Southeast Asia Staff Profiles | Global Diversity Foundation

	Southeast Asia Staff Profiles
	Dr. Agnes Lee Agama, Regional Coordinator Agnes received a BA Honours degree with a double major in Social Psychology and Anthropology from the Australian National University in 1997, and finished her PhD in Environmental Anthropology at the University of Kent, UK, in 2004. Her research interests focus on the social transformation of local communities who live alongside protected areas, especially transformations in indigenous plant knowledge and changes in local attitudes towards plant conservation and community-based forest management in Sabah. From 1997 to 2003, Agnes worked for WWF Malaysia on the People and Plants Southeast Asia Program and several community-based conservation initiatives. She continues to work closely with local communities in Sabah and builds partnerships with local government agencies to support sustainable livelihoods approaches. She speaks English and Bahasa Malaysia fluently. Agnes is Project Coordinator for the Darwin Initiative project carried out jointly by The Global Diversity Foundation, Sabah Parks and Universiti Malaysia Sabah. The project is carrying out a three-year ethnobiological assessment of resources and landscapes in the area of Buayan-Kionop in the Crocker Range. Working closely with the local communities and partner institutions, project results will inform the establishment of Community Use Zones that allow community access and use of designated areas within the Crocker Range Park.
	James Wong, Field Coordinator Originally from Sibu, Sarawak, James received a BA degree in Geography from the Universiti Malaysia Sabah in 2001. His research interests lie in working with local communities to build grassroots initiatives that support plant conservation and sustainable rural development. From 2002 to 2004, he worked for WWF Malaysia under the Community-based Conservation Project in Ulu Padas, Sabah where he focussed on building local community capacity through development research in tourism and orchid conservation. Talented in languages, he speaks various Chinese dialects, English, Malay, Iban, and is learning Lun Dayeh and Dusun. James is Field Coordinator for the Darwin Initiative project carried out jointly by The Global Diversity Foundation, Sabah Parks and Universiti Malaysia Sabah. He coordinates the implementation of ethnobiological field techniques to assess resource and landscape use among the Buayan-Kionop Dusun in the Crocker Range. James is additionally completing a master’s degree at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah on the impact of swidden agriculture on soil fertility in Buayan-Kiono.
	Adam Murphy, Field Coordinator Adam received a MSc in Conservation Biology from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent in 2003. His research interests include ethnobiology, biodiversity management and medium-large mammal biology. Originally from the UK, he has worked in Tanzania on wildlife management issues. In 2005, Adam started working in Sabah on a research project in the Crocker Range Park to investigate the biological impacts of subsistence hunting and joined the GDF team in 2007. He is fluent in English and Bahasa Malaysia.
	Arnie Modi, Assistant Project Coordinator An indigneous Dusun from Ranau, Arnie received her BSc in Forestry from the Universiti Malaysia Sabah in 2007. Previously, she worked with Sabah Parks until 2003, and with the Sabah Women's Action Resource Group (SAWO) until 2008. Her field expertise and research interests include protected area management, community forestry, organizational capacity building and administration, ethnography and gender. She is fluent in Dusun (her mother tongue), English, Bahasa Malaysia and is learning Mandarin.