Irina Didenko is a Grants and Finance Specialist II with Cities4Forests and the Natural Infrastructure Initiative. She is responsible for the financial and operational management of the team’s growing portfolio of grants, contracts, and sub awards. This includes developing and overseeing project budgets, forecasts, financial reporting, and ensuring compliance. She works closely with a multidisciplinary team across WRI’s international offices as well as external partners to advance research, financing and implementation of nature-based solutions projects.

Prior to joining WRI, Irina was at the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business providing administrative support to advance research and career opportunities in corporate sustainability for students. She completed summer internships consulting local non-profits in the urban farming and climate resilience fields.

Irina is pursuing an M.S. in Environment and Sustainability Management from Georgetown University and holds a B.A. in Economics with minors in Business and Web Programming from New York University.