Who We Are

For us, conservation is not merely about protecting forests and wildlife, but about empowering the people who live and depend alongside them. Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI) serves as a collaborative platform for professionals, activists, and indigenous communities united in defending critical landscapes across Sumatra.

​We believe that effective environmental protection is rooted in local self-reliance, a deep respect for indigenous wisdom, and consistent collective action. By acting and working locally to contribute globally, we are committed to safeguarding Sumatra’s ecosystems as a vital contribution to the future of our planet and shared well-being.

Our Team

Our organizational structure ensures that strategic wisdom perfectly aligns with impactful field execution. ​Our team is structured across three vital pillars:

Founder – Inspiring our core values and guiding the institute’s enduring vision

Rasyid Assaf Dongoran (Rado)

Founder

This organization was founded on a fundamental belief: we cannot save forests and wildlife at the expense of human well-being, nor can we do the reverse. True conservation is born when frontline communities see that protecting nature is the best way to secure their own future. Our task is not to fence nature off from humanity, but to reweave a harmony where a thriving ecosystem and empowered communities grow together as one

Executive Board – Managing institutional direction, partnerships, and high-level program governance

Donny Saputra

Executive Director

Dony Saputra is a professional who has been appointed and established by the Board of Founders as the Executive Director of the Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI) since 2021, a position he continues to hold to this day.

Academically, he earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sociology in 2007 and a Master of Science (MSc) in Rural Sociology in 2014.

His professional development encompasses various specialized training programs, seminars, and workshops focused on participatory mapping, orangutan habitat conservation, community rights to natural resources, timber legality, and wildlife crime law enforcement. Prior to serving as the Executive Director at SRI, he worked as the Coordinator of the Leuser Lestari Foundation (2014–2020) and as the Head of the Monitoring and Investigation Division at the same organization (2010–2012). His organizational track record highlights deep involvement in independent forest monitoring networks and environmental advocacy in Indonesia. Currently, this includes serving as the North Sumatra Focal Point for the Independent Forest Monitoring Network (JPIK) from 2015 to the present

Siska Pebriani

Head of Finance - Administation

Siska Pebriani is a professional with experience in administrative and financial management for various nature conservation projects. Her educational journey began with completing a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Education in 2014, followed by pursuing a Master’s degree in Management.

From the beginning of her career, Siska’s work has been centered at the Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI). She has built a solid track record in financial management, particularly within conservation organizations and donor-funded projects.

Her career path has progressed consistently, starting as Finance Staff, advancing to Finance Coordinator, and currently holding the position of Head of Finance and Administration. To support her professional duties, Siska is skilled in using Microsoft applications, accounting software, and Canva, and possesses a passive proficiency in English. She also strengthened her professional expertise by completing the Accurate Accounting Software version 5 training in 2023 and The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) training in 2024

Project Implementation Team – Turning strategies into tangible success through active, everyday conservation work in our target landscapes
Tawanli Simanullang

Project Manager

Project Manager for Development of a Wildlife Corridor to Connect the Dolok Sibual-Buali Nature Reserve and the West Block Batangtoru- BBOP (Phase III).

Tawanli Simanullang is a seasoned professional with experience in forest restoration, community assistance for forest-edge populations, and the drafting of planting activity designs in North Sumatra from 2013 to the present. He holds a Bachelor’s degree (BSc) in Forestry and a Master’s degree (MSc). He has completed various professional trainings, including Cooperative Assistance, Farmer Group Assistance Facilitation, and the Global Biodiversity Standard in 2024. Throughout his career working in nature conservation NGOs, he began as a field staff member in 2016, advanced to coordinator, and has been serving as the Project Manager at the Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI) from 2021 to the present. He possesses strong expertise in team leadership, swift communication, interacting with diverse community groups, and building positive relationships with both government and non-government institutions.

Edi Amin

Project Manager

Project Manager for Raising Awareness and Community Participation in Biodiversity Conservation Efforts through the Restoration of 150 Hectares in the Batangtoru Ecosystem.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with extensive work experience in nature conservation. His career includes joining the Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI), where he started as a conservation officer, subsequently serving as the Coordinator of Landscape and Wildlife Rescue and the Coordinator of the Forest Restoration Project between 2014 and 2019, before engaging in other professional endeavors with different organizations.

In 2021, he rejoined SRI as a Project Manager for landscape management programs, including projects within the Batang Gadis National Park and the Batang Toru Forest Ecosystem. His professional training background includes the Darwis Triadi School of Photography, the Human and Wildlife Conflict Management Workshop, and the SMART Patrol in Securing Forest Areas Workshop.

