Who are we

Aline Lara holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from PUC-Rio and a Master’s in Sustainability Science and Technology from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), with a specialization in climate change, modeling, and decision support systems.Her master’s thesis developed a qualitative modeling approach to support decision-making to halt deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. At the Igarapé Institute, she works as a researcher in the International Cooperation Program, promoting synergies between the climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development agendas through technical analysis and advocacy. She has actively participated in international climate negotiations, following the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) since COP27 in 2022.

A Business Administration graduate from UFRRJ, she has worked in the Third Sector since 2014 in the operations department, where she found her niche. She joined the Igarapé Institute in 2016 and has dedicated herself to developing her skills in the field. She currently works as an Administrative and HR Analyst at the Igarapé Institute.

André Guttierrez has always demonstrated a creative streak, dedicating himself to illustration from an early age, a field he has studied and explored throughout his life. Graduating in Design, he joined the Igarapé Institute as an intern in 2022, beginning his professional career as a designer, seeking to expand his horizons and establish himself in the market. Since then, he has contributed to numerous projects and, today, as a junior designer, remains committed to evolving, always open to new challenges and learning opportunities.

Antonella Di Ciano holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), where she graduated summa cum laude, and a master’s degree in Anti-Corruption Policies from the University of Salamanca in Spain. With over six years of experience in project management, gender equality, and conflict resolution, she has worked as a Regional Program Officer at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), within the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). In that role, she coordinated the monitoring, evaluation, and management of projects related to illicit economies and corruption in Venezuela, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, and Colombia. She is currently a Fulbright Scholar pursuing a master’s degree in International Development at Duke University in the United States. At the Igarapé Institute, she serves as Regional Advisor.

Bernardo Lima holds a degree in Business Administration from PUC-MG, with specializations in Business Management (FGV) and Corporate Finance (UFMG). He has 17 years of experience in managing research, development, and innovation projects, 15 of which were dedicated to the UFMG Research Support Foundation (Fundep). There, he began as a junior project analyst and advanced to coordinating project management teams at UFMG and other supported Scientific and Technological Innovation Institutions (ICTs). Since July 2022, he has been serving as the PMO at the Igarapé Institute.

A journalist with a master’s degree in Communication from PUC-Rio, Carla Nascimento specialized in public policies to combat gender-based violence at FLACSO. As a reporter for major newsrooms in Rio de Janeiro, she dedicated herself to producing multimedia content and stories on human rights, particularly in the area of ​​gender. She also worked as a press officer and coordinator of parliamentary communications in the Chamber of Deputies before beginning her career in the nonprofit sector.

With over 20 years of experience, Carolina Graça has extensive professional expertise in agribusiness sustainability, sustainable and inclusive development, and responsible supply chain management. Her background also includes the implementation of social management systems, land governance, natural resource conservation strategies, and international trade of agricultural products. She holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering and both a master’s and a PhD in Management.

Previously, she held prominent positions such as Head of Sustainability for Bayer Crop Science Latin America, Member Manager at the Earthworm Foundation, and Sustainability Manager for Latin America at Stora Enso. Across all these roles, she has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to reconciling sustainable production with ecosystem conservation and the protection of human rights.

Débora Vasconcelos is an experienced editor, journalist, and translator with extensive experience in the communications sector—both online and offline. She has worked for some of Brazil’s largest publishing and journalism groups. She holds a degree in Journalism from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a degree in Translation from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

Since 2010, she has worked in the nonprofit sector in finance, administration, human resources, and project reporting for NGOs with philanthropic activities for children, adolescents, and the elderly, as well as sports and education in several Brazilian states.

She holds a degree in accounting from UNISUAM and a postgraduate degree in Controllership and Financial Management from Estácio.

She currently works as the administrative and financial coordinator at the Igarapé Institute.

Fernanda Harumi is a sociologist with a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Bristol (UK) and a Bachelor’s in Social Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). An applied research specialist, she brings experience across the nonprofit sector, private industry, and academia. She has worked with Latin American Women’s Aid (LAWA) on projects addressing gender, housing, and migration; at the Center for the Study of Violence (NEV-USP) on research into legal socialization processes; and at Kantar Ibope Media on public opinion studies. She is currently a researcher at the Igarapé Institute, where she develops projects on public and climate security, contributing to integrated and transformative solutions to global challenges.

Giovanna Franklin Machado is a lawyer with a degree from PUC-Rio and holds a postgraduate diploma in Corporate Law and Economics from Université Paris II – Panthéon-Assas, as well as an executive master’s degree in Social Responsibility and the Third Sector from the Institute of Economics at UFRJ. After more than a decade working in corporate law, she transitioned her career to focus on social impact. She has worked with Parceiros da Educação do Rio de Janeiro and the city’s Municipal Department of Education, gaining extensive experience in cross-sector collaboration, institutional advocacy, and fundraising. At the Igarapé Institute, she serves as Institutional Development Manager.

