New York City Metropolitan Area
Global Social and Environmental Standards Policy Lead at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with over 13 years of distinguished professional experience. Adept in crafting comprehensive Environmental and Social (E&S) Policy Frameworks and overseeing their successful institutional implementation, while spearheading high-level global execution and capacity enhancement strategies to bolster on-ground capabilities for Environmental and Social due diligence. Possessing a wealth of practical expertise in the application of E&S safeguards in projects, with a notable focus on Resettlement and Livelihood Restoration Processes, Waste Management, Biodiversity Conservation, and Protected Area Management. Demonstrated mastery in developing and applying cutting-edge environmental and social (E&S) reporting tools and furnishing hands-on guidance to executing agencies and private clients in the field. Driven by an unwavering commitment to the application of Social and Environmental Due Diligence, with a resolute dedication to ensuring operational sustainability and directly enhancing the well-being of beneficiaries.
Group Head for Capacity Building, Communications and Knowledge at the IDB's Environmental and Social Solutions Division. - Lead the Bank’s ESG capacity building and institutional strengthening agenda across Latin America and the Caribbean, covering both internal and external stakeholders. - Oversee a multidisciplinary team and a regional portfolio of technical assistance and capacity-building programs. - Lead regional policy dialogue on environmental and social licensing and enforcement with government counterparts and executing agencies. - Direct the design and implementation of overview assessments to inform ESG system strengthening across countries. - Develop and oversee knowledge products and communications to support uptake of ESG standards and institutional reforms. - Coordinate country-level and regional engagements with executing agencies to strengthen environmental and social management systems.
Co-Leading a dedicated team within the IDB's ESG unit, I oversee external capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing the capabilities of executing agencies within government ministries. Our focus is on ensuring the sustainable implementation of IDB-funded projects, adhering to the Environmental and Social Performance Framework (ESPF). Additionally, I manage a substantial technical cooperation fund, which provides essential financial resources for strategic capacity-building measures. My role is pivotal in driving sustainability and fostering effective project execution across various government sectors.
As the Head of UNDP's Corporate Social and Environmental Standards Policy (SES) Portfolio: - Pioneering the execution of UNDP's latest Social and Environmental Standards (SES), ensuring their seamless integration. - Spearheading the advancement of institutional environmental and social systems and cutting-edge tools to enhance due diligence, including the SES Online Screening Tool and SES Tracker. - Offering strategic policy guidance to project teams and senior management, facilitating sound decision-making. - Orchestrating the global deployment of the SES learning strategy across regional bureaus, country offices, and collaborative partners. - Supervising a proficient team of consultants dedicated to internal and external capacity development, knowledge product creation, and the refinement of internal processes and procedures. - Serving as the corporate nexus for addressing grievances and conducting inquiries through UNDP's accountability mechanism, the Social and Environmental Compliance Unit (SECU). - Exercising vigilant oversight over the enactment of regional action plans, reinforcing SES governance. - Providing expert guidance for high-stakes projects in Yemen, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Malawi to optimize operational success. - Overseeing the resolution of high-risk issues and delivering expert counsel on the establishment of environmental and social oversight for the FSO SAFER Yemen operation, ensuring its responsible execution.
Peer Reviewer for Courses on Involuntary Resettlement and Livelihood Restoration.
Conducting rigorous assessments of environmental and social (E&S) risks and impacts across the spectrum of Bank operations, programs, and sector strategies. Devising innovative strategies for the mitigation of identified impacts and risks, and assigning precise risk and impact classifications while skillfully negotiating contractual E+S clauses within the official loan agreements. Pioneering the advocacy for Environmental and Social Standard 1: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, overseeing the successful implementation of the New Environmental and Social Framework. Spearheading a comprehensive livelihood restoration process benefiting over 3000 project-affected individuals. This inclusive initiative encompasses the provision of agricultural resources, targeted training programs, employment facilitation services for more than 400 at-risk youth, and secure access to land for the most vulnerable populations. Accumulating substantial expertise in Environmental and Social Management within Financial Intermediary and Lending-Based Results projects, with a notable focus on the health and finance sectors. Fostering effective collaboration with project teams, in-country stakeholders, and government counterparts. Proficiently managing the scoping and retrofitting of environmental and social impact assessments, environmental management plans, as well as resettlement and livelihood restoration plans. Oversight of a team of over five external consultants responsible for delivering on ongoing projects spanning various countries. Exercising vigilant Environmental and Social Risk Supervision, conducting thorough Due Diligence, and adroitly managing more than 20 projects in the process of implementation across Latin America and the Caribbean. With extensive in-country experience in Haiti, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
Conceived and led a comprehensive on-the-ground assessment of the intricate resettlement, livelihood restoration, and compensation procedures for a substantial industrial venture. Adroitly navigated negotiations and fostered constructive engagement with community leaders, individuals displaced by the project, and government authorities regarding compensation and livelihood restoration concerns. The culmination of these efforts resulted in a landmark agreement, outlining a three-year phased strategy to reinvigorate the livelihoods of over 2000 affected individuals. Provided invaluable support to the resettlement and land acquisition processes in collaboration with the executing agency of the Haitian Ministry of Economics and Finance. This encompassed bolstering their expertise in project-related matters, the development of internal procedures, and the promotion of awareness and sensitivity to social issues. Demonstrated meticulous oversight of Environmental, Social, Health, and Safety (ESH&S) considerations within the context of IDB-financed and project-related construction undertakings. Actively managed the environmental and social impacts associated with projects in both the preparation and implementation phases, ensuring adherence to best practices and regulatory standards.
Diligently providing vital support to the Environmental and Social Standards Advisory Team (ESSAT) in ensuring global compliance with environmental and social safeguard policies and proficient risk management: • Spearheaded an essential needs analysis for the worldwide launch of the new Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). Emphasis placed on crafting a suite of innovative risk-rating tools to be strategically deployed at various stages within the project lifecycle. • Pioneered the development of a comprehensive guidance note focused on the management of adverse impacts on communities stemming from project-induced labor influx. This note, along with its integrated screening tool, now stands as the benchmark for task team leaders in the screening of their respective projects for potential impacts and offers an extensive toolkit of mitigation measures. • Conducted meticulous reviews to ensure safeguard compliance and uphold quality standards for environmental and social impact assessments, as well as Resettlement Plans, for Bank projects spanning East Africa/Latin America. • Forged strategic partnerships with the IT department, collaborating to establish Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools geared towards tracking environmental and social performance and project-related grievances throughout the project cycle. • Actively contributed to shaping the procedural framework and organizational structures of the newly established Corporate Grievance Redress Service (GRS). Conducted extensive outreach and external communications initiatives to promote this service to bank clients and project-affected individuals and communities. • Demonstrated unwavering commitment to addressing grievances from project-affected communities and individuals, actively working to rectify harm in the development process. Provided mediation and arbitration services, effectively resolving high-level disputes involving bank management, project-affected parties, and the borrower/contractor.