2017 Presentations

Presenter	Presentation	About the Presenter
Gabriel Ribenboim Senior Consultant, Sustainable Development Innovation	Keynote Address (PPT) Keynote Address (youtube.com)	Gabriel Ribenboim is a Biologist with over 10 years of experience. Developer of an array of qualified and innovative initiatives in sustainable development and inclusive economy within vulnerable communities in the Amazon, with a strong focus on multiple benefits. Effective fundraiser, securing multi-year, multi-million dollar resources from corporations, foundations and government institutions in the Americas, Europe and Asia. He currently works as an independent consultant for NGOs, including the Sustainable Amazon Foundation, where he develops projects related to Payment for Environmental Services, Innovation for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Economy.
Victor Salvati Innovative Solutions Coordinator at Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS)	Morning Speech (PPT) Morning Speech (youtube.com)	Victor Salviati, biologist with a Master's in Sustainable Development, has been working with conservation and financing conservation in the Amazon since 2009. Victor currently manages the Innovative Solutions Programme at Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS). Among his duties are fundraising, forest monitoring, innovative arrangement for conservation, REDD+, R&D and public policies. As key ongoing projects, Victor is leading the first of its kind FSC certification for protected areas’ management, designing FAS’ strategy for climate adaptation in isolated riverine communities in the Amazon, and supporting the regulation of the Environmental Services Law in the State of Amazonas.
Ali Moxley Participant Sustainability and Society in the Brazilian Amazon	Student Presenter	Ali grew up just outside Atlanta in Marietta, GA. Coming to Appalachian State got her more excited about both travel and sustainability, and she has tried to find unique ways to combine these interests. She had the opportunity to travel to Brazil through the Walker College of Business to explore sustainable business throughout the Amazon. While there she completed an independent study about the Foundation for Sustainable Amazon based off her first hand experience interacting with local communities that FAS works with. Ali has also attended an International Leadership Conference in Barcelona, Spain, where leaders from around the world came to intermingle and present. Locally, Ali stays plugged in with sustainability initiatives by volunteering at F.A.R.M cafe, a pay-what-you-can community kitchen that focuses on serving healthy, local food options. Ali's major is Management and her minors are Sustainable Business and Nutrition.
Dylan Turner Co-leader of the iASE program to Costa Rica	Student Presenter	Dylan is a North Carolina native who began his studies at ASU in 2015, following two years of community college. Dylan had the opportunity to travel to Villas Mastatal as a participant on an iASE in 2016, and was fortunate enough to return as a co-leader over this year’s Spring Break program. Villas Mastatal is a sustainable, family farm located in the town of Mastatal, Costa Rica. The family that runs Villas Mastatal incorporates many permaculture practices that enhance the resilience of their farm, and provide a great deal of biological diversity. In addition to ecological sustainability, the family also encourages engaging in the local economy, and building community bonds, which is reminiscent of the Local First movement here in the High Country. Dylan is currently an intern with Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture assisting in their Food Hub project, and when possible, will volunteer with a local farm. He is a Philosophy major, and Sustainable Development minor.
Marissa Schneider Co-Leader of the iASE program to Belize	Student Presenter	Marissa began her studies at Appalachian State University in 2014. She grew up in Charlotte and has always been interested in food, design, and equity issues; these interests led her to major in Sustainable Development with a concentration in Community, Regional, and Global Development. Marissa became involved with Alternative Service Experience during her first year and was a participant to Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham, Alabama; the following year, she co-lead an ASE to a Head Start program in New Jersey. She was a co-leader for this year’s International ASE to Rancho Dolores, Belize where the participants did service learning through agroforestry programs at Spanish Creek Rainforest Reserve. Marissa was a summer garden intern for Blackburn Community Gardens in 2016, which provided free Community Supported Agriculture boxes to food insecure families in the High Country. She is co-starting an organic market garden just outside of Boone, and aspires to share healthy food and leave lasting positive impacts wherever she goes.

