Meet the Fellows
2024 NEW FUTURES FELLOWSHIP
Climate + River Delta Communities
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Jessica is a wildlife biologist who has had the privilege of studying threatened and endangered species from the Florida Everglades to the Missouri River in North Dakota. She has seen firsthand how threats to ecosystems not only affect wildlife, but also the surrounding human communities that depend on these areas. She is interested in community-based conservation and finding holistic solutions to environmental challenges. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources with a concentration in geographic information systems through Clemson University. She holds a B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from the University of Rhode Island.
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George is a Research Fellow at SEI Africa Center, currently on sabbatical to pursue a PhD at the University of Dundee, Scotland. His interdisciplinary research studies examine various issues in environment and development. George's environmental career began in small-scale initiatives in both rural and urban communities in Kenya. In rural settings, he provided support to wildlife conservation strategies, nature-based enterprises, resolution of human-wildlife conflicts, and natural resource use conflicts pitting pastoral and farming communities. In urban informal settlements, he was involved in community mobilization and training, and fostered community participatory methodologies in various locally driven development initiatives. George is passionate about linking knowledge with policy, practice, and learning through communication and advocacy.
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Mayumi is a Gates Cambridge scholar and PhD student at the University of Cambridge, and the Founder of SustainED. She has several years of experience working with marginalized and climate-affected communities globally, including refugees and migrant workers, low-income racialized youth, Indigenous hill tribes, and timber labourers across North America, Asia, and Europe. Her academic and advocacy interests involve co-creating campaigns and initiatives for impact-based community development and research. She is a National Geographic Explorer and has received awards from Audi Environmental Foundation, Peace First, and Global Solutions Initiative, among others, for global advocacy on environmental and social equity.
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Gen is a spatial sciences scholar at the University of Groningen and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where he is learning interdisciplinary theories and methods (structured around environmental science, spatial justice, and digital humanities) to create pathways for island sustainability. During his undergraduate degree in fisheries at the University of the Philippines, he studied mangrove mapping through his thesis and engaged in scicomm internships at Asian Scientist Magazine and the World Wildlife Fund. Having lived near a river that once neared biological death, Gen is keen on understanding how ecological histories and folk knowledge can help (co)design resilient futures.
Clean Energy + Environmental Justice
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Kyle is a passionate environmental advocate and scientist. Having worked for organizations such as the US Army Corps of Engineers, Food & Water Watch, and the University of Maryland Center for Global Sustainability, he brings an interdisciplinary approach to policy issues. He is also a fierce advocate for social and environmental justice. Kyle graduated from William & Mary with a B.S. in biology and environmental science & policy and is currently pursuing an MPP at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy.
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Wenting is an MS student in the University of Southern California's Environmental Data Science Program. She holds a BA in Statistics from University of California, Berkeley. Prior to her Master’s study, Katherine worked as a Research, Data & Innovation intern with the World Resources Institute. Her current focus is on nature-based climate solutions as well as mitigating the environmental impact, particularly biodiversity loss, associated with clean energy transition. Apart from her education and professional experience, she is also an avid birder and a wildlife illustrator who is passionate about advocating for collective actions to preserve wildlife habitats in local communities through creative communication.
Climate + Marine Communities
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Astrid Peraza is a materials science engineer, climate and gender equality activist and storyteller from Costa Rica. Now pursuing a degree in Management of Natural Resources. With an unwavering commitment to environmental issues, Astrid utilizes her storytelling to shed light on the urgent need for climate action. As a member of the 2022 fellow Cohort for Future Rising, she worked to create a documentary centered on the women's cooperative in the rural village of Manzanillo, Puntarenas. This small fishing village on Costa Rica's Pacific coast grapples with poverty and government neglect. Astrid strives to empower women and girls, create opportunities for growth, and inspire them to be changemakers. By sharing stories and implementing initiatives to support young women in their pursuit of leadership, she hopes to contribute to a more equitable future where gender equality is not just a goal but a reality.
