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
Claudia Adriazola-Steil
Deputy Director, Global Urban Mobility, and Director, Health & Road Safety, WRI Ross Center For Sustainable Cities
Yelena Akopian
Communications Manager, New Climate Economy
Ashwathy Anand
Program Associate, Urban Water Resilience, WRI India
Bernadette Arakwiye
Senior Manager, Africa Land Restoration Programs
Ettore Arpini
Data Systems and Institutional Reporting Manager
Tsvetilena Bandakova
Program Manager, Nature Crime Alliance
Angela Bekkers
Head of Communications, WRI Europe
Rocío Campos
Communications Manager, Center for Equitable Development
Shefaali Desai
HR International Manager, Global Human Resources
Adrián Flores Aguilar
Climate Finance Associate, NDC Partnership Support Unit
Claudio Forner
Senior Associate, Climate Diplomacy
Johannes Friedrich
Director of Climate Data
Kalpana Giri
Senior Manager, Social Equity, Global Restoration
Alexandre Grassigny
Project Coordinator Outreach, NDC Partnership
Sandy Henkes
Program Specialist, Food Program
Clemens W. Janssen
User Research & Engagement Lead
Gloria Kantengwa
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist
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
Marc Manyifika
Country Lead for Urban Water Resilience/Lead Spatial Planner for the program
Dimitris Mentis
Lead, Energy Access Explorer
Thacien Munyamahame
Community Coordinator, Global Restoration Initiative, WRI Africa
Bernadette Muteteri
Fund Manager, Circular Food Systems for Rwanda
Gilbert Muvunankiko
Communications Manager, Restoration, WRI Africa
Jackson Ndera
Portfolio Specialist for Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin, TerraFund for AFR100, WRI Africa
Jean Marie Ntakirutimana
Portfolio Specialist, TerraFund for AFR100, Global Restoration Initiative, WRI Africa
Tina Nyunga
Project Assistant, Circular Food Systems for Rwanda
Ryan O'Connor
Knowledge Tools Analyst, NDC Partnership
Michael Orang'i Onchabo
Director, Food and Land Use Coalition, Kenya
Henk Ovink
Senior Fellow for Water
Iryna Payosova
Economist, Climate Action
Danielle Riedl
Research Analyst II, Industrial Innovation & Carbon Removal
Sangeetha Sarma
Head of Communications, P4G
Tina Schneider
Director, Forest Governance and Policy
Jannik Schulz
Development Intern
Alejandro Schwedhelm
Urban Mobility Manager, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Howard Shih
Senior Associate, Science Based Targets initiative