CI-GCF Agency

OUR TEAM

Steven Panfil

Vice President, GCF Agency

Steve’s professional focus has been on forests and climate change for nearly 15 years. Much of his work has concentrated on REDD+, including the development and application of social and environmental standards, international and domestic policy, project design, and research. Prior to joining CI, Steve directed a conservation organization in Peru, which engaged with local communities to enhance livelihoods and improve the management of conservation areas while building scientific knowledge of Amazonian forests. A US citizen, Steve was a 10-year resident in Latin America and has also worked extensively with teams in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific region. Steve holds a PhD in plant ecology from the University of Georgia and Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University.

Languages: English, Spanish

Susana Escudero

Senior Director, Grants Management, CI-GCF and CI-GEF Agencies

Susana joined Conservation International in 2012 and serves as the Director of Grants Management for the CI-GCF Agency. She focuses on financial management and operations of the CI-GEF portfolio of projects and manages the relationship with the GEF Trustee. Previously, Susana served as the Senior Manager of Multilateral Relations, managing Conservation International’s portfolio of GEF projects through Multilaterals. Susana has also worked for the Inter-American Development Bank as a consultant and Cargill. Susana holds a Master of Public Administration with a focus on non-profit management from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology from Tulane University. Susana is a native of Brazil and has spent her adult life in the U.S.

Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish

Robert Merritt

Senior Director, Project Development

Robert joined the CI-GCF Agency in January 2018 after more than 10 years managing the implementation of development projects in low-income nations. During that time, he lived and worked in West Africa, East Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. Since 2013, Robert has focused on climate change resilience programs, with particular emphasis on forest conservation and reducing coastal communities’ vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change. 

Robert has extensive experience working closely with a wide range of partners and stakeholders including community leaders, NGOs, local & national governments, regional bodies, and international donors. He has conducted socio-economic and ecological vulnerability assessments, developed practical activities through options analyses, and recognizes the critical importance of local buy-in for climate change interventions.

Robert holds an M.S. in Climate Change from University College London and a B.S. from Bates college in Maine.

Languages: English, French

 

Ian Kissoon

Senior Director, Environmental and Social Framework, CI-GCF and CI-GEF Agencies

Ian hails from the South American country of Guyana and joined CI in February 2015. He holds two masters degrees from the University of Cape Town, South Africa; an MSc Degree in Conservation Biology and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA). Prior to joining CI, Ian worked at the UNDP’s Office in Guyana where he served as the country’s National Coordinator for the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP). He also worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Guyana where he led the work of the Protected Areas Unit, and this included the development of the national protected areas legislation and co-management plans for the Kanuku Mountains and Shell Beach Protected Areas. He developed a passion for ensuring the design and implementation of good conservation projects from having seen the positive impacts such projects can have on the lives of people in communities.

Languages: English

Lilian Nyaega

Senior Manager, GCF Project Oversight

Lilian joins Conservation International with 15 years of experience in the Environment and Conservation space. Before joining, she worked in the Eastern Africa region with Wetlands International, Community Action for Nature Conservation and the East African Wild Life Society where she played a key role in designing and managing initiatives focused on natural resources governance and management and stakeholder engagement. A Kenyan native, Lilian holds a graduate degree in Environment Development and Policy from the University of Sussex, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management and Community Development from Kenyatta University.

Languages: English and Swahili

 

Silvana Lara

Grants Manager

Silvana has worked for eleven years in The Nature Conservancy in the Grants Service Network, where she managed public donor agreements, including multilateral, federal, and non-federal public funds. Her portfolio of projects includes countries in Latin America, The Caribbean, and Micronesia.  Previously, she worked for Chemonics, supporting the implementation of USAID and Chemonics procedures in three projects in Bolivia.  She has also worked for a multinational company dedicated to telecommunications in logistics, human resources, and finance. Silvana holds a master’s degree in rural development, two post-graduated diplomas in human resources, and a degree in business administration. She will be based in CI’s office in La Paz, Bolivia.

Languages: English and Spanish

 

Holman Martinez

Grants Manager

Holman originates from Santa Marta, Colombia. Prior to joining CI in 2024, he was responsible for overseeing, managing, and formulating humanitarian, development, and emergency projects in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela for bilateral, multilateral, and private donors while working with the International Rescue Committee. He previously served as a Young Innovator Fellow at the United Nations Population Fund, where his focus was on strengthening capacities for innovation for youth and local organizations in Colombia. Holman holds a postgraduate degree in International Cooperation and Project Management for Development from the Externado University of Colombia and a degree in Political Science from the University of La Sabana. He will be based in CI's Bogota, Colombia office.


Languages: English and Spanish

 

Kevin Martinson

Operations and Administration Manager, CI-GEF/GCF

Kevin was raised in Aiken, South Carolina, and has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from the University of South Carolina Aiken. Kevin is a dual citizen of Costa Rica and the United States and lived in Costa Rica as a hostel administrator in Manuel Antonio. The experience broadened his cultural horizons and instilled a deep appreciation for nature, wildlife protection, and environmental sustainability. Upon returning to the United States, he moved to Washington, DC, where he worked as the Director of Operations for Little Leaf, a local business known for its robust community engagement.  He is an avid houseplant hobbyist with a keen interest in arid and epiphytic plants. When traveling, he loves to visit botanic gardens, nature reserves, and national or state parks.


Languages: English and Spanish

 

Valeria Garcia

Director, Project Management 

Valeria is specialized in developing green finance instruments and policies, as well as in integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria into investments, projects and institutional frameworks. In recent years, she has collaborated and advised financial institutions and governments across the Latin American and Caribbean Region for the issuance of thematic bonds, green credits, and debt-for-nature swaps transactions, supporting the mobilization of more than $500 million dollars between 2021 and 2023. Valeria has developed her career in multiple international organizations, such as the German Development Agency, the United Nations Development Program and the Global Green Growth Institute. She holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Tecnológico de Monterrey and a Master's degree in Sustainable Energy from the University of Sussex. Valeria enjoys spending time in nature and the sea, practicing yoga, playing tennis and running.


Languages: English and Spanish

 

Valerie Osodo

Manager, CI-GEF/GCF ESMF

Valerie is a Kenyan based in Nairobi. She has experience overseeing the implementation of environmental and social safeguards throughout project life cycles and has successfully led projects funded by major development banks such as the Dutch Entrepreneurial Bank, US Development Finance Corporation, and African Development Bank Group.

 

Previously, Valerie worked at Serengeti Energy, an independent renewable power producer, where she played a key role in implementing the company’s Environmental and Social Management Systems for solar and hydropower projects across Sub-Saharan Africa. Her experience also includes working in Zambia and Malawi, where she supported the implementation of community development projects and livelihood restoration initiatives as part of Serengeti’s operations in the region.

 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Conservation and Natural Resource Management and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Environmental Policy at the University of Nairobi. In her free time, Valerie enjoys spending quality time with family and friends and engaging in outdoor activities such as bike riding in parks.


Languages: English and Swahili