Board of Trustees
Steve Blake
Chair
Steve’s main interests include the evolution of human bodies and behaviours, and advocates for protecting half of the earth to mitigate the crises of species extinction, habitat destruction and climate change. He has worked in conservation education for over 25 years, co-founding an experiential charter school in the U.S. and a coalition of 22 government and NGO agencies with conservation education goals. He has taught biology and human evolution for many years. He and his wife and son have a passion for travel to biodiversity hotspots. He lives in the Gila Forest of southern New Mexico.
Charles Zulu
Trustee
Charles is a retired Head Teacher but remains active in community and education work. He is the Manager of the School Language Academy, an NGO working in Government schools in Mambwe District to help students improve their English language. He is also a member of the Mfuwe Branch of Rotary International.
Thandiwe Mweetwa
Trustee
Thandiwe is a former Chipembele Conservation ‘star’ pupil. She has a BSc in Animal Science from the University of British Columbia and a MSc from the University of Arizona, her thesis was based on female lion reproduction in South Luangwa. Thandiwe worked for many years as a researcher for the Zambian Carnivore Programme. She is now Landscape Manager for Frankfurt Zoological Society in Nsumbu National Park. She has been the recipient of multiple international conservation awards.
Ruth Macallan
Trustee
Ruth volunteered for Chipembele for 6 months in 2017 and has since moved out to Mfuwe with her husband and two young children. She is passionate about outdoor learning, Nature Nights and making the National Park accessible to as many children as possible.
LUWI NGULUKA
Trustee
Passionate about inclusivity and diversity in the conservation landscape, Luwi Nguluka attributes her passion for wildlife to her childhood in the Okavango Delta. For over a decade she has been leading several behavioural change campaigns in Africa, including “This is Not Game”, a campaign launched to tackle the illegal bushmeat trade. As Director of Communications of Wildlife Crime Prevention, she is responsible for several other innovative projects in Zambian conservation. These include the Conservation Careers Fair, Zambia’s premiere conservation event for job seekers. She is also a founding member of “Women for Conservation”, Zambia’s first network for women who work in and are interested in conservation.
GRANT KINTER
Trustee
Grant Kinter is an experienced leader with a background in project management, business management, organisational strategy and governance. As Interim Advisory Manager for Chipembele in 2023, Grant lived in Mfuwe with his family, where he oversaw the recruitment and onboarding of key senior managers while conducting a comprehensive review of the organisation. Now as a Chipembele board member, he is enjoying being able to contribute over the long term to the organisation’s success.
TIMOTHY PHIRI
Trustee
Timothy Kamuzu Phiri is an environmentalist and environmental educator based in Lusaka and Mfuwe. He worked as a teacher and lecturer for 18 years, at St. Canisius Secondary School and the University of Zambia respectively and is currently Executive Director of an environmental/conservation NGO based in Lusaka called Mizu Eco-Care.
He holds a Master of Education in Environmental Education, a Bachelor of Education in Science Education (Biology/Geography), a Diploma in Science Education and a Diploma in Agroecology.
He is a board member for the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos. He is also a former Board member and advisor for the ShiftThePower Zambia programme, for the Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity, and for Caritas Czech Republic in Zambia. He is a former Chairperson for the Wildlife and Environment Conservation Society of Zambia, Lusaka Branch.
The Chipembele Trust | UK
Chipembele Trust is a UK registered charity (number 1107698) which solely supports Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust in Zambia for the advancement of the education of children and young people in the conservation and preservation of the environment and its wildlife.