Members

Besides its 29 founding members, ISA’s By-Laws account for other member categories: active members, collaborative members and honorary members.

Founding members

Alícia Rolla - Analyst of the Integrated System of Geoprocessing (SIG), she is completing her undergraduate degree University of São Paulo's School of Geography with the support of Instituto Socioambiental. Between 1985-1994 she was part of the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples/Ecumenical Center for Indigenous Documentation (PIB/CEDI), where she specialized in the qualification of geographic information and thematic cartography related to protected areas. She coordinated ISA's sector of Geo-Processing from 2000 to 2004. Currently she dedicates herself to special analyses, research and data relation for the ISA s programs Public Policies and Socio-Environmental Law and Monitoring of Protected Areas.

Ana Valéria Nascimento Araújo Leitão - Lawyer. A graduate from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and with a Master’s Degree in International Law / Human Rights from the American University (Washington, D.C.), she worked at the Nucleus of Indigenous Rights (NDI) between 1984 and 1994. She was part of ISA’s Legal Activities team, of which she was a coordinator, formulating and monitoring legal actions, systematizing information and organizing publications, as well as participating in international meetings and seminars on behalf of ISA. For two years she was a director of the U.S.’s Rainforest Foundation. She was assistant coordinator of the Brasil Socioambiental program in 2004/2005.

André Junqueira Ayres Villas-Bôas - Indigenist. Worked at the Xingu Indigenous Park (MT), in the areas of Ticuna do Solimões (AM) and Xavante (MT) as an employee of FUNAI between 1978 and 1985. He headed the Indigenous Lands Department of the Land Development and Reform Ministry / MIRAD in 1986 - 87. He was associate coordinator of the PIB/CEDI between 1988-91 and later its general coordinator between 1991-93. He is a founding member of the NDI and member of the Board of Imaflora and Saúde Sem Limites. He represented ISA at the Amazon Coalition between 1996-97. He is presently coordinator of ISA’s Xingu Program and since 2011 also Executive Secretary.

Anthony Anderson - Biologist. American-born, former researcher at the Emílio Goeldi Museum in Pará. Formerly advisor to the Ford Foundation in Brazil. Presently senior environmental expert for the World Bank in Brasília.

Anthony Reginald Gross - Political scientist with degrees from Cambridge and Oxford universities. Carried out research among the Apurinã of Boca do Acre (State of Amazonas) and the rubber tappers of Xapuri (State of Acre). He represented Oxfam in Brazil (1982-87), coordinated CEDI’s socio-environmental project (1989/93), and was the national coordinator of the Global Forum/92. Gross worked as technical coordinator for PLANAFORO’s Comitê de Avaliação Independente - Independent Evaluation Committee -, in Rondônia (1993), and as associate executive director in the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. From 2002 to 2003 he was director of the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD).

Barbara Bramble - American environmentalist, director of the National Wildlife Federation’s International Program, Washington.

Brunhilde Haas de Saneaux - Professor. Austrian-born, in charge of the Alliance for Climate Program of the IIZ - Institute for International Cooperation, Austria, an institution which keeps a cooperation agreement with ISA and FOIRN within the scope of Rio Negro Program.

Carlos Alberto (Beto) Ricardo - Anthropologist, researcher and editor, with a long history of experience in the Brazilian world of NGOs. He was one of the founders of the CEDI (1974), where he was associate general secretary for eleven years. A USP graduate of 1972, he obtained his Master’s degree from that school as well. Formerly a professor at UNICAMP, he was the creator of the PIB/CEDI (1978), its coordinator until 1992 and editor of PIB/CEDI’s publications. He was a founding member of the CCPY (1974), NDI (1989) and ISA (1994), where he was Executive Secretary. He is presently coordinator of ISA’s Rio Negro Program.

Carlos Frederico Marés de Souza Filho - A lawyer with a Master’s degree in Public Law and a professor of environmental law at PUC-RJ. Author of publications on environmental and indigenous law. Formerly Culture Secretary of Curitiba and technical director of NDI. Presently Attorney General of the State of Paraná. He is an international consultant in the area of collective rights and rights of the peoples. He participates in the ILSA - Instituto Latinoamericano de Servicios Legales Alternativos (The Latin American Institute of Alternative Legal Services.

Eduardo Viveiros de Castro - Anthropologist. A Ph.D. in anthropology, researcher and professor at the National Museum of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. A specialist in Brazilian ethnology, he carried out research among indigenous peoples. The author of several books and articles in Brazil and abroad. A consultant to the PIB/CEDI team since 1978, he participated in the coordination of the Projeto Araweté: Um Intercâmbio Cultural.

