Michele Gonzalez-Mendia works at the intersection of capital allocation, nature-related risk, and long-term value creation, helping investors understand how biodiversity loss and deforestation create material financial risks and opportunities that remain underpriced across global markets.
As Chief of Sustainable Finance & Partnerships at FSC Investments & Partnerships, she leads engagement with the financial sector to increase investment in forests and nature-based solutions. Her work focuses on creating the conditions needed to mobilize capital toward sustainable forestry and forest-positive value chains while demonstrating how nature can support resilience, long-term value creation, and climate adaptation.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience across sustainable finance, international development, government, academia, and the private sector, Michele has mobilized multimillion-dollar investments throughout Asia and Latin America and contributed to the development of emerging nature-related financial frameworks. She holds an MBA from Eastern University, has pursued advanced studies in sustainable investing, climate change, and global health through Harvard University, and is the author of Unlocking Investment into Sustainable Forestry.