As vice-president of Programs and Partnerships, Santiago Alba-Corral provides leadership, vision and strategic direction for IDRC’s research programming and partnerships. He oversees the development and implementation of program strategies and priorities in a manner that encourages sound stewardship of public funds and resources and contributes to the effective achievement of IDRC’s Strategy 2030. Prior to his role as vice-president, Alba-Corral was the director of IDRC’s Climate-Resilient Food Systems program, overseeing research to build equitable, inclusive, healthy and sustainable food systems in the Global South. Previously, he was the senior director of international development at CARE Canada and served as the technical and research director at Action contre la Faim in Montreal. He holds an Executive Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, a master's degree in international agriculture and rural development from Cornell University in the United States and a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture engineering from the University of La Rioja in Spain.

Justin Hunter is the founder of J. Hunter Pearls in Fiji, pioneering sustainable and environmentally responsible pearl farming. With a background in marine biology and aquaculture, he integrates traditional knowledge with modern techniques to support biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and economic sustainability for small island communities.

Professor Jimaima Lako is a distinguished academic and researcher in food security, nutrition, and climate resilience. Her work at Fiji National University focuses on integrating sustainable food systems with climate adaptation strategies, ensuring small island nations can mitigate and adapt to climate-related challenges while enhancing food and water security.

Ms. Florence Lautu is Senior Strategic Manager at the Ministry of Climate Change in Vanuatu. Lautu is also a research team member of the STRENGTH project supported by IDRC and is involved in several research and policy-related activities at the Ministry, including loss and damage, disaster risk reduction, and adaptation.

Hemant Ojha is an environmental social scientist, Adjunct Associate Professor at Australian National University, Principal Advisor for Institute for Study and Development Worldwide, Sydney, Principal Investigator (PI) of the STRENGTH project, and PI for the REAL project supported by IDRC. Ojha is developing projects on water and climate change with Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

Simron J. Singh is a Professor and University Research Chair (URC) in the Faculty of Environment. Using the analogy that islands function like living organisms, he conducts socio-metabolic research to evaluate how small island economies utilize (or metabolize) materials, energy, water, and infrastructure. He investigates why and how these consumption patterns (or island metabolism) may accumulate “socio-metabolic risk” over time that increase their susceptibility to the challenges of climate change. He further analyzes how island economies can transition to a more sustainable, circular resource-use model, thereby bolstering their overall resilience to the impact of climate change.

Ulusapeti Tiitii is the Principal Fisheries Officer at the Ministry and has extensive experience in fisheries management, policy development, and community-based resource management. Tiitii plays a key role in sustainable fisheries initiatives, ensuring the resilience of coastal communities and marine ecosystems in Samoa.

Dr. Vigulu was the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Forestry and Research, Solomon Islands; Forest Manager at Kolombangara Forest Products Limited; and Assistant Managing Director at Eagon Pacific Plantation Limited. His work with the Food and Agriculture Organization's Integrated Forest Management Project was instrumental in advancing sustainable forestry practices in the region.

Dr Smaill is a forest ecologist with 20+ years working in indigenous and exotic forests across New Zealand. His initial focus was plant-soil-microbe interactions, but during his career has extended his research to include nutrient cycles, forest ecosystem services, tree nursery management and climate change.