In honour of women in conservation, the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) Foundation friend of the month is Greta Francesca Iori, a trailblazing Ethiopian-Italian international adviser, conservation expert, and accredited conflict mediator. With a career dedicated to protecting Africa’s wildlife and strengthening global conservation efforts, she has worked at the highest levels alongside African governments and international organisations.
As Director of Programmes for the Elephant Protection Initiative from 2014 to 2024, she played a pivotal role in expanding its membership from just five to 26 nations. In this feature, EPI explores Greta’s remarkable journey, her tireless advocacy for women in the environmental sector, and the impact of her work on conservation worldwide
Please share with our audience a brief introduction of the work you currently do.
At my core, I am a conservation social scientist and strategist, systems and conflict dialogue facilitator, and advocate for socio-environmental justice. As a mixed-race African, my work is deeply rooted in the complex and interwoven stories of coexistence with nature, stories of belonging, sovereignty, ancestry, wildlife, land, and water. My work spans wildlife conservation advisory, policy influence and reform, storytelling, and bridging solutions at the intersection of organised crime, gender equity, human-wildlife coexistence, sustainable development, and climate resilience.
I am passionately committed to dismantling outdated conservation models and challenging traditional power structures, particularly across Africa. I advocate for locally led solutions that honour and restore the balance between people, nature, and spirit. Above all, I believe that meaningful change requires us to embrace the complexity, duality, and nuances of our time to successfully find tangible, sustainable solutions to the environmental and social crises we face today.
Are there some experiences in your upbringing that inspired your passion and dedication to the protection of elephants and the communities that live close to them?
By birth, I am a walking paradox. Italy’s failed attempt to colonise Ethiopia is a defining chapter of history, and yet here I stand, born of love between two nations that are rich, complex, and deeply different. This duality shaped me from an early age, giving me an intimate understanding of privilege, how power is distributed, who is heard, and who is left at the margins. It taught me to embrace contradiction, to sit in the grey areas, and to see beyond simplistic narratives.
Recognising privilege when it comes to elephants and wildlife means understanding that these aren’t just conservation challenges, they are human ones, too, deeply rooted in history, inequity, and the ongoing struggle for dignity and basic rights. My work has always been about listening, seeing the unseen, and ensuring that both people and wildlife are part of the same story, not competing narratives crafted to serve the interests of a select few.
I often say I didn’t choose elephants; elephants chose me. I never set out to focus on a single species, but I quickly realised that these powerful, charismatic beings could command the attention of those in power. In doing so, they became an entry point, an undeniable force that allowed us to highlight the broader systems, species, and communities whose survival is intrinsically tied to theirs. It made perfect sense: protecting elephants was never just about elephants. It was about shifting mindsets, challenging power structures, recognising the importance of what’s beneath the surface, and advocating for coexistence for all beings in the truest sense.
Tell us more about your passion for women empowerment and development, segueing into the formation of Women for Environment Africa.
My passion for women’s empowerment is deeply personal, rooted in my own upbringing. I was raised by an incredibly strong, inspiring mother and a lineage of women who shaped my understanding of integrity, resilience, leadership, and the quiet power of collective care and respect. Growing up across cultures, I saw firsthand how women are the backbone of families, communities, and environmental stewardship, yet too often, their roles are overlooked, their leadership dismissed, ideas stolen, or they are forced into structures never designed to empower them.
Becoming a WE Africa fellow was a turning point; it was where I found my environmental community backbone. WE is more than a network; it’s a movement of sisters redefining leadership on our own terms. We co-create a space where African women conservation leaders uplift one another, expand rooms we are told we don’t belong in, and challenge the status quo rather than upholding dysfunctional systems. We lead with love and authenticity, with well-being at our core, and strive for the equilibrium we see all around us in Mother Nature, rather than exploitation that has been normalised for so long. When women are empowered, we don’t just thrive, we heal everything around us. And that is exactly what we are doing.
