KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ari Daniel, Independent Science Reporter and Multimedia Producer 

Ari Daniel has always been drawn to science and the natural world. As a graduate student, Ari trained gray seal pups (Halichoerus grypus) for his Master’s degree in Animal Behavior at the University of St. Andrews, and helped tag wild Norwegian killer whales (Orcinus orca) for his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography at MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. And for the last 9 years, as a science reporter, Ari records a species he’s better equipped to understand – Homo sapiens.

Ari produces web videos and digital interactives for PBS NOVA, and he has reported on science topics across five continents with his radio stories appearing on PRI’s The World, NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered, Radiolab, Studio 360, Here and Now, Marketplace, and Living on Earth.

Ari also co-produces the Boston branch of Story Collider, a live storytelling show about science, and he is the lead producer of an occasional live storytelling, radio, and music show at the Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Science in Boston.

In the fifth grade, Ari won the “Most Contagious Smile” award.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Kate Brown, Executive Director of the Global Island Partnership 

Kate Brown is the Executive Director of the Global Island Partnership, a platform that enables island leaders and their supporters to take action to build resilient and sustainable island communities. Kate is a passionate advocate for islands. She is a valued and trusted international partnership and collaboration leader, with a unique ability to connect dots for issues and people. Kate has extensive experience in all island regions globally, and brings an extensive network of island leaders, blue sky thinkers and people dedicated to supporting islands.

Kate has experience working inside government, non-profits and inter-governmentally as well as a keen sense of the most important elements of the international policy setting space relevant to islands as well as what is needed for implementation to happen. A strategic thinker who is able to present clear ideas and set up the right conditions for collaboration to thrive.  Kate is originally from New Zealand and lived for eight years in Apia, Samoa. Kate now resides in Washington DC with her family.