Joelle Nkosi is the Legal and Partnership Officer at WRI's Kinshasa office in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her primary responsibility is to nurture positive relationships between WRI and its partners, including government institutions. Joelle provides support to the government in the development of legal frameworks related to forest governance, land use planning, management of protected areas, and Indigenous Peoples' rights.

 Joelle's previous roles at WRI include Technical Assistant in the Forest Program, where she played a key role in launching the reform of land use planning in the DRC and integrating gender perspectives into REDD+. She also served as a Conservation Coordinator, where she led the development of implementation measures for the law on nature conservation.

Prior to joining WRI in 2015, Joelle worked as a legal and gender expert for the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in the DRC. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for environmental issues and land use planning.

Joelle earned her bachelor’s degree in law in her home country and has worked extensively with government partners, civil society organizations, universities, and the private sector on national and provincial projects.

In her spare time, she enjoys playing soccer, exploring forests, and visiting new countries.