Georgia Pessoa

I lead the Environment Area of Roberto Marinho’s Foundation. I am a lawyer by training and come to the Initiative with a range of experience. Most recently I was the Country Director for Rare in Brazil. Prior to that I set up and lead the Latin American Regional Climate Initiative in Brazil (LARCI/ICS). I have also helped start up an energy services company in Brazil’s Northeast region and worked on intellectual property rights for the Ministry of Science and Technology. I have experience working on private sector sustainability issues with Brazil’s National Biodiversity Fund (Funbio), and developed a green cities labeling program for the state of Ceará, during my term Coordinating the Environmental Policy of her home state (Ceará). I have served as a legal advisor to WWF-Brazil and was a senior program officer at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. I also hold an MBA from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation and a master degree in environmental management.

Over my career I have developed a combination of technical skills, experience in conservation, fundraising, and sustainable use endeavors, policies, compliance and legal advisory. I bring together a good blend of perspectives from NGOs, governments, private sector and funders.

I have abilities to develop and implement socio-environmental programs, strategies, projects, grants, legal frameworks and economic instruments in South America, with over twenty year’s experience. A team player with proven negotiating skills, highly committed to achieving results. Well connected in the conservation and philanthropic community, and continuing constructive working relationship with dedicated environmentalists in the Brazilian government, private sector, NGOs and universities.

I was nominated to become a THNKer by Alexandre Fernandes Filho