Feny Maylinda Sitompul

Project Coordinator

Project Coordinator for Scaling up Collaborative Conservation of Batangtoru Landscape (Phase I) & Advancing Collaborative Protection of Tapanuli Orangutans and the Batang Toru Ecosystem (Phase II).

Feny earned her Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Biology Education from the Faculty in 2014. Feny is proficient in operating Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as The Global Biodiversity Standard 2024. Her career journey in the NGO sector began as an Administration and Finance Assistant, and from 2022 to the present, she has served as a Project Coordinator at the Sumatra Rainforest Institute.

Hesti Triany

Project Coordinator

Hesty Triany is a creative and science-driven professional specializing in forest conservation, combining spatial analysis, data attribution, georeferencing, and advanced geoprocessing to support environmental initiatives

She holds an academic foundation in forestry and environmental science, featuring a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Forestry with a focus on Forest Resource Conservation, followed by a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Natural Resource Conservation and Management. Her professional career began as a GIS Officer from 2019 to 2020, after which she advanced to a Project Coordinator role starting in 2021, leading multi-phase wildlife corridor development and biodiversity offset management plans connecting the Dolok Sibual-Buali Nature Reserve and the West Block Batangtoru Protection Forest

Technical Skills: Complementing her field and coordination experience, she holds a 2024 certification in The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) from the Botanical Garden, alongside technical proficiency in Microsoft Office, GPS field operations, and ArcGIS.

Meli Mandasari Harahap

Project Coordinator

Meli Mandasari Harahap is a dedicated Project Coordinator and community development professional who earned her Bachelor of Agriculture degree with a major in Agrotechnology.

She has participated in various specialized technical training programs on organic fertilizer manufacturing, plantation nursery management, and computer skills, equipping her with a strong technical foundation in agricultural and environmental sciences. Meli has built a solid career spanning over a decade in community empowerment and environmental public service. Her credentials include targeted training in cooperative and accounting management (2017), basic training for non-civil servant candidates in Cisarua, Bogor (2018), and specialized training for the Indonesian Appraisal Code of Ethics and Standards in Jakarta (2019). She began her professional journey at the Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI) as a Community Development Officer in Panyabungan (2014–2017). She expanded her public sector experience as a Non-Civil Servant Government Employee (PPNPN) serving as a Promoter for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (2018–2020) as well as the Environmental Fund Management Agency under the Ministry of Finance (2020).

Returning to her career at the Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI) in April 2021, she currently serves as a Community Development Coordinator.

Imam Wahyudi Lubis

Community Development Officer

He is a Community Development Officer since January 2025, with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Plantation Agriculture, possessing a comprehensive foundation in estate management. His academic background covers precision production technologies for various crop types, sustainable land management, agricultural communication, agribusiness planning, and plantation business partnerships and networking.

Before joining SRI, Imam gained extensive practical experience through several agricultural internships and field studies. His experience includes Arabica coffee cultivation and post-harvest processing in Humbang Hasundutan Regency (March – April 2022), an end-to-end study of organic coffee cultivation at the Rante Karua Coffee Plantation in Tana Toraja (September 2022 – January 2023), and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) cocoa cultivation training in South Sulawesi (January – February 2023). Complementing his agricultural expertise, Imam possesses strong professional and interpersonal skills, including public speaking, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, and time management, alongside proficiency in office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Sahiruddin Hasibuan

Landscape Conservation Officer

Having joined the Sumatra Rainforest Institute (SRI) in 2024, Sahiruddin graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Social and Political Sciences in 2011. Driven by a strong commitment to becoming a conservationist, he brings six years of prior experience working across various conservation projects with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Throughout his career, he has continuously refined his skills and expanded his expertise in biodiversity surveys, environmental education, and sustainable local economic development.

Sahiruddin has built an extensive track record in conservation and environmental research since 2015. His core field competencies include village potential mapping, smart patrolling, and assisting local communities with social forestry, community conservation agreement. In addition, he possesses technical proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ArcGIS, Smart Patrol, and GPS, and completed training for The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) in 2025.

Siddik Arianto Rambe

Forest Restoration Officer

Siddik Arianto Rambe has been serving as an Forest Restoration Officer at SRI since November 2023. Prior to his current role, he gained professional experience in forestry as a forest area stabilization and environmental management officer for Region 1, which included conducting measurements and installing definitive boundary markers in West Sumatra Province.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree (S1) in Forestry, with a solid foundation in natural resource management, forest ecology, biodiversity conservation, environmental impact planning and evaluation, and remote sensing. Additionally, he possesses practical expertise in utilizing GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software for spatial mapping and data analysis.

