Gemma Charles, a board member of Biflores since October 2020, brings extensive Cabo Verdean conservation experience. With a Masters in Conservation Science from Imperial College London and prior work with Fundação Maio Biodiversidade, she now serves as a Field Programme Officer at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Gemma applies her international conservation skills to Biflores, focusing on strategic planning, fundraising, and administration.

Committed to conservation and community involvement, Gemma believes in ensuring conservation benefits local people. She fully supports Biflores’ team and their potential to positively impact Brava and its inhabitants, human and non-human alike.

Dr. Cherry Muijsson, Chief Investment Officer at BlackRock, merges nature conservation with finance, directing private capital towards nature restoration projects and sustainable business models. She manages pension scheme assets to secure retirement benefits and advises investment funds on biodiversity integration and sustainable strategies. With a PhD in macroeconomics from the University of Cambridge, Dr. Muijsson has held research positions in both private and governmental institutions, including academic supervision at Trinity College Cambridge. Her work is published in peer-reviewed journals.

Cristina Rodrigues holds a degree in Zootechnics from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil (2018), where she graduated at the top of her class. She began her career in Cabo Verde with a leading company in animal nutrition and poultry production, contributing to impactful projects in the sector. Since 2023, Cristina has served as Executive Administrator of Be Safe Group, while also being a co-founder and partner of Agro Safe. In her roles, she champions primary sector empowerment through a strong focus on animal welfare and sustainable agricultural practices

Joseana da Cruz Ferreira Rodrigues graduated in Aquaculture Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil. During her studies, she gained hands-on experience through internships with renowned laboratories and companies such as AQUOS, LCM, and Seahub, deepening her expertise across various areas of aquaculture. As one of the few specialists in aquaculture in Cabo Verde, Joseana plays a pioneering role in advancing this critical sector. She is a co-founder and partner of Agro Safe, and currently serves as Executive Administrator of Be Safe Group, as well as a consultant in fisheries and aquaculture. She is also pursuing a Master’s degree at DTU Aqua (Technical University of Denmark), further strengthening her expertise to contribute to the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture in Cabo Verde.