Biographies Environmental Restorative Justice Working Group

Carlos Frederico Braga da Silva serves as a State Judge at the Court of Appeal of Minas Gerais, Brazil. He holds a PhD in Criminology from the University of Ottawa. In addition to his judicial duties, he is a researcher affiliated with the Judicial School of the State Court of Appeal of Minas Gerais. He is currently a visiting researcher at the Basque Institute of Criminology in Spain. He also acts as Chair of this Working Group.

Dr Mark Hamilton is a Senior Lecturer in Law and Criminology within the Thomas More Law School at the Australian Catholic University. His research primarily focuses on the application of restorative justice to environmental crime and harm. He has published extensively on this subject and has conducted research both in Australia and internationally. He also serves as the Co-Chair of this Working Group.

Gema Varona is the Director of the Basque Institute of Criminology in Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain. She is also a Professor of Victimology and Criminal Policy at the University of the Basque Country, where she holds the position of Senior Researcher. In addition to her academic roles, she is the Coordinator of the Criminology degree programme and has been elected as the President of the World Society of Victimology.
Professor Varona is the author of numerous books on topics such as migration and human rights, restorative justice, juries and the construction of juridical truth, women's local safety audits, victims of terrorism, victims of sexual abuse, and the evaluation of public policies. Her research and publications have significantly contributed to the field of criminology, particularly in understanding the complexities of victimology and its intersection with legal and social issues.

Dr Felicity Tepper is a Senior Researcher at the School of Regulation and Governance at the Australian National University. She is a socio-ecological legal researcher whose work focuses on human-wildlife coexistence, multispecies justice, and environmental governance. Her research examines the complex relationships between human societies and the natural world, with a particular emphasis on fostering sustainable and just interactions between humans and wildlife. Dr Tepper's work aims to contribute to the development of legal frameworks that promote environmental sustainability and justice for both human and non-human species.

Ashleigh Dore is the Manager of the Land, Air, Water and Species (LAWS) Unit at the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in South Africa. In this role, she undertakes a wide range of initiatives aimed at strengthening legal and governance frameworks related to the environment. Among her responsibilities, she manages a pilot project that seeks to apply restorative justice approaches to wildlife offences in South Africa. Her work in this area is designed to complement the existing criminal justice system, enhancing its ability to respond effectively to wildlife and related offences. In addition to her professional commitments, she is currently pursuing a PhD in Environmental Law, with a particular focus on environmental restorative justice, among other topics.

Dr Nirson Neto is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Western Pará in Brazil, where he is involved in the Graduate Programme in Society Sciences and is an active member of the Amazon Restorative Justice Clinic. He is currently serving temporarily at the Federal University of Pará, where he contributes to the Graduate Programme in Law and Development of the Amazon and participates in the MultiverCities Clinic. He was a research scholar at Governors State University in the Southland region of Chicago between 2021 and 2022. Prior to this, he held a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Social and Work Psychology at the University of São Paulo from 2016 to 2018. He holds a doctorate in Social Sciences, with a specialisation in Anthropology (2012), and a master's degree in Law with an emphasis on Human Rights (2008), both awarded by the Federal University of Pará. In addition to his academic roles, Dr Neto works as a facilitator, trainer, and consultant in the field of restorative justice, contributing his expertise to both scholarly and practical initiatives.

Carlotta Calemme is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Criminal Law at the University of Insubria, Italy, where she also obtained her PhD in Criminal Law. Her current research is conducted under the supervision of Professor Chiara Perini. In addition to her academic work, she is a criminal lawyer.

Jorge Ollero is a consultant and researcher specialising in restorative justice. He previously served as the Director of the Restorative Justice Service in Navarra, Spain. With extensive experience in the field, he has contributed to the development and implementation of restorative justice practices.
Currently, he serves as a Board representative, continuing to provide valuable insights and expertise in restorative justice initiatives.