Presenter

Presentation

About the Presenter

Gabriel Ribenboim
Senior Consultant, Sustainable Development Innovation

Gabriel Ribenboim is a Biologist with over 10 years of experience. Developer of an array of qualified and innovative initiatives in sustainable development and inclusive economy within vulnerable communities in the Amazon, with a strong focus on multiple benefits. Effective fundraiser, securing multi-year, multi-million dollar resources from corporations, foundations and government institutions in the Americas, Europe and Asia. He currently works as an independent consultant for NGOs, including the Sustainable Amazon Foundation, where he develops projects related to Payment for Environmental Services, Innovation for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Economy.

Victor Salvati

Innovative Solutions Coordinator at Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS)

Morning Speech (PPT)

Morning Speech (youtube.com)

Victor Salviati, biologist with a Master's in Sustainable Development, has been working with conservation and financing conservation in the Amazon since 2009. Victor currently manages the Innovative Solutions Programme at Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS). Among his duties are fundraising, forest monitoring, innovative arrangement for conservation, REDD+, R&D and public policies. As key ongoing projects, Victor is leading the first of its kind FSC certification for protected areas’ management, designing FAS’ strategy for climate adaptation in isolated riverine communities in the Amazon, and supporting the regulation of the Environmental Services Law in the State of Amazonas.

Ali Moxley

Participant Sustainability and Society in the Brazilian Amazon

Student Presenter

Ali grew up just outside Atlanta in Marietta, GA. Coming to Appalachian State got her more excited about both travel and sustainability, and she has tried to find unique ways to combine these interests. She had the opportunity to travel to Brazil through the Walker College of Business to explore sustainable business throughout the Amazon. While there she completed an independent study about the Foundation for Sustainable Amazon based off her first hand experience interacting with local communities that FAS works with. Ali has also attended an International Leadership Conference in Barcelona, Spain, where leaders from around the world came to intermingle and present. Locally, Ali stays plugged in with sustainability initiatives by volunteering at F.A.R.M cafe, a pay-what-you-can community kitchen that focuses on serving healthy, local food options. Ali's major is Management and her minors are Sustainable Business and Nutrition.

Dylan Turner

Dylan Turner

Co-leader of the iASE program to Costa Rica

Student Presenter

Dylan is a North Carolina native who began his studies at ASU in 2015, following two years of community college. Dylan had the opportunity to travel to Villas Mastatal as a participant on an iASE in 2016, and was fortunate enough to return as a co-leader over this year’s Spring Break program. Villas Mastatal is a sustainable, family farm located in the town of Mastatal, Costa Rica. The family that runs Villas Mastatal incorporates many permaculture practices that enhance the resilience of their farm, and provide a great deal of biological diversity. In addition to ecological sustainability, the family also encourages engaging in the local economy, and building community bonds, which is reminiscent of the Local First movement here in the High Country. Dylan is currently an intern with Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture assisting in their Food Hub project, and when possible, will volunteer with a local farm. He is a Philosophy major, and Sustainable Development minor.

Marissa Schneider

Marissa Schneider

Co-Leader of the iASE program to Belize

Student Presenter

Marissa began her studies at Appalachian State University in 2014. She grew up in Charlotte and has always been interested in food, design, and equity issues; these interests led her to major in Sustainable Development with a concentration in Community, Regional, and Global Development. Marissa became involved with Alternative Service Experience during her first year and was a participant to Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham, Alabama; the following year, she co-lead an ASE to a Head Start program in New Jersey. She was a co-leader for this year’s International ASE to Rancho Dolores, Belize where the participants did service learning through agroforestry programs at Spanish Creek Rainforest Reserve. Marissa was a summer garden intern for Blackburn Community Gardens in 2016, which provided free Community Supported Agriculture boxes to food insecure families in the High Country. She is co-starting an organic market garden just outside of Boone, and aspires to share healthy food and leave lasting positive impacts wherever she goes.