Dominique Noome

I’m the Executive Director and co-founder of LEAD Conservation. In this role, I provide strategic leadership, guide our partnerships, and help shape the direction of our programmes and operations. My focus is on ensuring that LEAD stays grounded in its purpose: to support conservation teams with practical tools, trusted relationships, and a learning mindset that improves outcomes on the ground. I co-founded LEAD with Boris to create an organisation that works behind the scenes to strengthen those on the front lines—one that listens first, collaborates openly, and builds long-term capability in others.

What I enjoy most is getting to know the field partners and organisations we work with—really understanding their context and needs. From there, we can figure out how best to support them or find ways to collaborate toward shared goals. I also enjoy building networks for shared learning, both within the LEAD team and beyond. Seeing those connections evolve into real results—where people learn from each other, improve their impact, and feel supported—that’s where this work becomes deeply meaningful.

There were a few values that were fundamental to founding LEAD with Boris—and they continue to guide everything we do:

• Radical collaboration – we’re open to working with anyone, as long as our values and goals align.

• Quality – we prioritise relevance, evidence, and continual learning. We draw from best practices and keep quality at the centre of our culture.

• Human-centric thinking – conservation is ultimately about people. It’s about supporting the rangers, the field teams, and everyone working long, hard hours to protect what matters.

Looking ahead, I want LEAD to be the foundation of a Conservation Support Alliance—bringing together organisations that believe in sharing knowledge, building trust, and strengthening the people behind conservation.