WWF Staff in Guyana

Patrick Williams, Program Officer, holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Regional Planning and Development from the University of Nottingham and a Master of Science in Rural Planning Studies from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. His varied career covered academia, public policy and decision-making and consultancy, spanning a period of over twenty-five years.

Patrick first joined WWF-Guianas as a consultant in April1999 and was appointed in January 2000 as Program Officer with responsibility for the Guyana Office. In February 2003 he graduated with a Post-Graduate Certificate in Conservation Leadership from the WWF College, Zeist, Netherlands.

Shameela Shaw, Secretary/Administrative Assistant, joined WWF Guianas in March 2000. My tasks in this position include providing administrative and logistical support to the Program Officer, maintaining financial and accounting operations of the office, taking care of general office equipment and vehicle, supervises the work of the Housekeeper.

She finished a diploma in Business Communication at The International University of Guyana and also studying to become a Certified Accounting Technician.

Aiesha Williams, assistant of the Freshwater, Wildlife and Goldmining Pollution Abatement Program for Guyana, started on January 3rd 2007. She will work closely with Patrick, Rick and Marie Louise. Aiesha holds a masters degree in Conservation and Tourism from the University of Kent, Canterbury and has worked for 3 years as field researcher/research assistant at Iwokrama International Centre. Furthermore she was also research assistant at the National Wildlife Survey-EPA and lectured the Wildlife Management course at the Regional Educational Programme for Animal Health Assistants.

I love to travel and dance - (though according to those close to me, I do not know how to).

Odessa Duncan, Forest Officer, joined WWF Guianas in June 2006. She holds a BSc in forestry and worked for the United Nation Environmental Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC).

The recognition that human needs and economic development must be considered when engaging in the sustainable management and conservation of forest resources by WWF Guianas coincides with what I believe sustainable forestry is all about. Thus, my main reason for wanting to be apart of the WWF family and to participate in the conservation and sustainable management of Guyana’s forest resources, says Odessa. She enjoys socialising, reading and cooking.

Rickford Vieira, Project Coordinator for Gold mining Pollution Abatement has a Masters of Engineering (Mineral Processing) from the University of British Columbia, Canada. Before coming to WWF Guianas, Rick held various positions such as the Senior Mineral Processing Engineer, Mining Engineer, Mining Technician and Senior Field Assistant, with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission from 1984 to 2002. In his spare time he enjoys listening to some jazz or reggae music or just hanging out with friends.

Neil Boucher, Accountant is an  AAT Graduate – The Association of Accounting Technicians United Kingdom. He worked with Guyana’s largest Home Furniture & Appliances Retailer - Courts (Guyana) Inc. in various management capacities. Neil started working with WWF Guianas in 2005.