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A lifelong connection to the ocean, sparked by a transformative summer camp with the Buccoo Reef Trust, led Seth to pursue a B.Sc. in Marine Sciences at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Now a PADI Rescue Diver and veteran of numerous projects, Seth's expertise lies in environmental project management, pollution monitoring, and scientific communication. Seth's work includes a study on the impact of human pollution on the Bon Accord Lagoon, stakeholder-driven improvements for the lagoon's health, and mapping local sediment movement. He has experience in GIS, fisheries management, aquaculture, and marketing, contributing across a diverse range of marine conservation efforts. Additionally, Seth serves as Tobago's island representative for the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, advocating for sustainable practices to protect marine ecosystems.
FELLOWSHIP ADVISORS
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Climate + River Delta Communities 2024, Climate + River Communities 2023
Jeff is WWF’s global lead freshwater scientist and works across the WWF network and with external partners to direct research that can strengthen conservation strategies and to integrate science into freshwater programs and projects. Jeff’s scientific and policy research has been published in journals such as Science and Nature and he is the lead author of the book Floodplains, published in 2017. Jeff strives to communicate the challenges and opportunities for nature conservation to broad audiences through op-eds, articles and blog posts in outlets including the New York Times, Foreign Policy, and Outside. Recently, Jeff has been exploring the overlap between music and conservation. He holds a PhD in ecosystem science from the University of California, Berkeley and a B.S. in biology from Duke University.
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Clean Energy + Environmental Justice 2024, Climate + the Renewable Energy Transition 2023
Ben Dahan is a climate researcher, advocate and communicator, and spearheads our Common Grounds initiative to accelerate a just energy transition through policy innovation and market transformation. He has previously worked on issues of environment and human rights at the State Department, ESG and impact investing at the UN Global Compact, and improving environmental decision-making with NASA Applied Science. He graduated from the Columbia University - Sciences Po Paris Dual BA Program in Sustainable Development and Political Humanities, and is also an alum of Americorps NCCC. A proud Californian now based in New York, in the wild you'll find him dog walking, watching live comedy, and losing at chess.
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Climate + Marine Communities
Angelo F Bernardino is a Marine Ecologist and Professor of Oceanography at the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo in the city of Vitoria, Brazil. Angelo is interested in marine conservation and its connections with climate change effects in the oceans and humans. Angelo has a PhD in Biological Oceanography and lead a number of projects in both offshore and coastal ecosystems, from the abyssal depths to coastal mangroves and intertidal reefs. During recent years, as a National Geographic Explorer, he has been working to explore the importance of Amazon mangroves as a potential climate mitigation in Brazil’s forestry sector, and to map and value the ecosystem services of mangroves to local communities in Northern Brazil.
2023-24 CLIMATE ACTIVE FELLOWSHIP
Amplify: Building a Fan-Based Climate Movement
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Li-Ya is an educator and climate organizer. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. She has taught Mandarin in public universities for 12 years, empowering students from diverse and underserved communities and building bridges across cultures. She is a Climate Reality Leader and has organized volunteers in Dallas, Texas and Portland, Oregon. Li-Ya is also host and producer of a climate story podcast called "The Green Path − Our Climate Stories". Li-Ya is committed to advancing climate and social justice through advocacy and effective and relatable storytelling.
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Caleb Johnson is an educator and musician. He holds a Master's in International Relations from the Institut Barcelona Estudis Internacionals and a Master's in Leadership Studies from Vanguard University. In 2017, Caleb joined the fight against educational inequity with Teach for America, and earned a Teacher of the Year award for his exemplary public service and student outcomes in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Caleb was a Future Leaders Intern for the California Democratic Party where he produced virtual training events for party activists and prospective political candidates. His experience as a Music Director in religious spaces provides a unique insight into the practice of harnessing the power of collective musical experiences to actualize change.
