Meet the team

Kavita Sharma is a Task Manager with the UNEP GEF Biodiversity Land Degradation Unit, based in Bangkok. Prior to joining the UNEP GEF team, Kavita worked on natural capital accounting in Asia, Africa, and Europe at UNEP's The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) secretariat in Geneva, and as a management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers India.

Fatma Twahir is an Administrative Officer of the GEF Climate Mitigation unit (CMU). 

She is responsible for the Financial and Administrative Management of the Unit. She has extensive experience and knowledge in Budget and Finance, with over 30 years working both in the private sector and the UN.

Alex is a programme management officer with the Climate Change Adaptation Unit based at the Nature for Climate Branch in the UNEP’s Ecosystem Division in Nairobi.

Isabelle has extensive experience with the negotiation, formulation, and implementation of technical assistance projects primarily GEF funded, and has worked with multiple partners.

Asher is responsible for UNEP’s portfolio of GEF mitigation projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.

He oversees the development and implementation of more than 25 projects in the region, in areas including sustainable cities, electric mobility, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate transparency.

Sudhir Sharma is an Officer in Charge of UNEP's GEF Climate Change Mitigation team, based in the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Suzanne oversees the development and implementation of UNEP’s projects which support developing countries meet their reporting obligation under the UN Framework Convention on Climate change.

Julien is responsible for UNEP’s portfolio of GEF-funded climate change mitigation projects in Africa, as well as a global programme on electric mobility.

Florence oversees the financial management of the Cross-Cutting Capacity Development (CCCD) portfolio as well as the GCF-funded Climate Information and Early Warning Systems (CIEWS) portfolio.

Anna Kontorov has over 15 years of experience working on climate change adaptation, ecosystems and biodiversity issues.

She started her career at the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, focusing on European Union and international biodiversity policy processes, joining UNEP’s Climate Change Adaptation Unit at the end of 2007.

Currently based in Bangkok managing projects in the Asia Pacific region, Moon Shrestha has been working as task manager for GEF and GCF projects with UNEP for over five years. During this period, she has been involved in developing and managing various GEF/GCF projects mainly related with ecosystem-based adaptation.

Eloise is the focal point for the SAICM projects of the GEF Chemicals and Waste Portfolio.

Peerayot Sidonrusmee currently works for the UNEP GEF Biodiversity & Land Degradation portfolio for Asia and the Pacific, where he provides support for UNEP GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation projects.

Gloritzel Frangakis has worked with UNEP for over 12 years with the GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit within the Ecosystems Division, providing project cycle management support to GEF-funded Biodiversity and Land Degradation projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Evelyn currently works for the UNEP GEF Biodiversity & Land Degradation portfolio in Nairobi, where she provides support for Biosafety projects.

Daniel has a blend of experience working in various capacities in the last 27 years with and for governments, academia, bilateral and multilateral biodiversity conservation and management projects, consultancy companies, international NGOs and now with UNEP CCAU after the UNEP UN-REDD Programme.

Ines supports the portfolio on task management. Prior to joining UNEP, she worked for UNDP on sustainable development policy, global project management, the Small Islands Developing States portfolio and sustainable energy project coordination. In addition, she previously consulted for UNEP on project evaluations.

Atifa has over 7 years of experience working on climate change adaptation and environmental issues.

Anu oversees the GEF Chemicals and Waste Portfolio finances and administrative queries.

She has 17 years of experience in administration at the UN Office of Nairobi and in programme budgeting in UNEP. Anu is a national of the Netherlands and India, she holds an MBA.

Jitendra is the focal point for the POPs projects of the GEF Chemicals and Waste Portfolio.

Nick is a senior communication expert, with over 15 years of experience leading on communication strategy development, brand development and content production and management for non-profit clients across Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Jane has been with UNEP’s Ecosystems Division since 2014 as the GEF Task Manager in charge of Africa, where she is charged with project development, implementation, supervision and management, plus knowledge management and UNEP/GEF corporate tasks. Since then she has mobilized over $50 million in funding from GEF to UNEP and the participating countries.

Alex Owusu-Biney supports the UNEP-GEF Portfolio on Biosafety in the development, implementation and technical support to the National Biosafety Frameworks in line with Member States obligations to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety at the Global, Regional and National Levels.

Sangjin is a Task Manager of the GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit at UNEP, where he facilitates the development and implementation of UNEP’s overall agenda through coordination of UNEP-GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation projects in the Pacific region, as well as selected countries in the Asia Region.

Ersin has 23 years of experience in development planning, strategic management planning, project cycle management, project evaluation, capital budgeting and international negotiations.