Dr Anna Songhurst is a conservation biologist specialising in elephants and human–elephant interactions, with over 20 years of research and field experience in Botswana. She has dedicated her career to advancing practical solutions that reduce human–elephant conflict and promote coexistence.

In 2013, she co-founded Ecoexist Trust, where she serves as CEO and Conservation Director, leading innovative, evidence-based approaches that integrate conservation and rural livelihoods. Anna is an active member of the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group and the IUCN Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group.

She has played a key role in convening multi-stakeholder platforms, including the Botswana Human-Wildlife Coexistence Working Group and the KAZA TFCA Elephant Sub Working Group. Anna has supervised over 10 postgraduate students and authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, alongside policy briefs, technical reports, and conservation guidelines that inform national and regional strategies.