Our Team

Florent Kaiser is a passionate conservation entrepreneur on a mission to implement effective solutions to scale up restoration and protection of the world’s forest ecosystems. He is the CEO of Global Forest Generation and a co-lead of Acción Andina, a large-scale, community-led forest ecosystem restoration initiative working across the Andes in South America. Acción Andina received Prince William’s Earthshot Prize in 2023 and was recognized as one of the best examples of large-scale ecosystem restoration in 2024 by the United Nations.

As a thought leader dedicated to building alliances with global partners in ecosystem restoration, Florent has been involved in over 200 forest and land use projects worldwide and has extensive knowledge in developing, financing, and scaling projects. Through his involvement in the World Economic Forum’s 1t.org Trillion Tree Campaign and the Global Partnership for Landscape Restoration, Florent helps to create transformative ecosystem solutions with on-the-ground partners and implementers.

Raised in Southeast Asia, Anna has worked on environmental and social development projects in several countries, including Mexico, Bolivia, India, Kenya, South Africa, and Malawi. She studied in the USA, Argentina and the Netherlands, and holds Masters in Business Administration, and Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health. Calling Mexico home for the last several years, Anna joined GFG’s development team in 2021 with a strong track record in project management, operations, and partnership development.

Stephanie has worked in biodiversity conservation for over 15 years. Prior to joining Global Forest Generation, she was IUCN’s Program Officer for Biodiversity Management for South America, where she oversaw biodiversity conservation projects that required global coordination and responsibility for technical and budget execution, as well as monitoring and evaluation. Before that, at Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment, she coordinated the Protected Areas Unit and led the MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) component for REDD+.  Her experience overseeing conservation projects, with a special focus on protected and conserved areas of South America, includes extensive collaboration with national and subnational governments, Indigenous peoples, local communities, and NGO’s. Stephanie has Masters degrees in Socio-Ecological Sustainability as well as Environmental, Economic & Social Sustainability with a specialization in Ecological Economics. She completed complementary studies in Landscape Governance, Economic Tools for Conservation and Management of Environmental Projects.

Jan is originally from Pulaski, a small town in upstate New York near Lake Ontario. She earned her AAS in Equine Studies from Cazenovia College, NY before continuing her education, earning her BA in English and Creative Writing at SUNY Fredonia. She moved to South Carolina to take a position as the Breeding Manager at a large horse farm outside of Columbia, SC. She later explored other career fields including Sales/Marketing and Print Media and Publishing. Most recently, before accepting her position as Administrative and HR Assistant at GFG, she was the Administrative Coordinator at the Turtle Survival Alliance for over five years, where she also served as the Board Secretary. Her love for nature and wildlife drives her passion for the conservation field.

Kathleen McGibbon studied International Relations at the University of Wales, Swansea, Wales, UK and Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where she was granted a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science.

She began her nonprofit career at Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, working in the development and media departments for six years, including as a Project Manager. She subsequently was engaged with animal welfare nonprofits across the U.S., including Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary and Viva Rescue.  She was Development Director for Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary.

Abby Phillips Metzger is a storyteller and author with a specialty in Earth sciences and natural resources. For almost a decade she directed communications and led a team in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University. Previously, she worked in journalism, book publishing, and environmental education, and served as a social services volunteer in Costa Rica. Abby holds an honors bachelor’s degree in English (Spanish minor) and a master’s in environmental sciences, studying at the University of Cantabria in Spain. She is the author of Meander Scars, a series of essays about river restoration; and a co-editor of Wild in the Willamette, a collection of outdoor adventures. Her writing has been recognized as a top pick for the Best Shortform Science Writing and the Best of the Northwest Science Writing Awards. When not working, you might find her paddling a river, hiking the woods, or camping with her family in the wilds of Oregon.

Isabella graduated from the University of Florida with Bachelor’s degrees in Sustainability Studies and International Studies, where she began advocating for climate change and environmental justice communities. This led her to become a member of the inaugural class of Columbia University’s Climate School, earning a Master’s in Climate and Society. Prior to joining GFG, Isabella worked as a Social Media Associate for The Climate Reality Project and was the Communications Officer for AIMES, a project of Future Earth. She believes that the way to ignite passion for sustainability is through education.

