Malia Gehrenbeck | Junior Development Expert

Malia Gehrenbeck is a Junior Development Expert at IUCN NL, where she contributes to project development and fundraising initiatives. With a Master’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Amsterdam and a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Illinois, she specializes in climate change impact assessment and biodiversity conservation. 

Her passion for wildlife and research began in childhood and has grown into expertise that bridges science and conservation action. She first joined IUCN NL as an intern, where she contributed to project development and strategic funding initiatives while conducting research analyzing climate change impacts on tropical biodiversity using modeling and advanced statistical methods.

Her field experience spans from ecological restoration in the Chicago area to biodiversity monitoring in Dutch agricultural systems, giving her practical understanding of conservation challenges across different landscapes. Malia combines her technical research expertise with strong grant writing skills to help secure funding for projects that work with local communities worldwide to protect and strengthen their nature and their rights, focusing particularly on areas whose biodiversity is under pressure and that are vital for both nature conservation and the people who depend on these ecosystems.