Accomplished climate change adaptation academic and consultant with 10+ years’ experience in climate adaptation and resilience building in Small Island Developing States. Laura is the CEO and Founder of ITACA Solutions. Over the past years, Laura has supported the design and provision of climate services for the public and private sector, including the development of vulnerability, climate risk assessments and adaptation plans, decision support tools for financial institutions, analysis of climate resilience in value chains, and the design and delivery of training and capacity building programs.
Laura Canevari
CEO and Founder
Accomplished climate change adaptation academic and consultant with 10+ years’ experience in climate adaptation and resilience building in Small Island Developing States. Laura is the CEO and Founder of ITACA Solutions. Over the past years, Laura has supported the design and provision of climate services for the public and private sector, including the development of vulnerability, climate risk assessments and adaptation plans, decision support tools for financial institutions, analysis of climate resilience in value chains, and the design and delivery of training and capacity building programs.
Anaitée is an international development expert with over 12+ years of experience consulting in topics related to sustainable energy, climate change adaptation, climate finance, disaster risk financing, climate risk, and climate transparency. Anaitée has a keen eye for operational detail, project management and stakeholder engagement having collaborated with highly reputable organizations such as the World Bank Group, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Resources Institute, USAID, and the World Resources Institute, as well as for public and private sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Anaitée Mills
Co-Founder
Anaitée is an international development expert with over 12+ years of experience consulting in topics related to sustainable energy, climate change adaptation, climate finance, disaster risk financing, climate risk, and climate transparency. Anaitée has a keen eye for operational detail, project management and stakeholder engagement having collaborated with highly reputable organizations such as the World Bank Group, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Resources Institute, USAID, and the World Resources Institute, as well as for public and private sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sara is an accomplished climate change expert with 12+ years of experience in resilience building, disaster & environmental management, climate finance and in the implementation of innovative climate mitigation/adaptation technologies and strategies. Sara is effective in identifying opportunities to finance low carbon and resilient solutions, green/nature-based infrastructure, disaster risk mitigation and environmental conservation. She has extensive experience designing and implementing projects in a wide variety of sectors such as water and wastewater, coastal zone management, energy, tourism, health, blue and circular economy, amongst others.
Sara Valero
Blue Economy Expert
Sara is an accomplished climate change expert with 12+ years of experience in resilience building, disaster & environmental management, climate finance and in the implementation of innovative climate mitigation/adaptation technologies and strategies. Sara is effective in identifying opportunities to finance low carbon and resilient solutions, green/nature-based infrastructure, disaster risk mitigation and environmental conservation. She has extensive experience designing and implementing projects in a wide variety of sectors such as water and wastewater, coastal zone management, energy, tourism, health, blue and circular economy, amongst others.
Lucas is an advanced fisheries engineering student, with a strong formation in aquaculture and seafood processing, including storage, quality control, packaging, logistics, and everything behind the layout and design of a seafood processing plant. Lucas has solid knowledge in the engineering behind the fishing industry and has joined ITACA to identify and design proposals to access finance placing focus on community engagement, and capacity building. Lucas is specially interested in the convergence between ocean tech, innovation and climate change.
Lucas Mira
Junior Associate
Lucas is an advanced fisheries engineering student, with a strong formation in aquaculture and seafood processing, including storage, quality control, packaging, logistics, and everything behind the layout and design of a seafood processing plant. Lucas has solid knowledge in the engineering behind the fishing industry and has joined ITACA to identify and design proposals to access finance placing focus on community engagement, and capacity building. Lucas is specially interested in the convergence between ocean tech, innovation and climate change.
Key SubjectMatter Experts
Gigi has over 30 years of experience working in aquaculture and the fishing industry and has worked in over 80 countries. With an M.Sc in Animal Science, specialised in aquaculture, and a Master of International Economy and Finance, Gigi has an extensive experience in multilateral trade assistance projects and in the design of fisheries/aquaculture programme strategies and Action Plans for ACP and developing countries. His work covers the whole fisheries value chains for the development of sustainable fishery/aquaculture policies, poverty reduction and livelihood strategies, as well as considerations on sustainable approaches for integrated fishery and aquaculture resources.
GianLuigi Negroni
Fisheries and Aquaculture Expert
Gigi has over 30 years of experience working in aquaculture and the fishing industry and has worked in over 80 countries. With an M.Sc in Animal Science, specialised in aquaculture, and a Master of International Economy and Finance, Gigi has an extensive experience in multilateral trade assistance projects and in the design of fisheries/aquaculture programme strategies and Action Plans for ACP and developing countries. His work covers the whole fisheries value chains for the development of sustainable fishery/aquaculture policies, poverty reduction and livelihood strategies, as well as considerations on sustainable approaches for integrated fishery and aquaculture resources.
Claudia is a biologist and geographer specialised in modelling and mapping biodiversity and ecosystems services. Her interests include biodiversity and ecosystem services conservation, wildlife-human interactions and global spatial patterns of biodiversity. She has a bachelor's degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a Master’s degree in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Southampton and a PhD in Geography from King’s College London. Her research projects are focused on modelling and mapping species and ecosystem services of temperate and tropical ecosystems to address different conservation issues.
