Joan is an indigenous activist from the Cordillera with more than 20 years of working on indigenous issues from the grassroots to the international level. Her expertise includes areas like human rights, sustainable development, the environment, climate change, and additionally the application of Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

She was the General Secretary of the Asia Indigenous People Pact (AIPP) From September 2008 to December 2016. She was appointed as indigenous expert of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2014-2016) by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by UN Environment in September 2018. She was awarded the Champions of the Earth; Lifetime time Achievement award by UN Environment

Raymond brings with him more than 30 years of experience on human rights/indigenous peoples’ rights and development. He has served in human rights organizations and indigenous peoples’ organizations with varying responsibilities and advocacies: from organization, project management and strategic communications to climate change, rights and sustainable, self-determined development

Joyce is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. Her work background is on customer relations, secretarial and clerical jobs.

Born in a hñähñú family, Adazahira Chávez is a journalist and communications specialist based in Mexico. For 20 years, she has worked closely with victims of serious human rights violations, indigenous peoples defending their territories, women, and trade unionists, always in autonomous initiatives and NGOs. 

Monique is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, with previous work experiences as an accounting staff under two different employers. Her skills and abilities include knowledge in Microsoft offices applications and on the Quickbook Accounting System

Natalia is a Mexican communication specialist focused on human rights. She has worked with indigenous communities defending their territories, linguistic revitalization, intercultural education, and accompanying processes of labor rights defense with women.

Heather is a Nakota and Cree woman from the Okanese First Nation in Canada. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Indigenous Studies and is currently undertaking a Masters Degree in Public Policy (MPP). Her experience extends in the areas of; communications/journalism,  research and public policy. She is passionate about advocating for Indigenous rights and has spent her youth as an advocate on many levels both provincially and nationally. An avid storyteller and researcher, Heather enjoys reading and writing.

Aisa Kristine L. Daguitan, a Certified Public Accountant, is the Finance and Accounting Officer of the Indigenous Peoples Rights International Inc. She joined the organization in 2020 and is responsible for budgetary control and management to ensure effective and efficient utilization of resources in line with financial management and accounting policies and procedures. She is a children’s and indigenous peoples' rights advocate and prior to joining IPRI, she worked for eight years as an accountant, auditor, and consultant for various nonprofit organizations. 

Ms. Cristina Coc is one of the key organizers and co-spokesperson for the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcaldes Association,  and a dedicated activist for the conservation of the environments and rights of indigenous peoples of Southern Belize.  Ms. Coc is a Maya woman from southern Belize, who brings a wealth of knowledge of these communities, fluency in Q’eqchi’, and experience in community mobilizing. Over the last 20 years, she and other Maya Leaders have worked to defend land tenure rights of the Maya people of southern Belize, negotiate with the Government of Belize, and build capacity among local Maya. This led to a long chain of court rulings affirming Maya Land tenure rights which culminated in the Consent Order of the Caribbean Court of Justice in April 2015. Ms. Coc is a young woman, but in this work, she has accumulated vast experience. She has felt the cold reality of discrimination. She has negotiated complicated and contentious issues at the highest level. Most importantly, she has gained the respect of the Q’eqchi’ and Mopan villagers of Toledo. 

Patricia Borraz has more than 30 years’ experience on indigenous peoples’ rights, particularly within the context of indigenous participation at the United Nations processes. She has worked for several support NGOs and indigenous organizations, and was assistant to the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz.

Fergus MacKay is Senior Legal Counsel. He has litigated several cases before United Nations treaty bodies, the International Labour Organization, and the Inter-American Commission and Court of Human Rights, including Saramaka People (2007) and Kaliña and Lokono Peoples (2015). He also previously served as an expert advisor to the Organization of American States concerning its American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and as a member of the advisory panel to the World Bank’s Extractive Industries Review.