Soheil Salehian

AI & Data Lead

Soheil is a machine learning engineer and forest conservationist who works at the intersection of technology and environmental protection. His focus centers on building tools that serve communities on the ground, particularly in areas involving environmental data, indigenous rights, and human rights.

With a Computer Engineering and Computer Vision Engineering degree from the University of Calgary and graduate studies in Tropical Forest Conservation from Yale School of the Environment, he brings both technical and environmental expertise to his work. His career has spanned engineering roles at Intel and startup ventures, where he has collaborated with teams passionate about using technology to create meaningful impact.

As co-founder of Understory Labs, he helped develop forest monitoring systems for the Amazon rainforest and the communities who call it home. The platform was designed to support people in building impactful conservation and restoration projects throughout the tropics, demonstrating how technology can enable action when developed with community needs in mind.

His work is driven by ensuring that data and AI serve the communities they're meant to help, rather than the other way around. Through his experience, he has found that effective solutions emerge when combining dedicated people, thoughtful technology, and respect for the places being protected. The focus remains on building tools that don't just monitor environmental changes, but help communities actively shape outcomes.

Based in New York, and fluent in both Spanish and Farsi, he enjoys traveling throughout Latin America, and exploring the city with his wife and two daughters, who provide perspective on why this work matters for future generations.