Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards Grants
Oral And Poster Presentations
Publications
Languages
Timeline
Hi, I’m

Ursla Koumbo

Yaoundé
Ursla Koumbo

Summary

Bilingual (French and English) conservation biologist with a strong scientific training and expertise in the main areas of the environment; Excellent ability to coordinate NGO - research - community group - Excellent interpersonal skills, a good sense of teamwork and the ability to lead and coordinate multicultural and multi-disciplinary teams; Solid and proven project management skills, particularly in environmental project management; Experience in writing proposals for environmental grants; Excellent leader and communicator.

Overview

9
years of professional experience

Work History

RESEAU DES ACTEURS ET PROFESSIONNELS DE LA SAUVEGARDE DE TORTUES MARINES EN AFRIQUE CENTRALE (RASTOMA)

Regional Coordinator
2019.07 - Current (5 years & 2 months)

Job overview

  • Played an instrumental role in achieving Organization-wide objectives through effective leadership of regional teams and projects;
  • Negotiated contracts with funders and partners to secure optimal terms beneficial to both parties involved in the agreement;
  • Elaborated the strategic plan with the members and the board of directors;
  • Implemented the strategic plan under the direct supervision of the Board of directors;
  • Coordinated and animated 10 CSO in 6 countries of the central Africa (Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, DRC, Congo and STP);
  • Designed and implemented several programs and projects;
  • Reported to the Board and funders,
  • Organized and animate training (on-site and online training) for the CSO from 17 countries of north, west and central Africa and train up to 100 people (students, researchers, manager, public and private bodies);
  • Organized 3 regional congress for the network of the conservation of sea turtles in Africa gathering 3 networks from 17 countries, 20 CSO and up to 80 participants; the congress included general assembly of the networks, workshop, round table, strategic meeting and capacity building;
  • Facilitated experience sharing and networking between RASTOMA members (NGOs and individuals);
  • Administrative and financial follow-up of RASTOMA;
  • Search and secured funds for program;
  • monitored and evaluated projects;
  • Organized and represented RASTOMA on high level international and national meetings.
  • Managed budgets and resources effectively to achieve financial goals and optimize regional operations.
  • Championed diversity initiatives within the workplace, creating an inclusive environment that fostered collaboration and innovation among team members.
  • Established a positive work environment that encouraged teamwork and facilitated open communication among team members.
  • Entered data, generated reports, and produced tracking documents.
  • Participated in workshops and in-service meetings to enhance personal growth and professional development.

Conservation Action Research Network

Principal investigator and project manager
2018.09 - 2019.05 (8 months)

Job overview

  • Championed a collaborative work environment that promoted knowledge sharing, peer support, and interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving, driving overall research excellence.
  • Mentored junior researchers, fostering their professional development and enhancing the overall team''s capabilities.
  • Improved research efficiency by implementing advanced data collection and analysis methods.
  • Trained local team.
  • Documented findings and prepared detailed reports.

Principal investigator and grant manager
2017.11 - 2018.11 (1 year)

Job overview

  • Improving conservation efforts of marine turtles in the southern coastline of Cameroon trough beaches monitoring and community outreach campaign
  • Finance and team management
  • Training of local team
  • Education campaign
  • Reporting to funder.

Principal investigator and grant manager
2017.12 - 2018.09 (9 months)

Job overview

  • Sea turtles conservation: Increase conservation efforts through education and capacity building for nesting beaches monitoring and bycatch reporting in Southern Coast of Cameroon
  • Finance and team management
  • Capacity building of local team
  • Production of environmental education materials
  • Reporting to funder.

Principal investigator and project manager
2016.10 - 2017.10 (1 year)

Job overview

  • Conservation status of Sea Turtles population in the peripheries of Campo Ma'an National Park, South Cameroon
  • Design and implement the project
  • Team and Finance management
  • Data capture and management on fisheries
  • Production of sensitization material
  • Sensitization of local people
  • Reporting to funder.

