Jozef Bednar, DPhil (Oxon), MSc, MA, BSc (Slovakia)
Jozef is educated in environmental sciences and international economics at Comenius University, Bratislava in Slovakia and in geography at University of Oxford in the UK. After working in the corporate sector (Ernst & Young, Volkswagen), Jozef has moved back to nature conservation. For many years, he has been actively engaged in the work of various environmental NGOs and protected areas in Slovakia, Germany, UK and Russia. Since autumn 2006, he has worked as an associated consultant in fundraising and project management in Russia. Currently, he is the manager of the project: ‘Enhancing biodiversity and ecotourism in Russia’. Jozef is a keen traveller and nature photographer. Jozef is the founding member of Machaon International acting as its president.
Svetlana Belova, MA (Russia)
Svetlana has over 10 years of working experience on biodiversity conservation issues throughout Russia and Central Asia. Since 1998, Svetlana has worked in the EcoCentre Zapovedniks in Moscow as a deputy director responsible for fundraising and development. Since 2007, she is a lead manager of an EU-funded project supporting ecotourism development in the proposed biosphere reserve Kugu Kakshan in Mari El Republic. She is also a member of the scientific board of Ugra National Park. In 2005, she received an award from the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russian Federation ‘For merits in nature conservation’. She is the founding member of Machaon International acting as its deputy president.