Giovanna Kuele is the Program Manager for International Cooperation at the Igarapé Institute. The program aims to promote more inclusive and effective multilateralism, focusing on UN and IFI reforms and sustainable finance for climate, nature and development. In this capacity, she supported the activities related to the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism and the WEF Global Future Council on the Future of Nature and Security. Dr. Kuele’s contributions include coordinating civil society consultations for the Our Common Agenda process, supporting the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York (2024), and both an M.A. (2017) and a B.A. (2014) in International Relations from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Isabella de Oliveira holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Communication with a major in Journalism from the Fluminense Federal University (UFF). She is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Digital Influence: Content and Strategy at PUC-RS. Since 2019, she has worked in communication and social media strategy, with experience in parliamentary communication focused on the legislative branch, as well as in the editorial field and the third sector.

João Gabriel C. Leite is a Master ‘s candidate in Political Science at IESP-UERJ and holds a bachelor’ s degree in Economics from PUC-Rio. He has prior experience at some of the country’s leading consulting firms, including LCA Consultores, InterB Consultoria Internacional, and LOGIT Engenharia, working on the design and implementation of public policies in both physical and social infrastructure sectors. He has also gained professional experience in multilateral organizations such as the IFC–World Bank, polling institutes, and think tanks like the Brazilian Center for International Relations. In addition, he has academic experience as a lecturer and teaching assistant in courses at PUC-Rio, FGV-SP, and UERJ, as well as research assistant in national and international projects. His work focuses primarily on quantitative research methods, with an emphasis on causal inference, spatial econometrics, and time series methods. His main areas of specialization and interest lie in political economy and political behavior, with a focus on authoritarianism and democratic erosion, economic history, local political behavior, criminal governance, violence, state capacity, and impact evaluation of public policies. At the Igarapé Institute, he works as a researcher in the Security, Climate, and Nature programs.

A graduate in business administration, Joelma worked from 2004 to 2013 in the financial management of the NGO Viva Rio. She worked directly in the collection of weapons from the disarmament campaign and the referendum to ban the sale of arms to civilians in Brazil and since 2013 is Igarapé’s financial coordinator.

Katherine is a Colombian economist with professional experience in the areas of violence and development. She has worked with think tanks in Colombia (Centro de Recursos para el Análisis de Conflictos -CERAC, Fundación Ideas para la Paz -FIP) and Switzerland (Small Arms Survey). Katherine holds a Masters in Development Studies from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Switzerland). Katherine’s research emphasizes empirical methods to establish factual foundations to guide effective policy-making in the fields of violence reduction and development. In addition, she coordinates a project that centralizes and disseminates economic research in Colombia –Dotec-Colombia, and leads the network Amassuru- Women in Security and Defense in Latin America and the Caribbean. Katherine interest includes citizen security in Latin america, violence data (processing and innovative ways of representation and analysis), monitoring violence prevention and reduction initiatives and studying post-conflict violence.

Laura Trajber Waisbich is a South-South cooperation expert with over 15 years of research and policy experience in development, foreign policy, human rights, and policy diffusion focusing on the role of Southern countries in global governance and international development. Laura holds a bachelor degree in international relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, a master’s degree in political science from Sciences Po Paris, and a PhD in geography from the University of Cambridge. She worked as a researcher and professor at the University of Oxford, where she directed the institution’s Brazilian Studies Program. She has also worked with international organizations, think tanks, and non-profit organizations in Brazil, the United States, and Europe.At Igarapé, she is Deputy Director of Program.

Lucas Guimarães Alves holds a bachelor’s degree in Humanities with an emphasis on Public Policy from the Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys (UFVJM), where he took part in a project focused on economic evaluation and the development of regional strategies for the Jequitinhonha Valley. He has experience and interest in the areas of public security, drug policy, and economic data analysis in Brazil.

He began his career at the Igarapé Institute as an intern, providing support to the Data and Technology area. He currently works as a Research Assistant, focusing on data collection, processing, and analysis.