Leslie Danoff is Co-founder and Board Chair of Global Forest Generation. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors of World Land Trust US, where she was the moving force behind its successful rebranding. As a result of her leadership, the conservation nonprofit became Rainforest Trust and was able to significantly enlarge its strategic vision. Revenue increased tenfold during Leslie’s four-year tenure on the Board. While serving as a Board member, she worked pro-bono to develop Rainforest Trust’s communications and outreach capacity.

Leslie’s professional highlights as a broadcast journalist include working with Bill Moyers in public television and with Walter Cronkite at CBS News on Election Night. At CBS, she worked on news specials and documentaries and developed multi-part series for the Morning News, such as Trade-Offs Between the Environment and Economy. At New York’s public television station, WNET, she won an Emmy for a public affairs series devoted to critical New York City issues. Leslie is an independent documentary filmmaker and a 1973 graduate of the first class of women at Yale.

Jim Brumm was a member of the board of directors of Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan and was Executive Vice President & General Counsel of their U.S. subsidiary, Mitsubishi International Corporation.  He also served on the board of Tembec, Inc., a publicly traded Canadian forest products company, for 15 years. Over the last 20 years at Mitsubishi, Jim became deeply involved in handling environmental, human rights and indigenous peoples issues worldwide for the corporation.

He has a deep interest in and a commitment to sustainable solutions to the environmental and social issues that our planet faces and needs to resolve.  In addition to Global Forest Generation, Jim currently serves on a number of non-profit boards, primarily in the environmental and conservation fields, including NatureServe, where he is board chair, the International Crane Foundation, EcoAgriculture Partners and the Amazon Conservation Association. Jim previously served on the boards of Forest Trends, American Bird Conservancy, and First Peoples Worldwide, an Indigenous rights and development organization.

April Riddle Gow brings over 30 years of executive experience in corporate marketing, strategic communications, and nonprofit leadership. She has advised U.S. and international organizations on brand development, fundraising, and program strategy, with a recent focus on supporting global NGOs expanding their reach in the U.S.

Her work spans environmental sustainability, including a multi-year project with Panama’s Minister of Tourism on a sustainable development plan for Indigenous communities. In the corporate sector, she held roles with Alfa Romeo, Toyota, Estée Lauder, and Aetna, and has led or founded several nonprofit arts organizations, including the American Friends of the London Symphony Orchestra and Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra.

In addition to serving on the Board of Global Forest Generation, she is on the boards of Network 20/20, Urban Stages, and People’s Symphony Concerts, and is an advisor to the Asia Scotland Institute and the UN Hospitality Committee. A dual U.S.-UK citizen, she lives in Southport, Connecticut, and Edinburgh, Scotland.

During Alberto Paniagua’s tenure (1998-2018) as CEO of the private Peruvian Trust Fund for National Parks & Protected Areas (Profonanpe), he made this institution the first of its kind in Latin America to introduce international fiduciary standards into its organizational design. Profonanpe is considered a pioneer in the promotion and implementation of conservation and sustainable development projects for the benefit of Andean and Amazonian communities. Alberto’s fundraising strategy resulted in the growth of Profonanpe’s revenue from US$16 million to nearly US$240 million in non-reimbursable funds.

Under his leadership, Profonanpe in 2015 was the first entity in the Americas to be accredited as a national implementing entity (NIE) by the Green Climate Fund. Alberto also established the Cordillera Azul National Park Trust Fund, which administers financial resources from the international sale of carbon certificates.

Earlier in his career (1997), while advising UNDP (United Nations Development Program) in Peru, Alberto was responsible for the design and creation of the micro-enterprise bank, MIBANCO, to relieve poverty. Half of the banks 900,000 rural and urban clients are women whose MIBANCO loans have provided a greater ability to contribute financially to their families, including to boost their children’s educational opportunities. MIBANCO remains the banking institution with the lowest delinquency rate in Peru’s financial system.

