stories that need to be told.

Emmeline leads integrated media efforts that uplift local voices and stories, connecting people to CI’s initiatives throughout the region focused on nature-based solutions, ocean protection, and strengthening climate resilience.

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Emmeline is based in Waitārere Beach with her two daughters and husband.

Luca Mori — Director, Strategy, Asia Pacific

Luca is Italian but lives in Aotearoa (Auckland) since 2014 where he completed a Master in Marine Science at the University of Auckland. During that time, he started an internship program at Conservation International which then led to a permanent position in the Pacific Islands Team in 2016. Luca is currently Senior Coordinator for the Pacific Islands and Aotearoa managing several marine projects, developing conservation strategies for CI national programs and Island States, and providing technical expertise in project design/management and reports. During the time in CI, he has been instrumental in co-developing with partners important national and seascape strategies in the Pacific Region such as the Samoa Ocean Strategy and the Lau Seascape Strategy which are currently being implemented. Please contact Luca if you need support in developing conservation strategies, and in marine or MPAs project design and implementation.

Annisha Vasutavan — Senior Regional Development Manager, Pacific Ocean and Islands Program

Based in Christchurch, Annisha is leading new business development and strategic growth for country programmes in New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Timor-Leste and Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as regional fisheries and oceans work in the Pacific. Annisha has 15 years of experience working in the international development sector and government sector in Aotearoa New Zealand, and is a seasoned social development practitioner, program manager and business development specialist. Prior to joining Conservation International, Annisha was based in West Africa for 8 years where she provided management oversight for large public-funded cross-sectoral programmes in youth livelihoods, water sanitation and hygiene, education, and disaster risk reduction.

Catherina (Cathy) Bolinga — Regional Project Manager, Pacific Ocean and Islands Program

Cathy is from Papua New Guinea (PNG). She is a development practitioner with over twenty years of development experience in the areas of project management and administration. Cathy works directly on grant management, planning, implementation and evaluating a range of social, environmental and economic development initiatives across the Pacific including PNG and Aotearoa,New Zealand. She has worked with various government programmes including USAID, Australia & New Zealand aid programmes and NGOs including Caritas and Pacific Cooperation Foundation. Prior to joining CI, Cathy worked as a senior community and development grants advisor for Auckland local government.

Cathy is CI’s regional project manager for Pacific Inclusive Conservation Initiative and New Zealand Government Manaaki project for Fiji and Cooks Islands. Cathy previously worked in CI’s operations division as the senior grants and contracts coordinator for CI Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands programmes, supporting projects in the Cook Islands, PNG, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Cathy is also interested in Indigenous perspectives to development and philanthropic giving in Melanesia. She is researching this interest through a doctoral programme at University of Auckland.

Leonardo Jr. Panganiban — Operations and Accounting Manager, Aotearoa New Zealand

For the past seven years, Leo has played a pivotal role at Cl Aotearoa, managing the intricate operations and accounting processes that ensure the organization runs smoothly. With a deep understanding of the organization's policies and guidelines, he guarantees that each program and project is executed with precision and care. Leo's meticulous attention to detail and strong commitment to compliance significantly contribute to the organization's overall success and its ambition to achieve its goals.

Before his current position, Leo served as the business administrator for the Salvation Army in New Zealand, where he oversaw financial policies, managed budgets, and made daily accounting decisions to ensure effective resource allocation in support of the organization's mission. In his free time, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and three children and actively participating in ministry work.

Chiq Tolentino — Grants, Contract, and Finance Coordinator, Aotearoa New Zealand

Chiq leads CI Aotearoa’s grants and contracts work. Chiq has extensive experience and knowledge of management accounting. Previously, she has worked with the Auckland local government, first as a facility administrator and later as a senior gallery and library assistant with a topic lead in Arts. Originally from the Philippines, Chiq is now based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Outside of work, Chiq enjoys her hobbies, including macro and nature photography, cake decorating, and crafting handmade jewelry.

Carla Fonseca Paris — Environmental Education and Citizen Science Manager, Conservation International Aotearoa

Based in Aotearoa New Zealand, Carla brings her experience and passion for marine conservation, education, and citizen science to the team. Carla helps develop hands-on education programs and supports citizen science data collection across the Pacific Islands to gather data that informs management efforts and fosters a sense of responsibility for ocean stewardship.

Originally from Chile, Carla has lived and worked in New Zealand, Samoa, Tokelau, and the Solomon Islands, where her love for the ocean grew even further. She is passionate about inspiring others to experience the ocean, believing that connecting with nature is vital to its protection.

Outside of work, you’ll often find Carla near, above, or under the ocean, exploring Aotearoa’s coastlines through snorkeling, swimming, and beach walks. Carla is excited to contribute her skills and dedication to Conservation International’s mission, working to protect and sustain our marine ecosystems for generations to come.

Dhaneshree Ndebele ("Dani") — Manaaki Project Portfolio Manager, Aotearoa New Zealand

With over 25 years in the environmental sector, Dani is an ethnobotanist specializing in Indigenous Peoples’ and community-led conservation.

Her experience spans New Zealand government roles, including Treaty and Community Planner for the Department of Conservation, and multiple senior positions in the Ministry for the Environment. She is passionate about linking people with conservation and has a deep commitment to facilitating positive outcomes for Indigenous communities in response to national and global environmental mandates. Dani also has extensive background in transboundary conservation across Southern Africa, where she worked with the Peace Parks Foundation and Resource Africa.

Dani is dedicated to addressing climate challenges through climate systems analysis and adaptation, using innovative, inclusive approaches to community engagement. She lives in Auckland with her husband and three children.