Dr. Suzan E.A. Kholeif is a distinguished oceanographer and marine geologist with over 30 years of experience, particularly in the Mediterranean region. She is a Professor of Oceanography and former President of the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) in Egypt. A senior expert in Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), sustainable development goals (SDGs), and climate change, she has made significant contributions to the management of coastal ecosystems and marine water pollution.
Dr. Kholeif has authored around 50 peer-reviewed papers and books on oceanography, climate, and SDGs.

Dr. Kholeif has been actively involved in planning the UN Decade for Ocean Science for Sustainable Development as a member of the Executive Planning Group and played a key role in reviewing the scientific coherence of the 2019 State of the Environment and Development in the Mediterranean (SoED) Report. She also served as the national coordinator for the EC FP7 Project PEGASO, promoting sustainable coastal and marine governance, and evaluated a UNEP/GEF project focused on integrating climate change into coastal management strategies.

Additionally, she is the Director of Operations for North Africa in the SDG4MED initiative, a certified expert in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, and a member of the Egyptian National Council for Women.