Meet Our People

The Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) is a charitable global nonprofit organization based out of Victoria, BC, Canada. We are global experts leading the transformation to an environmentally sound, socially responsible, and formalized artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.

Our global team has extensive field knowledge and direct experience with ASGM communities worldwide. We have decades of experience in the areas of business, sustainable development, social responsibility, governance, environment, health, geology, geospatial analysis, gold markets, and mercury science. We work with miners, government, and industry. Our diversity is our strength.

Victoria Head Office Staff

Rene Roger Tissot, MA, MBA

Rene Roger Tissot, MA, MBA

Executive Director

Roger brings extensive experience working in extractive industries in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, with emphasis on local content development.

Eduardo Fuentes, CPA, CMA, MBA

Eduardo Fuentes, CPA, CMA, MBA

Chief Financial Officer

Peter Rosenbluth MES, BSc, EP

Peter Rosenbluth MES, BSc, EP

Policy and Planning Specialist

Senior Advisor

Dawn Po Quimque

Dawn Po Quimque

Director of Communications

As the Director of Communications for the Artisanal Gold Council

Karina Canevaro, MBA, M.Ed., M.P.M.

Karina Canevaro, MBA, M.Ed., M.P.M.

Senior Administrative Assistant

Karina is originally from Peru and she holds two master’s degrees, one in Education Management from UPAGU in Peru.

National Managers and Country Staff

Abigail Mwailenge, BEng, BSc MSc

Abigail Mwailenge, BEng, BSc MSc

National Project Manager - Zambia

Cherif Sow

Cherif Sow

National Project Manager Based in Senegal

Esther Kabran- M.

Esther Kabran- M.

National Project Manager based in Ivory Coast

Khishgee Dondov

Khishgee Dondov

National Project Manager Based in Mongolia

Saidou Kabre, MA

Saidou Kabre, MA

National Project Manager Based in Burkina Faso

Saidou is an economist and investment specialist with more than 20 years of experience.

Abigail Ocate

Abigail Ocate

National Project Manager Based in the Philippines

For six years, Abi worked on promoting good governance in the extractive industries, particularly on improving fiscal transparency.

Julio Porras, Esp.MsC

Julio Porras, Esp.MsC

National Project Manager Based in Colombia

Julio is a geologist with experience in mineral projects and environmental studies.

Vasquez Ramdas

Vasquez Ramdas

National Project Coordinator Based in Guyana

Vasquez is a professional Forest Biologist with 10 + years of experience in Mining, Forestry, and Environment.

Consultants

Mareike Kroll, PhD

Mareike Kroll, PhD

Consultant

Mareike brings over a decade of work experience in public health and sustainability research in South and South East Asia as well as in policy advice.

Peter Rosenbluth, MSc

Peter Rosenbluth, MSc

Consultant

Peter is a results based management specialist as well as an environment and development specialist with over a decade of experience.

Advisors

Dr. Marcello Veiga

Dr. Marcello Veiga

Advisor

Abel Ouedraogo, MSc

Abel Ouedraogo, MSc

Exploration Geologist, Project Manager (Burkina Faso)

Abel is a professional geologist with nearly 15 years of international experience in mineral exploration, mining, and environmental assessment.

Liliana Alvarado Flórez

Liliana Alvarado Flórez

Gender Expert Advisor

Liliana has over 12 years of experience working on international cooperation and sustainable development programs in Colombia’s mining sector.

Technical Advisors for the Africa and Middle East Region

Hassan Elnour

Hassan Elnour

Technical Advisor

Board of Directors

Hugh L. Stephens, MA

Hugh L. Stephens, MA

Past Chair

Mr. Stephens has more than 35 years of government and business experience in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr. Katherina Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon), BASc, MBA, DSocSci

Dr. Katherina Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon), BASc, MBA, DSocSci

Chair of the Board

Katherina’s influence as a role model for women in engineering and physical sciences crosses disciplines and international boundaries.

Adrian Norfolk, BA, BEd

Adrian Norfolk, BA, BEd

Adrian joined Canada’s erstwhile Department of External Affairs, now Global Affairs Canada (GAC) as a foreign service officer in 1994.

Dr. Paul Schure, PhD

Dr. Paul Schure, PhD

Paul Schure is a Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Victoria where he has been since 2000.

John Morgan, B.Sc.

John Morgan, B.Sc.

John R Morgan is a retired mining executive with over 40 years of experience.

Founding Member