Cameroon Herpetology-Conservation Biology Foundation (CAMHERP-CBF)

Intern Wildlife Ecologist
2015.03 - 2017.08 (2 years & 5 months)

Job overview

  • Data management (Collection and analysis)
  • Reporting and Capacity building
  • Meeting organization with authorities and local communities.

Education

University of Dschang , Dschang, Cameroon

Master of Science from Applied Ecology And Wildlife Management
07.2016

University of Dschang , Dschang, Cameroon

Bachelor of Science from Zoology
09.2012

Government High School of Manengouba , Nkongsamba, Cameroon

High School Diploma
07.2009

Skills

  • Program & Project Management
  • Leadership & Team Building
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Communications
  • Monitoring and evaluation of projects cycles
  • Budget Planning
  • Event Coordination
  • Staff management

Awards Grants

  • OIF-ODD grant, 12/2022, 12/2023, € 20000, Mobilizing civil society and coastal communities to tackle plastic pollution and clean up sea turtle habitats along Cameroon's Atlantic coast
  • CEPF Grant, 10/2021, 10/2022, $ 40000, Structuring national and regional networks for marine turtle conservation in Atlantic Africa
  • GBIF-BID Grant, 05/2021, Present, € 20000, Enhancing the capacity of Civil Society Organizations to create and contribute towards a unified marine turtle database in Cameroon
  • PADI Grant, 09/2018, 05/2019, $ 3000, Baseline study and conservation of marine turtles in the southern coastline of Cameroon
  • Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) marine grant, 12/2017, 09/2018, $ 1000
  • British Ecological Society (BES) Grant Award, 11/2017, 11/2018, £ 2000
  • Conservation Action Research Network (CARN) Award, 10/2016, 10/2017, $ 5000
  • Association of African University award, 09/2016, 01/2017, $ 500
  • Tropical Biology Association Award, 11/2015, 11/2015
  • Cameroon Head of state Academic excellence award, 2012, 2016, $ 100 per year

Oral And Poster Presentations

  • ISTS 2023: Three civils society in north, west and central Africa, together stronger to save sea turtles
  • IUCN congress 2021 & COP14 RAMSAR 2023: CSO networks in West & Central Africa: A driving force to trigger the MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING concerning conservation measures for marine turtles of the Atlantic coast of Africa (Abidjan MoU)
  • ISTS 2021: New partnerships and innovative approaches toward an efficient conservation of sea turtle in Atlantic coast of Africa

Publications

  • Tasse Taboue GC, Ntene Soh BC, Koumbo Tagagoum UB, et al. (2023) Local perceptions, hunting and export of the Endangered Goliath frog Conraua goliath in Cameroon. Oryx. 1-10. Doi :10.1017/S0030605323000224
  • Ursla Koumbo. (2019). The world's biggest frog. Africa Conservation Telegraph (ACT). Vol. 14 No. 1

Languages

French
Native language
English
Advanced
C1

Timeline

Regional Coordinator

RESEAU DES ACTEURS ET PROFESSIONNELS DE LA SAUVEGARDE DE TORTUES MARINES EN AFRIQUE CENTRALE (RASTOMA)
2019.07 - Current (5 years & 2 months)

Principal investigator and project manager

Conservation Action Research Network
2018.09 - 2019.05 (8 months)

Principal investigator and grant manager

2017.12 - 2018.09 (9 months)

Principal investigator and grant manager

2017.11 - 2018.11 (1 year)

Principal investigator and project manager

2016.10 - 2017.10 (1 year)

Intern Wildlife Ecologist

Cameroon Herpetology-Conservation Biology Foundation (CAMHERP-CBF)
2015.03 - 2017.08 (2 years & 5 months)

University of Dschang

Master of Science from Applied Ecology And Wildlife Management

University of Dschang

Bachelor of Science from Zoology

Government High School of Manengouba

High School Diploma
Ursla Koumbo