Amanda Lynnes

Amanda's role is to support IAATO in meeting environmental obligations arising from its mission, the Antarctic Treaty System and other international agreements. She joined the Secretariat in 2013.

Her Antarctic career began with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in the 1990s, first as a penguin biologist and field assistant for the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). She established long-term seabird monitoring projects at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, and at Port Lockroy on the Antarctic Peninsula. Her research involved studying the foraging behaviour of Adelie and chinstrap penguins, the findings of which fed into the development of the first CCAMLR Marine Protected Area in Antarctica. Later, interest in communicating science led her to join the busy press office at BAS.

She was first introduced to IAATO in 2002 while working at Port Lockroy. Impressed by IAATO's ethos and potential for creating ambassadors, she joined an IAATO member operator as an ornithologist. Her experiences of sharing nature’s wonders with the public inspired her to work in a national park for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.

IAATO’s mission continues to fascinate her. She is honoured to represent the association at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and to support the work of IAATO’s committees and working groups, including the Climate Change Committee. Amanda lives in the English Lake District. Getting muddy on the fells with her children and dog is one of her favourite things to do.