Monica Araya, Ph.D.
Policy Adviser | Strategist | Board Director
Climate, Environment, and Economy
For over 25 years, Monica has worked with government, business, philanthropy, and advocacy leaders to accelerate climate and sustainability, working on the ground in Latin America, Europe, and the U.S.
She advises strategy, is a board member, and is a member of international networks. She is a Distinguished Fellow at ClimateWorks Foundation and a founding member of Drive Electric’s Steering Committee, which is composed of key strategic philanthropies. She is a director of the Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI)’s Governing Board and a member of the Advisory Board at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities and the Climate Lead´s Council.
She helped develop Costa Rica’s national decarbonization plan and was a Special Adviser to the High-Level Champion for Climate Action at COP26. Her TED talks on climate solutions have over five million views. For her work on electrification, she was included in the list of “BBC 100 Women” in 2021.
Monica was the Executive Director of the European Climate Foundation's (ECF) international programs and a member of the organization's Executive Management Team. She oversaw work and grant-making on trade, diplomacy, decarbonization plans, and global climate politics in this capacity.
Monica previously worked at the Ministry of Foreign Trade in Costa Rica, Climate Change Capital, the UN negotiations, and E3G. In Costa Rica, she co-founded Costa Rica Limpia, a citizen group that successfully advocated for a national fossil-free plan for 2018-2050. She obtained a Master's in economic policy from the National University of Costa Rica and a Master's and Ph.D. in Environmental Management from Yale University.
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