Maria Eduarda is a lawyer and Special Advisor at the Igarapé Institute, where she contributes to the Institute’s International Cooperation Program, focusing on sustainable development and global governance. She also supports Igarapé’s cofounder and president, Ilona Szabó, on key initiatives that address the intersection of climate, nature, and finance, such as the International Advisory Panel for Biodiversity Credits (IAPB). Previously, her work at the Institute involved advancing initiatives to protect civic space, combat disinformation, and regulate arms and ammunition in Brazil through research, advocacy, strategic litigation, and public policy advising on regulatory and legislative matters. Maria Eduarda holds an LLM from New York University Law School, where she received the Arthur T. Vanderbilt Scholarship, and a Master’s degree in Human Rights Public Policy from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (NEPP-DH/UFRJ). She also earned a Post-Graduate degree in Criminal Advocacy from the Center for Studies and Research in Legal Education at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (CEPED/UERJ). She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Law from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).

Maria Eugenia Trombini has 10 years’ experience in formulating and implementing public policies at the international level, whether in UN agencies (Habitat and FAO) or special procedures, at the regional level, in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and at the national level. She is a lawyer and social scientist, with a master’s degree in Political Science, and the author of several articles and book chapters. Her doctoral thesis, defended at the University of Heidelberg, won the Gerhard-Ott Preis prize. Before joining Igarapé in July 2023 in the research area, she coordinated multilateral projects involving Germany and Latin America, legally advised social movements and traditional communities, and worked as a consultant for the public and private sectors on land management, violence against human rights defenders, food security and geopolitical risks.

Mariana Cunha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the Centro Universitário de Brasília (UniCEUB). She specialized in Social Media Marketing at the British School of Creative Arts (EBAC) and is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Marketing at the University of São Paulo (USP). With experience in the nonprofit sector, she worked as a communications and events analyst at Abrace Brasília, an NGO that provides support to children and adolescents with cancer and blood disorders. At the Igarapé Institute, she is part of the communications team as a social media analyst, contributing to strategic initiatives to enhance the organization’s digital presence and foster engagement with diverse audiences.

Marina Alkmim is currently a Ph.D. candidate and holds a Master degree in International Politics from PUC Rio. She also holds a bachelor degree in International Relations with a GPA awarded with Summa Cum Laude honors from UFRJ. In previous experiences, she served as a research assistant at the UNESCO/UNU Chair in Global Economy and Sustainable Development (REGGEN), at the ‘Geopolitics, World System, and Regional Integration’ Research Center (IFCS-UFRJ), and at the Observatory of Contemporary Politics and Economy in Human Rights (IRID-UFRJ). She works primarily with qualitative research methods, with an emphasis on documentary research, cross-referencing and analysis of structured and unstructured data and in-depth interviews. Her areas of expertise and interest include the intersection of security, violence, crime and justice, focusing on topics such as criminal, social, and transitional justice, drug policy, prison system, gun control and violence against women. At Igarapé, she works as a senior researcher in the programs of security, climate and nature.

Mario Gioto is a multicultural leader passionate about solving complex challenges through strategy, systems thinking, and design. With over 14 years of experience, his background ranges from managing business strategy and operations to designing and executing large-scale initiatives focused on transformation and impact. He specializes in strategy development and execution in dynamic environments, project and operations management in fast-paced organizations, applying systems thinking to drive impactful action, leveraging human-centered design and innovation methodologies, as well as curating and amplifying voices through storytelling and content creation. Highlights of his career include serving as General Manager for the South American branch of SPIROL, Head of Operations and Senior Strategy Designer at weme&bud, Social Entrepreneur at OUTRO.Company, and TEDx Ambassador for Brazil. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, Mario holds a degree in Engineering from Unicamp, an MBA in Strategic and Economic Business Management from FGV, and a specialization in Innovation through an executive program at Stanford.

Pedro Silva holds a bachelor’s degree in Statistics from the State University of Paraíba, where he gained solid experience in data modeling and analysis. In 2019, he served as President and CEO of the junior enterprise Open Data Analysis Jr, leading teams and managing consulting projects that provided strategic solutions for companies through data analysis. Since 2021, he has been working as a data scientist at the Igarapé Institute, applying advanced techniques in data structuring, analysis, and modeling to generate strategic insights and innovative solutions, particularly in models applied to machine learning.

Peter Smith has experience in monitoring and evaluating public interest programs and advising nonprofits on cloud technologies to track impact and streamline operations. At the Igarapé Institute, he has contributed to projects and digital platforms focused on Brazilian Amazon municipalities, the bioeconomy, strategic minerals, and more. He holds a BA in Sociology from Princeton University and an MA in Sociology from the University of São Paulo.

Pilar is a lawyer graduated from PUC-Rio, specialized in Human Rights and International Law, with a postgraduate degree in Social Project Management. She has over ten years of experience in law firms, focusing on civil, corporate, and family law, as well as in the oil & gas and logistics sectors. She later transitioned to the Third Sector, working for more than four years as Institutional Relations Coordinator at Associação Parceiros da Educação Rio, where she led fundraising efforts, strengthened sponsor engagement, managed the organization’s legal documentation, and formalized partnerships with the Municipal Education Secretariat. This experience provided Pilar with extensive expertise in cross-sector collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and project oversight.

