Diane Skinner’s legacy continues to shine a light on the unsung conservation heroes, who selflessly dedicate their lives to their work.

2024 Winner

Due to the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda during 2024, the annual Business of Conservation Conference was cancelled. The 2024 award winner of the Diane Skinner Award for the Unsung Hero in Conservation will be announced in 2025, in tandem with the 2025 award winner, at the 2025 Business of Conservation Conference.

The conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya. Conference dates to be announced.

2023 Winner

The inaugural award for the Diane Skinner Award for the Unsung Hero in Conservation was presented at the ALU Business of Conservation Conference held in Kigali, Rwanda, at the end of August 2023. 

Over 50 people were nominated and a shortlist of ten was selected and celebrated at the conference. The deserving winner was Norah Njiraini from Amboseli Trust for Elephants, in Kenya

She has been supporting elephant research and handling human-elephant conflict for the past 40 years and has never been recognised for her significant contribution or unwavering dedication.

Award ceremony at the ALU Business of Conservation Conference, Kigali. Left to right: Fred Swaniker (Founder of ALU), Danai Gurira (international film star and Di’s classmate), Richard Vigne (Executive Director, School of African Wildlife) Norah Njiraini (winner), Harriet Davies-Mostert and Irene Amoke (PWF Trustees), Nicholas Dyer (PWF CEO and Diane’s husband).
Norah Njiraini: 2023 Inaugural wnner. Assistant Director, Field Researcher and Training Coordinator at the Amboseli Trust for Elephants.
Nicholas Dyer, CEO Painted Wolf Foundation announcing the award in honour of his late wife, Diane.

2023 inaugral winner: Norah Njiraini

Learn more about Norah’s 40 year dedication to elephants at the Amboseli Trust for Elephants