ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER - Key Persons
Ami's career spans from managing product marketing for Square and Amazon Japan to Fundraising & Engagement at Greenpeace. She is based in Japan, working to drive Action Speaks Louder's corporate campaigns and build a deeper public understanding of the urgency of the climate crisis in East Asia.
Bea Warleta is a Digital Campaigner at Action Speaks Louder. Bea has five years of experience communicating about social and environmental impact. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a BA in Communication and Media, Bea has worked across the fashion industry - from small sustainable startups to big conglomerates like LVMH - changing consumer mindsets and helping shape sustainability narratives. A Spanish, English, and Mandarin speaker, she has lived and worked across Latin America, Southeast and East Asia, and Europe.
Board member Bernadette Maheandiran is a lawyer with a specialty in international corporate responsibility and accountability. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2010 after serving as a judicial law clerk in the Central East Region of the Superior Court of Justice. As Research and Legal Analyst for Market Forces, she has spearheaded corporate climate action across Asia. Bernadette is currently based in Melbourne, Australia.
Celina Chien is an artist and storyteller, combining her roles as an ecologist, award-winning photojournalist and actor to share emotive narratives, harness empathy for change, and advocate for biodiversity. Her work is grounded in her background as a scientist and her kinship to nature, using art to extend the reaches of human empathy beyond our own species. Celina is an outspoken advocate of environmental and social justice.
Celina is a TEDx speaker and serves on the board and council of international NGOs Panthera, Reserva Youth Land Trust and Girls Who Click. In 2021, Celina was a finalist in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and currently sits on its 2023 judging panel. She has a BSc in Biological Sciences and MRes in Tropical Forest Ecology from Imperial College London.
Celina is local to London with Dutch and Chinese origins.
Hisham Akira Bharoocha is a Japanese-born mixed race (Japanese / Indian Myanmar) artist who has been based in Brooklyn for 25 years, concentrating on creating visual art, photography, music, musical performances, and installations. Raised in southern California as well as Tokyo, Japan, Bharoocha brings his multi-cultural background to life with his highly vibrant work, touching on the intricacies of the mind, building on the search for understanding how his own cultural background has led him to his current perspective in life.
Bharoocha graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 1998 with a BFA in photography. He has had solo exhibitions in Japan, New York, and The Netherlands, not to mention the countless exhibitions of his work have been displayed around the world. Bharoocha is also known for organizing large-scale musical performances with up to 100 musicians performing at once, often focusing around drumming but including other instrumentation. These performances have happened at renowned spaces such as Rockefeller Center Plaza, MoMA, MoCA, The Sydney Opera House (Australia), MoMA PS1, Barbican (London) to name a few.
Please think about the future of this planet for your own children, and what kind of planet you want to see them living on long after you are gone.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Strategy Director
Hyekyeong Kim is a Strategy Director at Action Speaks Louder and Director at Kpop4Planet. She has a BA in Korean literature and Journalism from Ewha University, and an MA in Investigative Journalism from the City University of London. Hyekyeong has 18 years of experience in media global communications, specialising in human rights and the climate crisis. Her career began as a journalist at Korean daily Hankookilbo (Korea Times), and she later became the Korea correspondent for Reporters Without Borders. While reporting on the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, she saw firsthand the need for a transition away from fossil fuels and into safe, clean energy. Prior to joining ASL, Hyekyeong set up and ran the Korea desk for the Global Strategic Communications Network. She now also covers the Asia region for GSCC.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Board
James Lorenz is the Executive Director at Action Speaks Louder. He has 25 years of experience in global communication and campaigning. With a BA in History and Politics from the University of Newcastle, James started his career at Médecins Sans Frontières covering global emergency communications and East and Central African emergencies. He was Head of Communications and Digital at Greenpeace Australia Pacific from 2009 until 2014. Before setting up Action Speaks Louder, James was a GSCC network director, setting up nationally-led teams across Asia Pacific.
Jieon Lee is the Green Steel Campaign Manager at Action Speaks Louder. With a BA in Materials Science & Engineering from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, Jieon has spent most of his career as a campaigner in the climate justice and energy transition advocacy. For over 10 years, he led national campaigns on fossil industries and renewable energy with the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM). Jieon was the Executive Director of Climate Emergency Action Network Korea.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Strategy Director
Joseph Zacune is a Strategy Director at Action Speaks Louder. Joseph has over 20 years of experience in campaigning and communications, over a decade of which he has spent working for NGOs on human rights, fossil fuel divestment, clean energy and corporate accountability campaigning. Most recently, he worked as the global energy communications manager for the European Climate Foundation. He speaks Swedish and Spanish, and is studying Japanese. Joseph has a BA and MA in Political Science and Economic History from Lund University in Sweden.