Shaun has worked on every continent with donors, investors, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations, and social purpose companies, scaling catalytic strategies that address intractable problems. He has 30 years of experience in private finance, philanthropy, and international rural development, leading the creation and growth of innovative for-profit and nonprofit companies that support the well-being of people and planet. His work has relied on forging blended finance strategies, business acumen, and social mission, as well as orchestrating international multi-stakeholder partnerships that have included UN agencies, government, multinational companies, and civil society organizations.

In 2012, Shaun partnered with Good Capital to establish an impact venture fund, Reinventure Capital, where he serves as a General Partner. Reinventure Capital matches capital with technology innovations to invest in growth companies led by women and people of color. In 1992, at the age of 28, Shaun co-founded and for 20 years led the nonprofit organization, EcoLogic Development Fund, to empower rural and Indigenous peoples to restore and protect tropical ecosystems by providing grants and technical assistance to grassroots organizations integrating community-led development and conservation. In 2006, he founded Pico Bonito Forests, LLC to restore tropical habitats in Honduras through reforestation commercially. Beginning in 1999, Shaun guided the launch and seven-year incubation of Root Capital that has now provided more than $1.1 billion in loans benefiting 637 small and growing businesses in Latin America and Africa.

Shaun is a Research Fellow at the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University to innovate measuring the social impact of private investments, an advisor to the Mentor Capital Network, a nominator for the Goldman Environmental Prize, and designated as a Next Generation Leadership Fellow by the Rockefeller Foundation. He has served as a board member of Accelerating Appalachia to grow early-stage nature-based companies, International Funders for Indigenous Peoples, and Creative Action Institute.

With a career spanning capital markets, climate finance, and global sustainability, Saima enables climate solutions through innovative business, financial, and technological models focused on nature. Her experience includes due diligence, investment, and project management across 50+ countries in forestry, water, regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, waste, ecotourism, and industrials.

After starting on Wall Street, Saima joined the World Bank to help pioneer climate and carbon finance investments and develop strategic partnerships to finance and implement large-scale climate impact solutions. Combining human-centered design and systems thinking, she creates interdisciplinary strategies that balance ecological, community, and financial realities.

Known for translating complex technical and financial concepts across sectors, Saima brings deep expertise in risk management and investor analysis. She also developed a first-of-its-kind carbon credit quality risk assessment framework to evaluate key risk drivers across project types.

Pierre-Laurent Baudey is a creative and consumer-centric leader with over two decades of experience driving global brand transformation. He spent 22 years at Nike, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s most iconic launches — including Nike Football, Nike Women, and Nike’s consumer category realignment. As VP of Global Member Services, he led the creation of Nike’s membership platform, which today boasts over 300 million members.

With a career that spans work across Paris, London, Amsterdam, Portland, and New York, Pierre-Laurent has guided brand strategy for other high-profile brands, including FENTY, TAG Heuer, Vans, and VISA. He now leads PLB LAB, a consultancy designed to accelerate innovation and brand growth, and co-founded Hellen, a loyalty-focused venture with Zeus Jones. A passionate advocate for inclusive leadership, he serves on the strategic committee of The League of Badass Women and supports gender equity initiatives globally.

Based in New Delhi, Bhupendra Chaubey is one of India’s most respected political journalists, with over two decades of experience covering the nation’s shifting political landscape. He began his career with NDTV and later helped launch CNN-IBN, where he served as Executive Editor and hosted several flagship shows, including India at 9 and Face the Nation. Known for his ground-level reporting and sharp analysis, he has reported on four general elections and countless state polls, interviewing many of the country’s top leaders and newsmakers.

With a background in mathematics and film studies, Bhupendra blends academic depth with grassroots insight. He currently hosts the weekend interview series Hot Seat and is the founder of The Squirrels, a rising digital platform focused on public discourse and citizen-centered journalism.

Megan Gilbert is a dynamic leader in storytelling and content innovation, currently serving as Vice President and Executive Editorial Director at Fortune Brand Studio. She leads the award-winning studio’s editorial vision and content strategy, crafting high-impact campaigns across digital, video, audio, and print for clients like Salesforce, PayPal, Accenture, and AWS.

