Katia Delvoye
Katia is Belgian by origin and grew up in several African countries. She has lived and worked in Suriname since 1996 and brings a background in environmental and social development, conservation, community engagement, and project management.
Katia joined Manomet in 2024, initially supporting the development of the Guianas Green Coast Conservation Plan (GGCCP). Since August 2026, she has served as Manomet’s Regional Coordinator for the three Guianas, and is based in Paramaribo, Suriname. In her role at Manomet, Katia works with partners and stakeholders across the three Guianas to help move the Conservation Plan from strategy to action. She particularly enjoys building relationships, facilitating dialogue, and helping connect people and ideas across the region.
Much of Katia’s work has focused on bringing different perspectives together, particularly through engagement with Indigenous and Tribal communities. She is interested in the connections between natural resource use, livelihoods, cultural practices, and conservation. Before joining Manomet, she spent 15 years with the Amazon Conservation Team Guianas (2006–2020), where she was part of the management team and coordinated conservation and community-based projects. She also represented the organization in national and regional forums and developed culturally appropriate communication materials. Earlier in her career, she has also been teaching part-time for around 20 years (1996–2014), mainly at the Suriname Institute for Natural Resources and Engineering Studies (NATIN).
Katia holds an MSc in tropical agricultural engineering, specializing in rural development in low- and middle-income countries, from Ghent University in Belgium.
Why Manomet?
“I value Manomet’s collaborative approach to conservation and the opportunity to work with people across the Guianas toward a shared vision for the coast. For me, conservation works best when science, local knowledge, and the needs and aspirations of communities can come together.”