Enrique Svirsky - Management Specialist and Sociologist. Environmentalist, Uruguayan-born, master of sociology by Flacso, works at Cetesb and collaborates with the SOS Atlantic Forest Foundation. Specialized in project negotiation and assessment. He was ISA´s vice-chairman and Associate Executive Secretary until 2010. He passed way in december, 2010

Fany Pantaleoni Ricardo - Anthropologist. A USP graduate, she was assistant editor to the series Aconteceu Especial PIB from 1980-94. She participated in the PIB/CEDI team which implemented the database on indigenous lands and peoples in Brazil. At ISA, she permanently updates this database, including Legal Amazon Conservation Units and other areas of socio-environmental interest within the scope of ISA’s Socio-environmental Brazil Program.

Geraldo Andrello - Anthropologist. A graduate from UNICAMP he obtained his master’s degree from field research done with the Taurepang Indians of Roraima. He was head of documentation of the PIB/CEDI (1992-93) and between 94-96 he relocated to São Gabriel da Cachoeira (AM), where he did research work and was advisor for communications and indigenous communities within the scope of ISA’s Rio Negro Program.

Isabelle Vidal Gianinni - Anthropologist and biologist. She has a Master’s Degree in Antropology from the University of São Paulo and is currently a Ph.D candidate in Anthropology at the same university. She has done research and has been an advisor of the Xicrin do Cateté since 1984. She organized and was field coordinator of the Stewardship Plan of the Renewable Natural Resources of the Xikrin do Cateté Indigenous Area, in the State of Pará. She has basic knowledge of the Kayapó, language, which has enabled her to maintain a permanent exchange with the Xikrin.

Jason Clay - Anthropologist. He has worked for many years with the NGO Cultural Survival (Boston, USA) as an editor and project advisor, where he developed by the late 80s a marketing program for sustainable social and environmental origin products. He founded the NGO Rights and Resources (Washington) and is advisor to the WWF in Washington.

João Paulo Ribeiro Capobianco - Biologist with specialized degree from the University of Brasília. Environmentalist, photographer, founder, and first president of the Juréia Defense Association. He was superintendent of the SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation (1988/94), member of the National Coordination of the Secretary Executive of the Brasilian NGO Forum for ECO-92. He was part of the Coordination Network of NGOs working in the Mata Atlântica, served on the Board of Advisers for SOS Mata Atlântica as well as for Rainforest Foundation International. He served as representative of the NGOs in the Coordinating Comission of the National Biodiversity Program (PRONABIO), in addition to representing the Government of São Paulo in the Technical Congress for Issues in the Mata Atlântica on the National Environmental Council (CONAMA). He was coordinator of the Mata Atlântica program of the ISA until the end of 2001 when he was invited to assume the position of Secretary of Biodiversity and Forests with the Ministry of the Environment during the first term of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In President Lula´s second term he rose to Executive Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, which he left in May of 2008 with the resignation of the minister Marina Silva.

José Carlos de Almeida Libânio - Anthropologist. He was an advisor to the Canadian Embassy’s small projects fund (1988-89). A founding member of the NDI, where he was executive secretary (1990), a former executive director of Greenpeace/BR (1991) and a former advisor to environmental policies of the WWF/Brazil (1992-94). He is presently PNUD’s advisor for sustainable development in Brasília.

Juliana Ferraz da Rocha Santilli - A lawyer from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) with a graduate degree in Journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She was an advisor of the Nucleus for Indigenous Rights (NDI). A founding member of the ISA, she has also been its vice-president and juridical advisor. Currently she is a Public Prosecutor of the Federal District and Territories, being involved in the criminal area, as well as in the areas of the environment, cultural heritage and consumer rights. She has a Master’s Degree in Law and the State from the University of Brasília (UnB), in which she defended the thesis “Socio-environmentalism and the construction of new juridical paradigms”. She was the rapporteur of the Work Group on Traditional Knowledge Associated with the Biodiversity, created by the Genetic Heritage Stewardship Council of the Ministry of the Environment’s Secretary of Biodiversity and Forests, aimed at the formulation of new legislation regarding access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with biodiversity.

Márcio Santilli - A philosopher with a degree from the São Paulo State University (Unesp), he was president of the National Indian Foundation (Funai) from September, 1995 to March, 1996. A founding member of ISA, he has been its Executive Secretary, coordinator of the Program of Public Policies and Socio-Environmental Law and a member of its Board of Directors. He currently coordinates the Public Policies program an Socio-environmental Law.

Marina da Silva Kahn - An anthropologist, she attended to UnB’s master’s degree program in anthropology program. She worked as an indigenous educator among the Xavante (MT, 1979-80), Ticuna (AM, 1980-83), Upper Xingu (MT, 1983-85). Between 1988-94 she joined the PIB/CEDI team (assistant editor to Aconteceu Especial) and was a consultant to CTI in the area of indigenous school education (the Wiãpi Project). Consultant to indigenous education projects. Participated in a development program in an NGO/Public Policies program through a fellowship in the United States. She was ISA's coordinator of Special Project Capacity Building of Local Partners until december, 2004. She is ISA's vice-president.