2023 NEW FUTURES FELLOWSHIP
Climate + River Communities
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Ripesh is a forestry scholar finalizing his graduate degree at the Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University. He has experience in community forestry, forest management, silviculture, and forest ecology. Ripesh's upbringing in Nepal's eastern floodplains led to his interest in studying vital river systems and their impact on local communities. He investigated the impact of fish stock decline on local livelihoods around the Koshi Tappu Wildlife reserve through the Freshwater and Community Conservation Externship program organized by National Geographic and The Nature Conservancy. Ripesh is committed to evidence-informed policymaking and aspires to contribute to transforming people's livelihoods.
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Beenish Sarfaraz is a multidisciplinary artist and educator from Karachi, Pakistan. She works at the intersection of socially-engaged art, cultural and heritage stories, environment and wellbeing. Currently, she is faculty member at Department of Visual Studies, Karachi University where she teaches Design for Social Change. Previously, she has worked with Coke Studio (2018), Geo TV Network, Centre of Arts-based Methodologies and Wellbeing, British Council, State Bank Museum Pakistan and Manchester Museum. Her interest lies in archiving local and indigenous knowledge forms for creative advocacy and storytelling for awareness and impact.
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Lassana is a Global Challenge student in his final year at Rwanda's African Leadership University, where he is dedicated to tackling critical ecological and climate issues in Africa. He is passionate about sustainable wildlife management and climate finance investment through collaboration between local communities and governments. Through internships with reputable organizations such as FAO, AWF, and Maliasili, Lassana has gained valuable experience in addressing environmental challenges. He has also demonstrated his exceptional communication and leadership skills as the team coordinator for both the Business of Conservation Conference and the IUCN APAC conference.
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Isabella is interested in molecular marine research, ranging from biotoxin analysis of waterways and their effects to pharmaceutical uses of algae. She is a Molecular and Cellular Biologist in the Accelerated Masters Program at the University of Arizona, working on assessing marine algae's ability to degrade organic versus inorganic phosphorus out of the Amazon River Plume. During her time at University, she has worked with the Sonoran Institute to look at the trash in the Santa Cruz River and its effects on the river system as a whole, both locally and all the way to the Colorado River Delta.
Climate + The Renewable Energy Transition
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Cecilia has a BA in International Studies and Economics from the University of Evansville and is interested in environmental law and policy, international mediation, environmental impact reduction, and economic cost-benefit analysis. She is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is currently a candidate for the MA in International Studies at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. Prior to studying in Spain, Cecilia worked as an intern with the California-Mexico non-profit WILDCOAST researching the climate change mitigation effects of Marine Protected Areas and their impact on local economies and stakeholders.
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Lala Rukh Memon is a doctoral researcher at MaREI–Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine research and innovation. She is working on an energy performance contracting (EPCs) framework for energy transition into the built environment. She is an electrical engineer with double master’s in energy systems and marine plastics abatement. Apart from conventional education, she participated in a summer school at Robinson College - University of Cambridge (2022), participated in (Physics) Nobel Laureates Meeting in Lindau Germany (2019), worked at Coventry University (2018), studied one semester in the United States for a cultural exchange program-Global UGRAD (2015).
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Stephen is an MA candidate in Columbia University’s Climate and Society program, passionate about advancing a just, sustainable, and rapid transition to net-zero. He holds a BS in Science, Technology, and International Affairs with a concentration in Environment and Energy and a minor in Spanish from Georgetown University. He has managed programs in environmental public policy at the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation. In his academic career, he has focused heavily on understanding the energy transition through interdisciplinary lenses, and aims to continue this approach in his future career in energy transition policy.
2022 NEW FUTURES FELLOWSHIP
Climate + Healthcare
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Research Fellow, Elias is a Climate Smart Agriculturist with academic background in forestry, foodsecurity and climate change. He is currently a student at Mzuzu University, Malawi pursuing Ph.D.in Transformative Community Development (Food Security and Climate Change). Elias Gaveta is a founder of Conservation Arts Malawi, an initiative that seeks totransform the engagement of youth in sustainable environmental management through use ofsocial-cultural and artistic communication platforms. Elias is a seasoned environmental trainer andprogrammer, a 2021 Climate Ambassador for the Global Youth Climate Network, LaureateCandidate for the One Planet Fellowship offered by AWARD, a fellow for the Leadership inEnvironment and Development (LEAD) and a Member of Young African Researchers in Agriculture (YARA).