A former journalist turned branded content expert, Megan has held editorial roles at VICE, Slate, The Washington Post, Gizmodo, and Univision. Her work has earned top honors, including Content Marketer of the Year (WICMA 2022) and recognition as one of Ragan’s Top Women in Marketing (2024). She was also a key creative force behind The Ecopreneurs, a global award-winning docu-series spotlighting environmental changemakers.

Megan teaches Branded Content at NYU and regularly judges for the Webby, Anthem, Telly, and Native Advertising Awards. She brings a rare blend of editorial depth, strategic insight, and creative spark to everything she touches.

Cassia Elizabeth Jayani Patel is a systems strategist and sustainability leader working at the intersection of ecology, ethics, and impact. With a background in marine biology, environmental engineering, and sustainable design, she bridges disciplines to catalyze regeneration and support the rise of a localized, values-driven bioeconomy.

Cassia is Co-Founder of Beyonder’s Collective and Chief of Staff at Earth One, a network advancing soft-power diplomacy and planetary stewardship. She also serves on the Board of Oceanic Global, where she led development of the award-winning Blue Standard and helped shape global policy through the UN Global Plastics Treaty and marine protection initiatives.

She has advised responsible finance startup Anthropogenic and continues to consult across climate, finance, and ocean conservation. Her work has been featured at UN World Oceans Day, COP27, and the UNEP Marine Debris Conference. Cassia is committed to nurturing leadership that is rooted, relational, and regenerative.

David Lennon is a branded content pioneer with over two decades of experience leading creative teams at the intersection of media, advertising, and storytelling. As SVP and Head of Fortune Brand Studio, he joined Fortune Media in 2019 to launch and scale its in-house creative agency, delivering award-winning content campaigns for global brands.

Prior to Fortune, David led branded content teams at Vice Media, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, working across Brooklyn, New York, London. He began his career in advertising at McCann-Erickson in Manchester and has since created high-impact campaigns that have generated over $550 million in revenue and earned 500+ international awards, including Cannes Lions, D&AD Pencils, Webbys, and Anthem Awards.

A global creative force, David is known for building high-performing teams and pushing the boundaries of commercial storytelling.

Angela Peterson is a sustainability leader dedicated to advancing biodiversity conservation and restoration, gender equity, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. She currently serves as Head of the Sol de Janeiro Foundation, where she leads the company’s global philanthropic efforts by aligning corporate ESG goals with high-impact environmental and social initiatives.

Previously, Angela established and led the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities reforestation program at One Tree Planted. She also held leadership roles at Bountifield International, where she expanded access to postharvest technologies, regenerative agriculture, and climate resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her global perspective is rooted in hands-on development work across Latin America, East Africa, and the U.S., with a focus on health, education, and impact-linked microfinance.

She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, specializing in Energy and Environment, and a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in International Affairs and Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research and publications span foreign aid and investment, corruption, and renewable energy.

Derek Wallbank is an award-winning journalist and senior editor at Bloomberg, where he steers global coverage of U.S. government, economics, and geopolitical risk during US West Coast and Asia-Pacific market hours. Based in San Francisco, Derek helps shape Bloomberg’s news strategy on both sides of the Pacific, from the White House to Asia.

A veteran news leader with more than 15 years in journalism, Derek has guided real-time coverage of some of the biggest global events of the past decade, including elections in the US, India, and Australia, the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S.-China trade conflict, and five G-20 summits. He previously led Bloomberg’s breaking news coverage across south and southeast Asia from Singapore. Before that, Derek oversaw Bloomberg’s Washington breaking news desk, including the White House, Congress, and Donald Trump’s rise to power.

A frequent voice on Bloomberg TV and Radio, Derek is known for his clarity on complex global developments and his poetic command of the headline. He is a former board chairman of the National Press Club in Washington, life member of the Singapore Press Club, and frequent guest lecturer for universities in the US and Asia on journalism, business, and geopolitical risk.