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.
Global Executive Team
Program Experts & Staff
Natalia Akopian
Policy & Government Affairs Associate
Ashwathy Anand
Program Associate, Urban Water Resilience, WRI India
Nambi Appadurai
Director, Climate Resilience Practice, WRI India
Ayça Bağcı
Senior Manager, European Union Projects, WRI Türkiye
Tsvetilena Bandakova
Program Manager, Nature Crime Alliance
Skylar Bee
Climate Finance Specialist, Knowledge and Learning, NDC Partnership
Tatiana Bogdanova
Product Specialist, Global Forest Watch, Data Lab
Jelena Bukin
Senior Accountant
Sod-Erdene Davaadorj
Grants and Finance Manager, Cities4Forests and Natural Infrastructure Initiative
Irina Didenko
Grants and Finance Specialist, Cities4Forests
Elena Esipova
Satellite Data Analyst
Alexander G. Frantzen
Senior Associate (Scope 3), Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Despina Gkotsidou
Program Assistant, Data Lab Product Studio
Ajith Kasaragod
Senior Associate, Operations, WRI India
Jayahari KM
India Country Coordinator, Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU), WRI India
Vaisakh Suresh Kumar
Project Associate, Energy Program, WRI India
Nikita Luke
Senior Project Associate, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Victoria Malolina
Staff Accountant
Sophie Mongalvy
Communications Director, Food and Land Use Coalition
T Nandakumar
Senior Fellow, Food and Land Use Coalition, WRI India
Cait O'Donnell
Learning Manager, Gender and Social Equity
Iryna Payosova
Economist, Climate Action
Sony R.K.
Senior Manager, Sustainable Landscapes & Restoration, WRI India
Sevdalina Rukanova
Head of Foundation Relations, Europe
Guly Sabahi
Senior Advisor, Climate Finance
Tina Schneider
Director, Forest Governance and Policy
Donald Spencer
Global Grants and Contracts Director
Shailesh Sreedharan
Global Operations Director
Dhilon Subramanian
Senior Project Associate, Energy Program, WRI India
Sabareesh Suresh
Senior Program Associate, Climate Resilience, WRI India
John Thoppil
Manager, Global Operations
Bhavana Varma
Junior Program Associate, WRI India