Ruslan Hadi

Wildlife Conservation Officer

Ruslan Hadi is a forestry who has been serving as a Wildlife Conservation Officer since 2023. With a strong academic background in forestry and hands-on field experience, he is deeply dedicated to forest preservation and biodiversity conservation.

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Forestry with some Training & Capacity Building: Drone Application Training for Forestry, Sustainable Forest Governance Innovation Training. Prior to his current role, he gained valuable experience working with government institutions at the Batang Gadis National Park Authority. Conducting community-based patrols to strengthen regional monitoring and protection. Identifying, documenting, and monitoring wildlife species within the national park ecosystem.

Maruba Siregar

Field Assistant-Forest Wildlife and Restoration

Specializing in Forest Wildlife and Restoration. As a local resident, he brings valuable traditional indigenous skills and deep knowledge of the area to his conservation work.

His career includes working at SRI from 2015 to 2018, followed by a tenure with a Forestry Government agency from 2018 to 2023. In 2024, he returned to SRI, where he continues to work to the present day. In terms of expertise, he is highly proficient in deep-forest exploration and navigation using traditional methods. He possesses specialized skills in identifying and tracking Tapanuli Orangutans and Sumatran Tigers, alongside monitoring other rainforest wildlife species. Additionally, he holds valuable qualifications in producing organic fertilizers using all-natural, eco-friendly materials.

 
Daud Siregar

Field Assistant- Forest Wildlife and Restoration

Specializing in Forest Wildlife and Restoration. As a local resident, he brings valuable traditional indigenous skills and deep knowledge of the area to his conservation work.

His career includes working at SRI from 2015 to 2018, followed by a tenure with a Forestry Government agency from 2018 to 2023. In 2024, he returned to SRI, where he continues to work to the present day. In terms of expertise, he is highly proficient in deep-forest exploration and navigation using traditional methods. He possesses specialized skills in identifying and tracking Tapanuli Orangutans and Sumatran Tigers, alongside monitoring other rainforest wildlife species. Additionally, he holds valuable qualifications in producing organic fertilizers using all-natural, eco-friendly materials

Edi Siswanto

Field Assistan - Restoration (Tree Seedling- Nursery Coordinator)

Specializing in forest Restoration. As a local resident, he brings valuable traditional indigenous skills and deep knowledge of the area to his conservation work.

His career includes working at SRI from 2013 to 2015 and working for other organisation. In 2018, he returned to SRI, where he continues to work to the present day. In terms of expertise, he is highly proficient in deep-forest exploration and navigation using traditional methods. He possesses specialized skills in identifying seeds and plants ,  monitoring the growth and desease. Additionally, he holds valuable qualifications in producing organic fertilizers using all-natural, eco-friendly materials.

Gusti Ramadhani Harahap

Administration & Finance Assistant

She serves as an Administration & Finance Assistant, bringing a strong academic foundation with a Bachelor of Science degree. Her  background includes valuable field experience as a daily worker, notably contributing to several government population census projects.

Since 2025, she has been  managing administration and finance operations( petty cash) , which encompass financial tasks and logistical oversight.

Rico Monasti Marbun (Rico)

Driver

Commonly known as Rico, has been serving as a dedicated driver since 2023 up to the present day. His role is vital in supporting field operations, ensuring that the team’s mobility remains consistent across various work sites.

​As a logistics and delivery staff member, his primary responsibility is transporting personnel, equipment, and essential project supplies directly to conservation project locations and field sites. The demanding nature of these environments requires reliable field transportation. ​To navigate the rugged and remote terrain typical of conservation areas, Rico operates a Double Cabin truck. This robust vehicle enables him to safely traverse challenging routes, ensuring the secure delivery of project logistics and the safe transport of staff

Japar Parlindungan (Japar)

Driver

Commonly known as Japar, has been serving as a dedicated driver since 2023 up to the present day. His role is vital in supporting field operations, ensuring that the team’s mobility remains consistent across various work sites.

​As a logistics and delivery staff member, his primary responsibility is transporting personnel, equipment, and essential project supplies directly to conservation project locations and field sites. The demanding nature of these environments requires reliable field transportation. ​To navigate the rugged and remote terrain typical of conservation areas, Rico operates a Double Cabin truck. This robust vehicle enables him to safely traverse challenging routes, ensuring the secure delivery of project logistics and the safe transport of staff.