BAN's Board of Ambassadors
BAN Ambassadors serve as voluntary emissaries, social antennae, messengers and catalysts for the promotion of BAN and its mission. They are comprised of activists, business persons, thought leaders, funders, and artists. We greatly appreciate their efforts on our behalf.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Director of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association
Rizwana is an advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Director of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA). She has initiated landmark rulings on the shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh and was able to forestall the import of toxic end-of-life vessels to her country. She received the prestigious Goldman Prize 2009 for her work on shipbreaking, and won the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2012, considered ‘the Asian Nobel prize’. She is considered a leading environmentalist in Bangladesh.
Von Hernandez, Global Coordinator, Break Free From Plastic Movement
Von Hernandez is currently the Coordinator of the Break Free from Plastic movement. Before taking on this latest assignment, Von Hernandez was Global Development Director of Greenpeace International where Von Hernandez oversaw the development and performance of the Greenpeace’s national and regional offices worldwide. Prior to this, Von Hernandez was the Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia (GPSEA), where he led programs and operations in Southeast Asia. Together with allies, Von Hernandez co-founded and spearheaded various environmental coalitions and partnerships at the national, regional, and global levels including the Ecowaste Coalition, Waste Not Asia, and the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).
Annie Leonard, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA
Annie Leonard is currently the Executive Director of Greenpeace US. She is the author of the book and film, The Story of Stuff. The film has now been viewed 50 million times around the world. Prior to that, she worked with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and Health Care Without Harm, investigating and organizing against toxic pollution around the world. She sits on the boards of Story of Stuff Project, Public Citizen, and Ben & Jerry’s Homemade and is an Associate Fellow of the Vermont Law School’s New Economy Law Center.
Wendy Neu, Chairman and CEO of Hugo Neu Corporation
Wendy is the Chairman and CEO of Hugo Neu Corporation, a privately-owned company that builds, operates, and invests in innovative recycling, energy, real estate, and other clean-tech ventures. She is Chairman of Hugo Neu Recycling, a company that specializes in the recovery, management, and environmentally responsible recycling of end-of-life electronics and other universal waste. She was also a recycling industry representative on the EPEAT Board of Advisors.
Bobby Peek, Director of groundWork, Friends of the Earth, South Africa.
Bobby Peek grew up on the fenceline of south Durban’s Engen oil refinery, co–founded the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, was national campaigns coordinator for the Environmental Justice Networking Forum, and in 1998 received the Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa. From 2008 to 2012 Bobby was on the international executive committee of Friends of the Earth International. Bobby serves on the Southern African advisory board and the International Board for the Global Greengrants Fund. He advises on various national and international environmental justice strategies. He has received an honourary PhD from the Durban University of Technology.
