Experts & Staff
WRI brings together nearly 1,900 staff and experts who are leaders in their fields. Their work spans topics such as food and land use, energy, cities, economics, finance, governance and more. Our staff and researchers work globally and in 12 focus countries to meet people’s essential needs, to protect and restore nature, and to stabilize the climate and build resilient communities. Contact our media team to arrange an interview with any of our experts.
Program Experts & Staff
Iman Abdulwassi Abubaker
Urban Mobility Project Manager, WRI Africa
Zablon Adane
Water Program Associate, WRI Africa
Claudia Adriazola-Steil
Deputy Director, Global Urban Mobility, and Director, Health & Road Safety, WRI Ross Center For Sustainable Cities
Alemayehu Agizew
GIS Analyst, Energy Access Explorer
Natalia Akopian
Policy & Government Affairs Associate
Agraw Ali
GIS Research Analyst, WRI Africa
Ashwathy Anand
Program Associate, Urban Water Resilience, WRI India
Ettore Arpini
Data Systems and Institutional Reporting Manager
Ayça Bağcı
Senior Manager, European Union Projects, WRI Türkiye
Mulubrhan Balehegn
Agriculture and Climate Research Associate II
Tsvetilena Bandakova
Program Manager, Nature Crime Alliance
Angela Bekkers
Head of Communications, WRI Europe
Tatiana Bogdanova
Product Specialist, Global Forest Watch, Data Lab
Jelena Bukin
Senior Accountant
Rocío Campos
Communications Manager, Center for Equitable Development
Sod-Erdene Davaadorj
Grants and Finance Manager, Cities4Forests and Natural Infrastructure Initiative
Yared Deme
Research Analyst, International Climate Action, WRI Africa
Shefaali Desai
HR International Manager, Global Human Resources
Berhanu Desta
Global Accounting Director
Irina Didenko
Grants and Finance Specialist, Cities4Forests
Elena Esipova
Satellite Data Analyst
Beakal Fasil
Communications and Engagement Specialist, The New Climate Economy, WRI Africa
Adrián Flores Aguilar
Climate Finance Associate, NDC Partnership Support Unit
Claudio Forner
Senior Associate, Climate Diplomacy
Johannes Friedrich
Director of Climate Data
Mihret Gebru
Facilites Coordinator
Kalpana Giri
Senior Manager, Social Equity, Global Restoration
Despina Gkotsidou
Program Assistant, Data Lab Product Studio
Libby Gladding
Operations Manager, CAEP, NDC Partnership
Alexandre Grassigny
Project Coordinator Outreach, NDC Partnership
Sandy Henkes
Program Specialist, Food Program
Jiregna Hirpa
Transport Planner, WRI Africa
Clemens W. Janssen
User Research & Engagement Lead
Valerie Laxton
Senior Associate, Development Finance Institutions, Finance Center
Jiaying Lin
Research Analyst, Sustainable Transition Center, WRI China
Christine Luttmer
Project Specialist, Country Engagement Support, South Africa
Anne Maassen
Senior Manager, Urban Transformation Insights & Partnerships / Global Lead, WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities
Victoria Malolina
Staff Accountant
Dimitris Mentis
Lead, Energy Access Explorer
