Patricia Cruz

Patricia Cruz is a passionate conservationist and creative with extensive experience working at the intersection of people, wildlife, and critical ecosystems. She holds a BSc in Zoology and began her career in biodiversity research in South America, before spending a few years in corporate public relations. Drawn back to working in and for nature, she moved into community-led conservation in East Africa where she spent over a decade developing and supporting locally led initiatives across complex landscapes. She has since managed multi-million dollar funding portfolios spanning protected area management, REDD+ carbon revenue streams, tourism, biodiversity conservation, and livelihoods programs. In 2023, she joined African Parks as the Funding and Reporting Manager in South Sudan and now serves the same role with Iona National Park in Angola.