Karmela Tordecilla is a Content Creator at Action Speaks Louder. A creative storyteller at heart, Karmela has written and produced multimedia content for CNN Philippines, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and a few other nonprofits since earning her journalism degree from the University of the Philippines.
専門は経済思想、社会思想。Karl Marx's Ecosocialism:Capital, Nature, and the Unfinished Critique of Political Economy（邦訳『大洪水の前に』角川ソフィア文庫）によって権威ある「ドイッチャー記念賞」を日本人初、歴代最年少で受賞。同書は世界七カ国で翻訳刊行されている。日本国内では、晩期マルクスをめぐる先駆的な研究によって「日本学術振興会賞」受賞。近刊は『ぼくはウーバーで捻挫し、山でシカと闘い、水俣で泣いた』（KADOKAWA）『ゼロからの『資本論』』（NHK新書）。45万部を超えるベストセラー『人新世の「資本論」』（集英社新書）で「新書大賞2021」を受賞。 気候危機は待ったなし。そんなときに、もはや懐疑論で無駄にしている時間はない。しかし、写真は真実を伝えるだろう。 X
Born in 1987. Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He finished a doctoral course in Philosophy at Humboldt University of Berlin, specializing in economic and social philosophy, and received the prestigious "Deutscher Memorial Prize" for Karl Marx's Ecosocialism: Capital, Nature, and the Unfinished Critique of Political Economy (translated into Japanese as Before the Flood, Kadokawa Sophia Bunko) as the first Japanese and the youngest person. The book has been translated and published in seven countries.
In Japan, he received the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Award for his pioneering research on the late years of Marx. His recent publications include "Boku wa ubar de sprain, yama de shika de fight, minamata de weep" (KADOKAWA), "Zero kara no ‘shihon ron'" (NHK Shinsho), and his bestseller "Jinshinsei no ‘shihon ron'" (Shueisha Shinsho) which sold over 450,000 copies and won the "Shinsho Taisho 2021" award.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Strategy Director
Laura Kelly is the Corporate Strategy Director at Action Speaks Louder. She has 20 years of experience campaigning with trade unions and environmental organizations. Prior to that, Laura was Strategy Director at Environment Tasmania and Director at the Climate Action Network Australia.
Lillian Ono has been a fashion model since 2004. Since her travel to COP25 Madrid in 2019 without taking a plane, she has been amplifying climate change-related information and encouraging people to take action on social networking platforms. She is a co-host of the podcast Emerald Practices. She has organized numerous projects including the 2020 Peaceful Climate Strike, Spiral Club, Green Tea, and Climate Dictionary.
Luke has 28 years experience in the hospitality industry as a chef, business owner and consultant. A mid career detour took him into the world of photography and videography. Combined with his passion for innovation and sustainability, Luke works to educate fellow chefs and cooks whilst documenting their stories. He joins The Global Cooksafe Coalition as a long time convert to cooking with induction and the electrification of kitchens.
Lyn Snailham is the Operations Manager at Action Speaks Louder. She has spent most of her career as a program director in the finance sector, implementing a variety of initiatives in the technology, organisational change, property and risk management areas. In transitioning to work supporting the climate movement, she has held operations management roles at various non-profits.
Board member Michelle Houtman brings a deep understanding of corporate culture, having led transformation processes in some of Australia's largest companies, including Westpac and BT Financial Group. She has lived and breathed the challenge of integrating customer needs with those of delivery for many years, from launching the ABC's first corporate website to holding the role of CTO of UK startup TotalJobs.com.
Moegi Nakamura is a Junior Associate at Action Speaks Louder working on Japanese corporate campaigns. While in college, she became aware of the urgency of climate change while traveling the world and entered the field as a volunteer with 350 Japan. She has a background in community organizing and is passionate about empowering citizens to tackle climate change. She holds a BA in International Relations from Meijigakuin University in Tokyo, Japan.
Born in Shibuya, Tokyo in 1977. Completed the doctoral course in Fine Arts at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. With his interests in anthropology and folklore, Ishikawa has traveled all over the world from remote areas to urban cities.
He received the Photographic Society of Japan's Newcomer's Award and the Kodansha Publishing Culture Award for his "NEW DIMENSION" (Akaasha) and "POLAR" (Little More), published in 2008. His 2011 "CORONA" (Seidosha) won the Ken Domon Award. In 2020, he received the Writer's Prize of the Photographic Society of Japan Award for "EVEREST" (CCC Media House) and "Marebito" (Shogakukan).
As a prolific writer, he has published numerous titles including "The Last Adventurer" (Shueisha), which won the Ken Kaiko Nonfiction Award. His latest publications include "Kangchenjunga" (POST-FAKE) and "Manaslu 2022 edition" (SLANT). His works are in the collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Yokohama Museum of Art, Okinawa Prefectural Museum of Art, and others.
