Verona Collantes-Lebale

Verona is a Senior Gender Specialist at the Global Environment Facility, where she leads in advancing gender equality and social inclusion in GEF’s policies, programs, and operations.

She leads the preparation of knowledge products, builds capacity, and contributes to raising the visibility of gender issues in the thematic areas of the GEF. Verona convenes and spearheads the work of the GEF Gender Partnership (GGP), whose members include gender focal points of the 18 GEF implementing agencies and the five Secretariats of the Conventions that the GEF serves. She actively engages with women’s organizations, youth networks, and other partners such as UN entities and intergovernmental organizations.

Before joining the GEF, Verona was an Intergovernmental Specialist at UN Women and held various positions at UN agencies in New York and Geneva. She was also a Philippine Foreign Service Officer. Verona completed her master's degree in international law and economics, summa cum laude, at the World Trade Institute in Bern, Switzerland.