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Advocacy Fellow, Naiara is a proud Baiana from Northeastern Brazil. She holds a Chevening Scholarship and is currently a Candidate in the LLM in Global Environment and Climate Change Law at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is currently the Project Management Officer and Researcher of EmpoderaClima, a youth-led education platform in climate justice and gender equality. Formerly, she acted as a Protection Case Manager for AVSI Brazil in the Refugees’ Shelters of ‘Operation Welcome’, in Brazil. In the climate arena her areas of interest and action are climate-resilient cities, healthy-resilient-communities, safe movement for climate-driven-migrants, cultural heritage, and gender equality.
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Advocacy Fellow, Sonia has worked internationally on climate and resilience and has 9 years of business experience in consulting, corporate finance and compliance. She majored in Bilingual Corporate Communications and is currently finishing an MA in International Humanitarian Action in Germany. She currently works in climate and disaster risk finance solutions in Germany. Sonia implemented a disaster management program in Southwest Nigeria with IFRC and led communications efforts for 4 humanitarian programs in the Northeast region with Christian Aid. She is also a communications advisor to a UK charity where she manages strategy and outreach. Sonia worked in financial risk advisory with Aon & Marsh as well as mergers and acquisitions and corporate compliance in Hong Kong. She speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and German.
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Research Fellow, Summer has pursued studies in climate change and sustainability with a focus on raising awareness of the need for climate action. She has worked through social movements and campaigns for corporate environmental accountability and a liveable future. She has also led fellows at UCL in developing their own social impact initiatives. Summer looks to be in a professional field whereby she can better ensure a wider contribution to meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In September, Summer is starting her MSc in Environment, Politics and Society at University College London (UCL), U.K., following completion of her BSc in Geography also at UCL.
Climate + Music
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Research Fellow, Alicia is interested in how sustainable and responsible measures in the policy sphere can help achieve improvements in climate change mitigation and environmental justice, as well as help accelerate the ‘green’ energy transition. She is currently a PhD Student in Boston University’s Department of Earth and Environment and a Research Assistant at Boston University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy. Prior to BU, Alicia has worked at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and for the National Park Service. Alicia holds a B.A. in International Affairs and Psychology, minoring in Economics, from Washington University in St. Louis.
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Advocacy Fellow, Somya is a social worker passionate about both sustainability and music. She is currently pursuing her Master's at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. Somya has experience building ideas and working with communities as a student and is vocal about queer, feminist, and environmental issues. She has been working with rural and indigenous communities in India. As a New Futures Advocacy Fellow for climate and music, she is looking forward to working with communities and to engage in creating a movement that generates social change.
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Research Fellow, Vera is a final year student at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, where she studies Sustainable Innovation. She has been working at her university’s sustainability office for almost two years to better integrate sustainability into education and life on campus. As a research assistant, Vera also worked with NYC-based Green Equity International, to research the topics of environmental governance and stakeholder engagement, with a particular focus on indigenous groups and local communities all over the world.
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Advocacy Fellow, Wanyi is studying for her Master's in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science at Lund University, Sweden. She has worked with environmental NGOs including WWF on building capacities for sustainable cities and renewable business. She is currently an active member of Fältbiologerna, the largest environmental youth organization in Sweden. Wanyi has devoted herself to environmentalism and activism since college. She strives to understand the role of advocacy in amplifying the voices of the vulnerable and marginalized, and initiate creative climate activism in transdisciplinary dialogues to promote justice and equity. She is also an alumna of the Creative Climate Leadership Program.
Climate + Web3
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Research Fellow, Felipe is passionate about sustainability & social impact. He graduated from Hamilton College with a B.A in Geosciences and is currently an MPA candidate at New York University specializing in Social Impact, Innovation, and Investment. He hopes to use the tools of both business and policy to create innovative solutions to social issues. His areas of interests include impact investing, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), corporate social responsibility, and strategy.