With my experience in taking photographs in many parts of the world for over 20 years, I strongly feel the effects of climate change, especially in mountainous regions such as the Himalayas. As long as I live in this world, I cannot be indifferent to the global environment. Responsibilities not only lay in those who have destroyed nature, but also in those who have not stopped it. That is why I feel the need to take action where I can.
Paolo Patrizi is an independent documentary photographer, whose recent stories investigate the daily life of different groups and communities in the context of environmental, political, economic and social change. His work aims at visualizing the impact of human activity, ways of adaptation, and diversity of lifestyles, always striving to explore the depths of human intimacy photographed from within through his own intimate relationship with the subjects while capturing the emotion they transmit and their surroundings.
Paolo's subjects range from portraiture and feature projects to social issues and politics. His focus is always on the human and social aspects of a story. Born in Italy, he began his career in London before moving to Tokyo and back to Italy where he is currently based.
Rick is a peace and regenerative life activist dedicated to promoting non-violence and preventing abuse; human, animal and environmental. Deeply committed to corporate social responsibility and the next generation of social business. An award winning creative director, working in advertising for over 30 years spanning the globe from London to Johannesburg and now Tokyo.
In 2012 he founded imageMILL, the first sustainable branding agency in Japan. imageMILL is a regenerative and ethical branding agency that focuses on solving problems, helping brands and organisations transform into impactful and improved forms of themselves, using the power of film & design to champion change. Whether it's under the sea, in the air, on some remote landscape, Rick seeks to show people what's really happening with our greatest natural asset, the earth.
I've used Canon cameras since I was a teenager and have been lucky to travel all over the world making documentaries about eco heroes, seeing first hand the devastating impact that climate change is already causing. The threat is very real and we need to all combine forces and do everything in our power to protect our planet. Canon please take a lead.
Job Titles:
- Campaign Manager
- Fashion Campaign Manager
Ruth MacGilp is the Fashion Campaign Manager at Action Speaks Louder. Ruth has 10 years of experience at the intersection of fashion and sustainability. She was previously the Communications Manager at Fashion Revolution, and Marketing Coordinator at Fashion Revolution Scotland. She has also worked as a freelance copywriter, digital marketer and communications consultant for sustainable fashion brands, publications and non-profits. Ruth regularly writes for online and print publications and has created an award winning blog, newsletter and podcast about ethical fashion. She has a BA in Fashion and Marketing from Heriot Watt University, and has also studied short courses in fashion communications at Central Saint Martins and Parsons School of Design, as well as degrowth at the Centre for Human Ecology.
Sarah Kirk is the Programmes Director at Action Speaks Louder. She has over 15 years of experience building organisations, structures and coalitions that hold decision makers, governments and organisations accountable. Sarah has a Masters in Public Health and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Before joining Action Speaks Louder, she was the Head of the Secretariat of the Global TB Caucus, where she helped launch and grow the network across seven regional caucuses, and successfully advocated for billions of dollars in increases in development and health budgets. Prior to that, Sarah worked in public health and advocacy in the NGO and Government sectors for various organisations, focusing on infectious diseases, child health, and sexual and reproductive health and rights across the Asia Pacific and Southern and Eastern African regions.
Tao Okamoto is a Japanese actor who was born in Chiba, Japan. She started her career as a model at the age of 14 locally in Japan and then moved to New York in 2009. She appeared in numerous fashion shows and advertisements and became one of the most significant Asian models of the era.
In 2013, she made her screen debut in "The Wolverine" alongside Hugh Jackman. Since then, she has continued to appear in numerous movies and TV series in both Japan and abroad.
In 2020, she launched a social media account and a podcast called "Emerald Practices" to advocate environmental issues and animal rights.
Board member Tom Brookes started his career as a journalist, covering technology, regulation and broader European politics before moving into communications, public affairs and media relations. He worked as press spokesman and political advisor for Microsoft's General Counsel before joining Apple as Director of Government Affairs, Europe, Middle East and Africa. In 2009, Tom moved to the European Climate Foundation as Executive Director, Strategic Communications.
Yiseo Kim is a Campaign Manager at Action Speaks Louder, managing the Kpop4Planet project. She started her career designing gardens and parks, with a BRA in Landscape and an MA in Urban Policy from the University of Seoul. She entered the climate field when she joined Greenpeace in 2013 as an Oceans Campaigner. Since 2015, she has also worked on a youth urban farming organisation and led an urban farming project in Seoul.
Yumiko Sakuma is a New York/Tokyo-based writer and activist. After writting extensively about climate crisis related activism, she has taken on a role of activist herself. She works to get more people and corporations to join the fight to combat the climate crisis.