Dr June Rubis is a Bidayuh scholar from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, with a particular focus on Indigenous environmental advocacy. With a professional background in conservation biology and a PhD from Oxford, June bridges the worlds of grassroots Indigenous knowledge and international biodiversity policy. She has worked across rainforests, government halls, and global UN spaces, always centring Indigenous rights, land governance, and ethical conservation.

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Currently a Research Fellow at Macquarie University, Australia, and co-founder and Director of Building Initiatives in Indigenous Heritage (BiiH), June’s work focuses on Indigenous territorial governance, community-led environmental stewardship, and strategic policymaking. She is a global and regional Council Member for the international consortium for the ICCA (Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Conserved Areas), and has helped shape national, regional, and global frameworks to include Indigenous voices. Her journey reflects a commitment to meaningful change – balancing grounded work with local communities and strategic advocacy at national and global levels. She hopes to encourage young people to trust in their voice, stay connected to their values, and find strength in navigating between different worlds.

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