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Research Felllow, Lindsay served in the U.S. Navy as an Arabic linguist for almost 10 years. Following her separation from the military, she worked as a strategist at a local creative agency and as a development and policy intern at The American Sustainability Business Network in D.C. Lindsay volunteers her free time to sustainability projects and most recently worked with Greenlight Solutions Foundation to determine eco-friendly cooking alternatives for the Karonga, Malawi, Africa community. She has a B.S. in Business Administration and is a certified ISSP Sustainability Excellence Associate. Currently, Lindsay is pursuing a master’s degree in Sustainability Leadership at Arizona State University.
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Advocacy Fellow, Shivani is a master's candidate at Fordham University majoring in Business Analytics. She previously worked with Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board, examining New York City’s waste management challenges and help meet its zero-waste goals by 2030. Passionate about the intersection of sustainability and technology, her research interests include exploring the potential of big data in making our economy greener, deploying artificial intelligence and automation for climate action, and building sustainable cities and communities.
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Advocacy Fellow, Zachary is interested in sustainability and climate change issues. Since 2016, he has been involved in research and science communication at the university level or on a freelance basis. In 2019 he was selected as a Civic Scholar with the Bob Graham Center for Public Service. He researched climate change resiliency in the state of Florida and contributed to the development of Barometer Florida, the state’s first i-civics tool aimed at bringing climate and public health data to residents. Zachary completed his bachelor’s degree in Sustainability Studies at the University of Florida in 2020. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Global Change Ecology at the University of Bayreuth, Germany.
FELLOWSHIP ADVISORS
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Climate + Healthcare Advisor, Anne is an environmentalist, geoscientist, water resources engineer, and urban farmer who has dedicated her life’s work to environmental protection at the intersection of water and food security, public health, international development, and environmental equity. With a degree in Geoscience from Princeton, an MSc from Stanford University in Environmental Engineering, Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health, and Professional Engineering license, Anne has led international environmental consulting teams, served as Peace Corps Country Director, and guided foreign policy advocacy in diplomatic postings as Foreign Service Officer in countries across Latin America, eastern Europe, and North America. Anne has established a successful track record of leading diverse teams and has honed cross-cultural sensitivity from living, working, and community building across the globe, and draws leadership wisdom from deep listening, collaboration, and grassroots stakeholder inclusion.
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Climate + Music Advisor, Jeff is WWF’s global lead freshwater scientist and works across the WWF network and with external partners to direct research that can strengthen conservation strategies and to integrate science into freshwater programs and projects. Jeff’s scientific and policy research has been published in journals such as Science and Nature and he is the lead author of the book Floodplains, published in 2017. Jeff strives to communicate the challenges and opportunities for nature conservation to broad audiences through op-eds, articles and blog posts in outlets including the New York Times, Foreign Policy, and Outside. Recently, Jeff has been exploring the overlap between music and conservation. He holds a PhD in ecosystem science from the University of California, Berkeley and a B.S. in biology from Duke University.
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Climate + Web3 Advisor, Radhika is a Web 3 expert, TEDx speaker, a Silicon Valley Woman of Influence, and a serial entrepreneur. She is Founding Partner at StarChain Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture studio focused on Web 3, NFTs and the Metaverse intersecting with deep tech to solve global challenges in sustainability, fintech and healthcare - a core thesis of her best-selling book Enterprise Blockchain Has Arrived. She advises governments, accelerators, and top startups in EU, LatAm, Africa and Asia. Radhika has been a guest speaker at leading tech conferences and universities such as Stanford, Harvard, and MIT. She is a member of the California Gov Ops Blockchain Working Group, a task force advising Gov. Newsom and the CA state legislature. Radhika serves on numerous boards in the World Business Angel Investment Forum and industry organizations, Partners in Digital Health Institute and Blockchain in Healthcare Today. She holds an MBA from Chapman University, an AB from Bryn Mawr College, and is a Certified Network Engineer.
