GEF Secretariat - List of staff

Dr. Naoko Ishii

CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility

Naoko Ishii has served as the CEO and Chairperson for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) since August 2012. In October 2014, the GEF Council unanimously agreed to extend her tenure for a second term until August 2020.

Read more

Name Position Area of expertise
Ishii, Naoko CEO and Chairperson

GEF Secretariat - Front Office

GEF Secretariat - Front Office
Name Position Area of expertise
Besson, Olivier Communications Assistant Design, Communications, Contracting, Procurement, Web Maintenance
Bisset, Robert Head of Communications Communications
Harmala, Jason Web Producer Consultant
Hofer, Christian Senior Communications Officer Publications, Multimedia, Events
Kennedy, Alua Communications Officer Communications
Kouame, Julienne Program Analyst - Human Resources Liaison
Lallas, Peter Adviser to CEO / Conflict Resolution Commissioner
MacInnis, Laura Senior Communications Officer
Monga, Malvika Special Assistant to the GEF CEO
Mukai, Go Senior Operations Officer
Poopech, Amornrat Ning Resource Management Officer
Pormes, Esther Senior Executive Assistant

GEF Secretariat - Policy, Partnerships, and Operations Unit

GEF Secretariat - Policy, Partnerships, and Operations Unit
Name Position Area of expertise
Clottes, Francoise Director of Strategy and Operations
Ridolfi, Paola Manager of Strategy and Operations
Adams, Amanda Olesia Program Assistant
Barrera Rey, Pilar Partnerships & Resource Mobilization Coordinator Civil Society, Capacity Development, Latin America and the Caribbean, Conservation Finance, International Negotiations
Biro Kirtman, Yasemin Knowledge Management Coordinator Knowledge Management, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
Blet, Cyril Senior Results-based Management Specialist
Bogyo, Christina Senior Program Assistant
Caldicott, Jonathan Senior Policy Officer
de Mesa, Ramon Prudencio Operations Officer
Ehlers, William Ernest Country Relations Coordinator / Secretary to the Council Country Relations: Latin America & Caribbean
Kononen, Minna Country Relations Officer South/East Asia, Pacific Islands
Krushelnytska, Olha Operations Officer Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Marquez Pizzanelli, Nicolas Operations Analyst Country Support Programme
Matsumoto, Ikuko Knowledge and Policy Officer
Mpoyi, Regine Program Assistant
Nazneen, Akila Senior Financial Assistant
Parhizkar, Omid Operations Officer Results Based Mgmt., Energy and Climate Change
Peng, Naiying Operations Analyst
Phan, Quynh Senior Financial Officer Financial management, accounting and auditing
Richardson Temm, Gabriella Senior Gender Specialist Gender and Social Issues
Salazar, Henry Operations Coordinator
Schreiber, Robert Program Coordinator Country Support Programme
Teelucksingh, Sonja Senior Environmental Specialist
Waithaka, Susan Wangui Matindi Country Relations Officer Sub-Saharan Africa
Yoon, Seo-Jeong Policy Officer

GEF Secretariat - Programs Unit

GEF Secretariat - Programs Unit
Name Position Area of expertise
Fonseca, Gustavo Alberto Director of Programs
Aoki, Chizuru Lead Environmental Specialist for the GEF Programming Unit and Manager of the CBIT Trust Fund Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), Climate Change Policy and Finance, SDGs
Apel, Ulrich Senior Environmental Specialist Europe and Central Asia Regional Coordinator, Land Degradation Focal Area Coordinator, SFM/REDD+
Bakarr, Mohamed Lead Environmental Specialist Strategic Programming Initiatives (IAPs and Major Programs), STAP Liaison
Barber, Glynis Program Assistant Adaptation
Barnwal, Aloke Senior Climate Change Specialist Sustainable Cities, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change Mitigation, Asia Regional Team
Benchimol, Avril Senior Financial Specialist Blended Finance
Berardi, Filippo Senior Climate Change Specialist Climate Change, Non-Grant Instruments, Energy, Climate and Carbon Finance, Environmental & Social Risk, Payment for Environmental Services
Bobb-Semple, Asha Operations Analyst SIDS regional team, IAPs, Land Degradation
Cavelier, Jaime Senior Biodiversity Specialist Africa regional team, Latin America regional team, biodiversity, biosafety, ABS, IWT Program Lead
Fairbank, Hannah Senior Biodiversity Specialist Asia Regional Coordinator and Sr. Biodiversity Specialist
Fernandes, Monica Senior Program Assistant Asia regional team, Sustainable Cities IAP, climate change (UNFCCC), post 2015 framework, SDGs
Gascon, Claude Manager
Gonzalez Vasquez, Milena Climate Change Specialist Latin America regional team, Climate change mitigation
Gousse, Kettly Program Assistant Europe and Central Asia regional team, Commodities IAP, land degradation (UNCCD)
Hansen, Steffen Environmental Specialist Europe and Central Asia regional team, international waters
Hartman, Paul Senior Environmental Specialist Commodities IAP, Sustainable Forest Management, Asia regional team
Hillers, Astrid Senior Environmental Specialist Global Programs Coordinator, Africa regional team, International Waters, CFI Program Lead
Iqbal, Fareeha Senior Climate Change Specialist Asia regional team, climate change adaptation
Karrer, Leah Senior Environmental Specialist Asia regional team, international waters
Kuang-Idba, Katya Climate Change Specialist Climate change adaptation
Martinez, Pascal Senior Climate Change Specialist Africa regional team, Latin America regional team, Climate change mitigation, Sustainable Forest Management
Phan, Nhu Quynh Senior Program Assistant Asia regional team, CFI Program
Reddy, Matthew Senior Private Sector Specialist
Sapijanskas, Jurgis Senior Biodiversity Specalist
Severin, Christian Senior Environmental Specialist Latin America regional team, SIDS regional team, international waters
Shiga, Yuki Environmental Specialist
Sinnassamy, Jean-Marc Senior Environmental Specialist Africa regional team, SIDS regional team, SFM, land degradation, Food Security IAP Lead
Sookdeo, Anil Senior Environmental Specialist Chemicals and Waste Coordinator, Asia regional team, Europe and Central Asia regional team, SIDS regional team
Sow, Ibrahima Senior Environmental Specialist Africa Regional Coordinator, chemicals and waste
Spensley, Jason Senior Climate Change Specialist
Swain, Evelyn Senior Environmental Specialist Latin America regional team, SIDS regional team, chemicals
Takemoto, Akio Senior Environmental Specialist Climate Change, Chemicals and Waste
Tirfe, Tigest Program Assistant SIDS regional team, Europe and Central Asia regional team, chemicals (BRS), post 2015 framework, SDGs
Wyatt, Sarah Biodiversity Analyst Latin America regional team, SIDS regional team, biodiversity, SDGs, Indigenous Peoples
Yang, Ming Senior Climate Change Specialist Asia regional team, Africa regional team, Europe and Central Asia regional team, climate change mitigation
Zimsky, Mark Senior Biodiversity Specialist Latin America Regional Coordinator, Biodiversity Focal Area Coordinator