You are an influential thought leader in the conservation sector, engaging in international policy formulation. Is there a time when you have been the only woman in the room? If so, what are the mindset shifts women need to make in these rooms to get their agendas implemented?
Like so many women, I have often been the only woman in the room—sometimes the youngest, the only African, or the only one willing to challenge uncomfortable truths. And in those moments, I’ve learnt that our greatest power isn’t in fitting in but in showing up fully as ourselves. In the urgency of our times, silence is not an option. The crises we face demand bold, unwavering values, and that means stepping into these spaces with the conviction that we do not need permission to make the world more just—we demand it. As the saying goes, “Speak up, even if your voice shakes.”
And as my dear friend, mentor, and former Nigerian Minister of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, once said, we are not fighting with men – we are catching up as women and stepping into the spaces we rightfully deserve. So, we must continue to take up space unapologetically, dismantle broken systems, and refuse to see a seat at the table as the final goal, because we are here to transform the entire room.
Are there women who vividly remember supporting you as you rose in the conservation space? These could be peers, mentors, colleagues, etc.
So many incredible environmental champions have shaped my journey; Prof. Wangari Maathai, Dr. Winnie Kiiru, Dr. Leela Hazzah, Dr. Coleen Begg, Dr. Cynthia Moss, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Nemonte Nenquimo, Berta Cáceres; and countless other colleagues and peers. Their wisdom, leadership, and unwavering dedication to conservation have profoundly influenced me, teaching me what it means to lead with purpose, courage, and in true community. They have fought, and continue to fight, not just for nature, but for justice, equality, and the right to protect what is sacred.
But in my early days, the women who shaped me most weren’t household names, nor were they the stereotypical “conservationists.” They were the women of Addis and rural Ethiopia, the ones who made me feel safe, who welcomed me into offices that didn’t want me there, who nourished and fed me in the field, who helped me find water when I needed it, and who took me in when I needed a quiet place to rest instead of camping along dangerously loud and remote roads. Their boundless kindness, generosity, and care, offered without hesitation, are why I am the woman I am today.
With growing human populations and an increased strain on natural resources, are you optimistic that we can find lasting solutions to mitigate or even reduce conflict between elephants and people in Africa?
Absolutely. I believe in the solutions we already have, we just need the courage, governance, and accountability to implement them at scale. People and elephants have coexisted for centuries; conflict arises when systems and leadership fail both. If we move beyond short-term fixes and commit to long-term, justice-driven solutions that respect both human and elephant needs, coexistence is not only possible, it’s inevitable. The key lies in addressing poverty, inequity, and land-use conflicts, fostering true balance, and rethinking conservation so that it serves communities as much as it protects wildlife.
But we cannot talk about conservation without addressing the root causes of environmental destruction. We need to rein in boundless consumerism, our planet’s resources are finite, yet far too much is being consumed by a very small group of people. Extractivism, unchecked greed, and overconsumption are driving biodiversity loss and deepening global inequality. True change means confronting these realities and shifting towards systems that prioritise regeneration, fairness, and sustainability. We are not separate from nature; we are a part of it.
And those who feel distant from these issues must recognise that their choices, where they put their money, the leaders they support or fail to challenge, and how they use their voice, have real consequences. I remain hopeful because everywhere I go, I see resilience, innovation, and a deep, growing commitment to change. The shift is happening, we just need to keep pushing it forward.
Inspired by your remarkable journey, what would you tell a young woman looking to work in conservation?
To anyone looking to work in conservation, remember, you already belong. For far too long, conservation has been treated as an exclusive space, but the truth is, we are all part of nature, and protecting it is not a privilege, it is our birthright and responsibility. There are so many ways to contribute; it’s just about finding the way that expands your heart the most. You don’t need a title or permission to make a difference. Every action, every voice, every act of care for the earth matters in whichever way you see fit. Find your community, stand firm in your values, believe in your voice, and never let anyone make you feel like you don’t belong in the fight to protect the very foundation of all life. Because you do. We all do.