Mário Mantovani - Geographer. Environmentalist, specialized in water resources management, coordinator of the Pro-Tietê Union Association (SOS/MA). Founder and secretary of the National Association of Municipalities and Environment. Presently superintendent of the SOS Atlantic Forest Foundation.

Neide Esterci - Anthropologist. Ph.D. in anthropology, professor and coordinator of the Rural Studies Nucleus of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Was a member of the CEDI, where she sat on the management team and as the coordinator of the Peasant Movement Program. A researcher and author of a number of articles and papers: Cooperativismo e coletivização no campo: questões sobre a prática da Igreja Popular no campo (organizer); Conflito no Araguaia: peões e posseiros contra grandes empresas (author); Assentamentos rurais: diversidade e perspectivas para uma política de Reforma Agrária (co-organizer); Escravidão: fronteiras sociais da desigualdade (author). Presently president of ISA.

Nilto Ignácio Tatto - Management specialist. Founder of Espaço, Formação e Assessoria, an NGO acting with popular movements, including the environmental area, in the South of the city of São Paulo. General manager of CEDI between 1984 and 1994. He was ISA´s Executive Secretary and coordinator of ISA's Ribeira Valley Program.

Ricardo Azambuja Arnt - Journalist. Holding a Master’s degree in Semiology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, he worked for Globo Television, JB, FSP and Bandeirantes Television. He authored O Que é Política Nuclear and Um Artifício Orgânico: Transição na Amazônia e Ambientalismo. Collaborator in the environmental area of publications in Brazil and abroad. Won the prize Gaia Internazionale per L’Ambiente (1989, Palermo) and a Special Motion of the Maria Cabot Award for Journalism (1991, Columbia University, NY). He worked in the CEDI/ISA transition project and was editor of Parabólicas, the news publication distributed by ISA and presently is standing consultant to that group.

Rubens Ramos Mendonça - Forestry engineer. Environmentalist, founder of the Pro-Juréia Movement, vice president of 5 Elementos - Environmental Education and Research Institute, head of IBAMA’s São Paulo superintendency technical division and visiting professor in the Forestry Sciences Department at ESALQ/USP. He was coordinator of ISA´s Xikrin Project.

Sérgio Barros Leitão - A lawyer specialized in the formulation and monitoring of legal actions in the area of collective rights. From 1990 to 1994, he worked in the Nucleus for Indigenous Rights (NDI), one of the organizations that led to the creation of the Instituto Socioambiental. One of ISA’s founders, he was its coordinator of juridical activities until December of 1999. He worked as advisor to the presidency of the National Indian Foundation (Funai) until May of 2000, when he was appointed special advisor to the Ministry of Justice, where he remained until Minister José Gregori left the post in September of 2001. From November of 2001 to January of 2002 he was an advisor to the Ministry of the Environment’s Council for the Access to the Genetic Heritage. For two years he was a voluntary collaborator of the U.S.’s Rainforest Foundation. He was ISA’s Executive Director from January, 2004, to May, 2005.

Sérgio Mauro de Souza Santos Filho - Engineer and systems analyst from USP (1979). Worked at CEDI’s Data Processing Sector. From 1991 was technically responsible for the implementation of PIB/CEDI’s geographical information and remote sensoring laboratory. Specialized in Geographic Information Systems. Represented ISA in national and international meetings and seminars. Coordinated the implementation of a new ISA socio-environmental database and a new INTERNET dedicated line. He was presently ISA´s Associate Executive Secretary and Executive Secretary until april, 2011.

Stephan Schwartzman - Anthropologist. Carried out research and his doctoral thesis among the Panará (Krenhakarore). He is a senior scientist at the International Program of the Environmental Defense Fund (Washington, DC) which presently cooperates with ISA in the Xingu's Program.

Willem Pieter Groeneveld - Forestry engineer. Dutch-born, ecologist, founder of the Porto Velho IPHAE, international consultant, advisor to small forestry projects.

Actived members

Adriana Ramos

Aloisio Cabalzar

André Lima

Antônio Nobre

Aurélio Rios

Caio Luiz Carneiro Magri

Deborah Lima

Gisele Moreau

José Eli da Veiga

Jurandir Mendes Craveiro Jr.

Laymert Garcia dos Santos

Leão Serva

Luis Fernando Lemos

Manuela Carneiro da Cunha

Marcelo Salazar

Marcos Wesley de Oliveira

Mariana Moreau

Marta Azevedo

Marussia Whately

Mauro Almeida

Paulo Afonso Garcia

Paulo Junqueira

Percival Caropreso

Raul Telles do Valle

Renata Cook

Rodrigo Junqueira

Washington Novaes