We welcome Dr Savina Gioni as Executive Director of Ionian Butterfly Conservation. Dr Gioni has outstanding credentials to develop our organisation across the Ionian, lead our scientific work and positively impact policy making for conservation. 

I have spent all my childhood in Corfù. During my university studies at the Ionian University, I began systematically recording the butterflies and other insects of Corfu. This early work marked the beginning of my long-term engagement with documenting and understanding the island’s biodiversity, and eventually led to the co-authorship of a book on Corfu’s butterflies . These experiences shaped both my scientific interests and my commitment to conservation. I later pursued a PhD in Ecology and Climate Change at the University of Salento and developed my academic career as an ecologist working on community structure, trophic interactions, and ecosystem responses to environmental change, particularly in aquatic systems. Over the years, I have held research positions across Europe and the United States, contributing to international projects and advancing research on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Alongside my academic work, I have always maintained a strong connection to the Ionian and a desire to contribute to its conservation. After witnessing the environmental pressures associated with tourism, I became increasingly motivated to support local efforts to protect the regions’s natural heritage. I feel honoured to contribute to Ionian Butterfly Conservation. Protecting the rich biodiversity of the Ionian Islands is both a professional commitment and a deeply personal mission.