The Committee

acodali@gibraltarhorticulturalsociety.com

After a lifelong career in the civil service, Annabelle has now become the driving force behind the Gibraltar Horticultural Society’s growth and transformation in recent years. Though not a professional botanist or horticulturist by training, her deep curiosity and dedication have led her to study and learn extensively from the many experts and professionals the Society collaborates with.

Having also completed a course in anthropology, Annabelle developed a lifelong passion for understanding the interconnectedness between people and the natural world. Her enthusiasm for the environment extends to a particular fascination with the remarkable world of fungi — their role in ecosystems, their hidden networks, and their potential to inspire more sustainable ways of living.

Annabelle continues to champion projects that make Gibraltar greener, healthier, and more connected to nature.

Kian Khalilian is a local botanist and qualified music teacher (BMus, M.M, PGCertEd) who has spent the past five years studying and teaching others about the flora of Gibraltar. He is the secretary of the Gibraltar Horticultural Society (GHS) and leads education and media outreach initiatives. As a relentless advocate for botanical education he has published articles with the GHS and GONHS nature news magazine, produced several nature documentaries with the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, and delivered talks and workshops for the GHS, Alameda Botanic Gardens, the University of Gibraltar and Kew Gardens in the U.K.

Neve is a professional horticulturist from the U.K., currently based at the Alameda Botanic Gardens, where she works as Assistant Propagator. She has led the redevelopment of the tropical and succulent glasshouses, which she now maintains as part of her role.

She holds a City & Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Horticulture (Distinction), which she studied alongside her practical propagation training at Wakehurst in Sussex, as the first volunteer under-18 to be recruited. There, she also worked as an Event Manager and has since become a founding member of the Kew Gardens Youth Council where she co-leads the Events and Outreach subcommittees.

Professional Horticulturist

Helder Santiago, a trained botanist, recently settled in Gibraltar is a co-author of the Flora Helvetica checklist and flora field guide and Swiss National Red List. 

Helder Santiago completed his studies in Geneva, Switzerland, earning a Master's degree in Environmental Sciences. For over a decade he worked for the Swiss non-profit foundation InfoFlora (https://www.infoflora.ch/en/), an organisation dedicated to documenting and promoting wild plants in Switzerland. 

Professional Botanist

Artist