She currently serves as Institutional Development Advisor at the Igarapé Institute.

Raphael Durão has an BA in Social Communication and a MA in Environmental Education. He has been managing projects with third sector organizations for 15 years. As a designer, he specialized in UX design, branding, corporate design. Raphael is a creative partner at Storm Design studio. Where he managed and developed projects with Fundação Banco do Brasil, the United Nations, the Brazilian Navy and the Instituto Estadual do Ambiente – RJ.

At Igarapé, he has been working as Creative Coordinator since 2013.

Raquel Miranda holds a degree in Tourism with a specialization in Hospitality and Events from Faculdade da Cidade, where she discovered her vocation for executive assistance. She has worked as an Executive Assistant since 2000 in federal, private, and multinational institutions, supporting professionals from managers to presidents.

Ricardo Caldas is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), where he also earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Social Sciences. From 2022 to 2023, he was a visiting researcher at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) at Carleton University in Canada. Previously, he worked as a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and as a data analyst for the Fogo Cruzado platform. He has also served as a senior researcher and data analyst at the Center for Studies and Research on Crime, Violence, and Public Policy (NEPS), and as a researcher at the Institute for Health Policy Studies (IEPS). He currently works as a political engagement advisor and researcher at the Igarapé Institute. His areas of expertise and interest include criminal governance, social research methods, citizen security policies, the illicit drug market, prisons, and violence prevention.

Bachelor’s degree in Literature (Portuguese/English) and C-Level Executive Secretary with 27 years of experience in international companies in the areas of law, environmental safety, oil and gas, engineering, resource management, and technology, providing direct support to senior executives in positions of trust. Skilled in negotiation, translation, and administration.

Sofia Euthymiou has experience in projects and risk management, sustainability, decarbonization, renewable energy, technology, finance, and strategy in global organizations such as Shell and the World Energy Council. A STEM woman, her background is in Mechanical & Energy Engineering (UFRJ and RWTH Aachen), Advanced Risk Management (Cranfield), Intelligent & Integrated Systems (TU Delft), and Business Management (USP).

Talisson Mendes is a Social Scientist with a degree in Anthropology from the University of Brasília (UnB). He works as a Project and Partnership Assistant at the Igarapé Institute. He served as an intern in the Political and Projects sector at the UK Embassy in Brasilia and in the General Coordination of Privileges and Immunities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vitória Lorente is a political scientist and researcher at the Igarapé Institute, focusing on money laundering linked to environmental crime. She has over 10 years of experience in projects related to combating corruption and money laundering. She has worked as a technical officer at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a consultant on investigations at Kroll Associates—providing services to various public and private organizations across multiple countries—and as a researcher at the NGO Transparência Brasil.

Vitória holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of São Paulo (USP), with a dissertation on anti–money laundering policies in Brazilian notary offices. She also holds a postgraduate degree in Public Management and Auditing from the Álvares Penteado School of Commerce Foundation (FECAP) and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP), where she was a PIBIC-CEPE scientific initiation fellow and award recipient in the field of Political Science.

Vivian Calderoni is a lawyer with a master’s and a PhD in Criminal Law and Criminology from the University of São Paulo (USP). She is a Program Manager at the Igarapé Institute. From 2010 to 2020, she served as Deputy Coordinator of the University-Prison-Community Dialogue Group (GDUCC) at the USP Law School. She is the author of books, articles, and book chapters. Her areas of expertise and interest include environmental crimes in the Amazon, money laundering linked to environmental crime, criminal law, public policy, criminal justice, the prison system, social reintegration, violence against women, and human rights. She has previously worked as a researcher at the Center for the Study of Violence at USP (NEV/USP), as a project officer at Conectas Human Rights, and as a project coordinator at the Institute for the Defense of the Right to Defense (IDDD).

Wilker França is a Systems Analyst and a student of Systems Analysis and Development at Unyleya. With over five years of experience in the technology sector, he began his professional career in 2018 and has been passionate about technology since adolescence, when he first explored the world of computing.

Throughout his career, he has developed skills in both front-end and back-end development, mastering technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, React Native, Next.js, Node.js, and Python, as well as working with databases like MySQL and MongoDB. He currently works as a front-end developer at the Igarapé Institute, contributing to the creation of innovative and impactful technological solutions.

With a strong focus on continuous learning, Wilker França aims to combine technical performance with high-quality digital experiences, helping organizations achieve their goals through efficient and scalable interfaces.