Emanuela Evangelista is a biologist and member of SSC/IUCN (Species Survival Commision/ International Union for Conservation of Nature). She coordinates research and conservation projects for Associação Amazônia and is President of Associação Amazônia Onlus, in Italy. 

She began her conservation work in 1999, when went on a mission to the Amazon as part of the Guardians of Earth, a project run by an Italian non-governmental organization, which aimed to support local people with practical benefits in exchange for forest protection. The Xixuaú at that time was little more than a 4 huts village. She contributed to the expansion of the project, raising funds and contacts that brought to the development of a number of sustainable economic activities. Nowadays she is completely committed to preserving the rainforest in the Amazon, where she lives and works, alternating long periods between Brazil and Italy.

As biologist she worked in research and conservation projects in Africa, Peru and Brazil. In the Xixuaú region she carried out scientific research on mammals with the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen and a long-term research endorsed by the National Institute of Research in the Amazon (INPA), on the giant otter, one of the major predators of South American tropical forests and heavily threatened with extinction.

In order to raise awareness around the tensions and the threats of the Amazon region Emanuela has published a number of articles on major magazines, organized events and photographic expositions, given interviews on TV and network radio and made speeches in international conferences.

Most recently, Emanuela catalyzed the formation of the Amazon Charitable Trust (ACT) in the UK, a charity whose charter is to encourage sustainable development in the Amazon rainforest.

In 2009 was awarded the Environmentalist of the Year prize in Italy. Under her guide the association was awarded the Forest for Kyoto prize in Rome and a special mention at the Prize for Peace in Milan.