Claudia Gutierrez
GIS Expert
Claudia is a biologist and geographer specialised in modelling and mapping biodiversity and ecosystems services. Her interests include biodiversity and ecosystem services conservation, wildlife-human interactions and global spatial patterns of biodiversity. She has a bachelor's degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a Master’s degree in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Southampton and a PhD in Geography from King’s College London. Her research projects are focused on modelling and mapping species and ecosystem services of temperate and tropical ecosystems to address different conservation issues.
Slendy is a passionate advocate for the circular economy, with a background in civil engineering and extensive experience in project management, the energy sector, and circular business models in both the public and private sectors. With a strong focus on sustainability, she is committed to driving innovative solutions that promote circularity in all its forms, ecodesign, industrial symbiosis, circular projects, advisory, and education. She has participated in several publications and has received recognition for her contribution to the circular economy in the industrial sector. She is the coordinator of the regional circular economy strategy in Antioquia - Colombia.
Slendy Díaz
Circular Economy Expert
Slendy is a passionate advocate for the circular economy, with a background in civil engineering and extensive experience in project management, the energy sector, and circular business models in both the public and private sectors. With a strong focus on sustainability, she is committed to driving innovative solutions that promote circularity in all its forms, ecodesign, industrial symbiosis, circular projects, advisory, and education. She has participated in several publications and has received recognition for her contribution to the circular economy in the industrial sector. She is the coordinator of the regional circular economy strategy in Antioquia - Colombia.
David holds a PhD in Applied Geomorphology from the Australian National University and a Masters of Social Science from the University of Queensland. He taught and researched in the field of coastal processes and management and human - environment interactions at the coast and was Director of the Geography & Environmental Management Program at UQ (2003-2011). He has authored or co-authored about 75 refereed publications and has over 190 other contributions (conference papers, reports, etc.) and conducted research and/or delivered field courses in Antarctica, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Southwest Pacific, Cambodia and Vietnam.
David Neil
Coastal Management Expert
David holds a PhD in Applied Geomorphology from the Australian National University and a Masters of Social Science from the University of Queensland. He taught and researched in the field of coastal processes and management and human - environment interactions at the coast and was Director of the Geography & Environmental Management Program at UQ (2003-2011). He has authored or co-authored about 75 refereed publications and has over 190 other contributions (conference papers, reports, etc.) and conducted research and/or delivered field courses in Antarctica, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Southwest Pacific, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Rodolfo has a Ph.D. in Coastal and Port Engineering and is a Senior Researcher and Professor of Civil Engineering at the Institute of Engineering of the National University of Mexico. Since 1995 Rodolfo has been the Head of the Coastal and Oceanographic Group at UNAM and at the Mexican Centre for Ocean Renewable Energies. He has been the Mexican delegate and the Latin American Regional Coordinator in the Excellence Center for Development Cooperation and the Mexican Delegate in the Ocean Energy System. As an author or co-author, he has participated in over 650 publications and more than 100 technical reports.
Rodolfo Silva Casarín
Nature-based Solutions Expert
Rodolfo has a Ph.D. in Coastal and Port Engineering and is a Senior Researcher and Professor of Civil Engineering at the Institute of Engineering of the National University of Mexico. Since 1995 Rodolfo has been the Head of the Coastal and Oceanographic Group at UNAM and at the Mexican Centre for Ocean Renewable Energies. He has been the Mexican delegate and the Latin American Regional Coordinator in the Excellence Center for Development Cooperation and the Mexican Delegate in the Ocean Energy System. As an author or co-author, he has participated in over 650 publications and more than 100 technical reports.
Rachael holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Clemson University, USA, and Masters in Biostatistics from the University of Reading, UK and the Pennsylvania State University, USA. She has over 35 years of experience in teaching and the application of Biostatistics in health, agriculture, environmental science, and other scientific disciplines in the Caribbean. While at the University of Trinidad and Tobago she developed graduate programmes in Environmental Science and Management & Health Administration. She worked as a Consultant with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Belize and the Cropper Foundation, Trinidad. She currently works as a Data Scientist.
Rachael Williams
Data Scientist
Rachael holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Clemson University, USA, and Masters in Biostatistics from the University of Reading, UK and the Pennsylvania State University, USA. She has over 35 years of experience in teaching and the application of Biostatistics in health, agriculture, environmental science, and other scientific disciplines in the Caribbean. While at the University of Trinidad and Tobago she developed graduate programmes in Environmental Science and Management & Health Administration. She worked as a Consultant with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Belize and the Cropper Foundation, Trinidad. She currently works as a Data Scientist.
OurNETWORK
With over 100 experts located in over 25 countries, mostly within the Caribbean,
our growing network of subject matter experts allows us to provide technical and local expertise on a wide variety of fields, including:
Agri-business
Aquaculture
Circular economy
Climate finance
Climate resilience
Coastal conservation
Coastal planning
Coastal restoration
Data collection and analysis
Gender issues
Mariculture
Policy development
Project management
Renewable energy
Sustainable tourism
Sustainable architecture
value chain development
Water management
We build the capacity of Caribbean communities to plan and finance their transition to a low carbon and climate resilient future.
