Malefia Tadele is a restoration project manager in Ethiopia. She plays a role in advancing WRI’s restoration portfolio, strengthening partnerships with government and key stakeholders, and delivering impactful restoration outcomes in Ethiopia.

Malefia has over 15 years of experience in landscape restoration, forestry, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and project management. Prior to joining WRI, she served as Program Manager at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), where she led major restoration and resilience programs, including the Regreening Africa Project. She also played a key role in stakeholder engagement, policy influence, donor reporting, and partnership building across national, regional, and global platforms.

Before CRS, Malefia worked with GIZ as an Advisor in the Biodiversity and Forestry Program, providing technical support on protected area management and institutional strengthening. She also spent more than five years with the Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre and Network (HoA-REC&N), supporting agroforestry, forest management, climate mitigation, and carbon finance initiatives.

Malefia holds a master’s degree in environmental science from Addis Ababa University and a Bachelor's degree in Land Resource Management and Environmental Protection from Mekelle University.