Speakers

Azzedine Downes is President and CEO of the International Fund for Animal Welfare IFAW, a long-time New England resident, is a distinguished leader in animal welfare and conservation, with over 20 years of experience at IFAW. His extensive work in protecting wildlife and addressing environmental challenges aligns seamlessly with the values of  Rotary.

 His talk will include these topics:

• Climate Change and Conservation: Sustainable approaches to ecosystem protection and climate impact mitigation.
• Innovative Conservation Solutions: Cutting-edge strategies and technologies for habitat restoration and species preservation.
• Collaborative Sustainability Advocacy: Successful partnerships and policy initiatives that foster environmental protection and community engagement.

Sean has over 10 years experience in community and economic development.  He was recently Town Manager of St. Albans and became Executive Director of RRA in the summer of 2025.  Sean will talk about current work RRA is doing, including a $3M grant the City was awarded for redevelopment of Center Street and support for the Hotel/Center and Wales Street project that just started construction.