This book is for anyone who wants to understand how rapid socio-economic transformations unfold — and what Latin America and the Caribbean must do to maximize the gains from the next technological revolution already underway. Written for citizens, entrepreneurs, journalists, researchers, and business leaders alike.
I work at the intersection of development economics, natural resource governance, and the green transition in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Career
Most recently, I served as Chief of the Climate Change Division at the Inter-American Development Bank. There, I led climate policy, finance, and governance across Latin America and the Caribbean. Over a decade at the IDB, the division’s climate finance flows tripled. Before the IDB, I led two major conservation institutions: the Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galápagos. I also led the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development in Guyana. Those roles placed me at the intersection of science, governance, and community-level change. Notably, they did so in two of the world’s most ecologically significant landscapes.
Education
I hold a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA from Oxford University, both in environmental science and policy. My academic work built the analytical foundation for a career spent designing frameworks and evaluating institutions. Furthermore, I have advised governments on how to sequence reforms and anchor them in evidence.
Writing & Research
I write a weekly newsletter on structural transformation and the green transition in LAC, published on Substack. My research examines how economies diversify and transform, drawing on historical evidence from across the region. Furthermore, it examines how technological revolutions reshape institutions and how governments can influence outcomes. I have published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles on biodiversity, climate policy, and sustainable infrastructure. In addition, I co-authored two books on conservation in the Galápagos and the Rupununi.
