Melissa Felipe Cadillo is Programme Coordinator of the Oxford Martin Programme on Biodiversity and Society, where she leads interdisciplinary research initiatives.

With extensive experience in conservation and rural development across Latin America, Melissa has worked particularly in the Peruvian Amazon, focusing on sustainable agriculture, forest conservation, and rural livelihoods.

She specialises in incorporating the perspectives, knowledge, and needs of Indigenous Peoples and local communities into conservation strategies through participatory and deliberative democracy processes. Melissa also has a keen interest in the intersection of science and policy, and as a member of the UN CBD Women Caucus, she plays a key role in advocating for gender-responsive biodiversity policies.