Yolanda Kakabadse
Yolanda Kakabadse’s distinguished career in conservation and international development spans civil society, government, and the private sector. Her career in the environment began as the executive director of Fundación Natura in Ecuador, where she led the organization to become one of Latin America’s most important environmental NGOs. In 1993, Yolanda founded Fundacion Futuro Latinoamericano to promote sustainable development in Latin America through conflict prevention and management. She served as its executive president until 2006 and is presently chair of the Advisory Board. She also coordinated the participation of civil society organizations in the United Nations Conference for Environment and Development (Earth Summit). Yolanda was appointed Minister of Environment for the Republic of Ecuador, position she held from 1998 until 2000. She also was president of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) from 1996 to 2004, and a member of the board of the World Resources Institute during the same period. Yolanda co-chaired the Environmental Sustainability Task Force of the UN Millennium Project and is a former president of WWF International. Among her many international roles, Yolanda is a member of the boards of the Ford Foundation, Yale School of Forestry, Environmental Advisory Board of CocaCola, and special advisor to the Commission of Education and Communication of IUCN.
