Stephan Bognar is currently serving as the Director of Sustainability Asia for Wildlife Works Carbon (WWC), a global leader in market-driven forest conservation and protection projects. His mission in Asia is to design and implement a multi-sectorial and integrated approach to human development centered on healthy eco-systems in extremely poor and isolated villages. WWC initiatives and programs are all encompassing from food and nutritional security, environmental protection and law enforcement, health care, education, and conflict resolution. All activities promote sustainability, community engagement, and ownership and teach core values such as transparency, good governance, accountability, environmental responsibility, and leadership.

Stephan’s work in conservation also includes the creation of the first Sister Park Agreement between the USA and Cambodia and the Transboundary Peace Park initiative between Cambodia, Thailand, and the USA -showing how sharing physical green spaces and management responsibilities can build and sustain positive relations between countries. Stephan also designed and delivered with the US State Department the first women’s leaders in park law enforcement in Southeast Asia. The core objective of the program was to promote empowering relationships between men and women in conservation law enforcement and to place women in key decision-making positions in a male-dominated work force.

Recognized for his work in public health, education, and environmental security programs, Stephan received the City of San Francisco Environmental Citizen’s Award in 2005, Quebec’s Global Citizens nomination from L’Actualité in 2007, and the International Ranger Federation Commendation Award in 2014 for his work in human development and conservation in Asia. In 2019, he received a Recognition Award by US House of Representatives for his work in humanitarian affair and an Appreciation Award by Office of Manhattan Borough President City of New York for working with vulnerable kids

Stephan has a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Vienna (Austria) and a bachelor’s degree in political science from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. In 2001, Bognar continued his post-graduate studies in sustainable development at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. From 2009 to 2014, Stephan was selected to be one of Columbia University’s global mentor and coach for students attending the School for International Public Affairs.

Special Environmental and Humanitarian Awards

2005 City of San Francisco-Environmental Citizen Award
2007 Recognized by L’Actualité (Quebec) as one of Quebec’s global citizens
2014 International Ranger Federation Commendation Award for work in human development and conservation
2015 Recognition Award by Cambodian Government for work in rural development
2015 Cambodian RED CROSS Blood Donor Bank Certificate for launching first NGO blood donor program in the northwest of the country
2019 Recognition Award by US House of Representatives for work in humanitarian affairs
2019 Appreciation Award by Office of Manhattan Borough President City of New York for working with vulnerable kids