Welcome to Friday Feature! Every Friday we will feature someone involved with ARC, including Board members, Junior Board members, field partner staff on the ground in Tanzania, and our volunteers and interns. We hope that this new feature will help you to get to know the many faces behind ARC and connect with our mission on a deeper level. This week we are featuring Nekenasoa Randresihaja from ARC’s Junior Board.

And remember that you can meet Nekenasoa and the other members of the Junior Board at their Summer Party in the Concrete Jungle event on July 27th. More details here.

Nekenasoa Randresihajafrom was born in Madagascar and her interest in conservation in Eastern Africa developed from her personal connection to the region.  She studied ecology and conservation at the Galapagos Academic Institute of Arts and Sciences and holds a Masters of Public Administration from the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College.  Through her current work with the Open Space Institute, Nekenasoa provides operational assistance to environmental projects started by local citizens and community groups in the U.S.  Her past experiences with international organizations include the Synergos Institute where she assisted in planning and executing events that brought together global leaders in government, business, and civil society.

How did you first get involved with ARC and when?
After researching organizations working in conservation and development in Africa, I stumbled across ARC’s website and joined the Junior Board in March 2011.

How have you been involved with ARC most recently?
Since I joined the group, I’ve been helping plan the summer party with the rest of the Junior Board.

Of all the places you have traveled, which resonates most with you?
Visiting the Avenue of the Baobabs back in Madagascar was the most humbling experience I’ve ever had with nature. It’s impossible not to feel minuscule walking along a red-dirt path next to freakishly gigantic trees that have been around for hundreds of years.  They’ve outlived generations of humans and prevailed over the deforestation suffered by trees that once surrounded them. It was the moment I began to seriously think about the importance of conservation.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing Africa today?
Lack of good governance.  I believe the potential benefits of the efforts of countless charities and development organizations working in Africa, and especially the efforts of Africans who struggle to make a decent life for themselves will continually be undermined as long as there is a lack of good governance throughout Africa.

What inspires you and how do you live it? 
I’m inspired by the desire to constantly learn so I try to maintain a strong sense of curiosity. I also read a lot.

What websites and blogs do you frequently visit?
The Global Poverty Project’s blog is a great resource for news and updates from around the globe on ways of ending poverty. Another great blog is NatGeo’s News Watch which pairs thoughtful posts on environmental issues with amazing photographs.

What is playing on your iPod lately?
I’ve had Lykke Li’s new album “Wounded Rhymes” on repeat for weeks.