Our Team
We are grateful to have a collaborative globally minded team, ready to support you in hosting your classes and events!
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All inquires are best met by our Co-Director David Blockstein at solveclimate@gmail.com.
David E. Blockstein, Ph.D. is the Co-Director of Solve Climate Change by 2030, a project of Bard College.
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Dr. Blockstein helped to create the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) and served as its first Executive Director. He co-founded and helped to lead the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD), the Council of Energy Research and Education Leaders (CEREL), the US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development, the Ornithological Council and the Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences (AESS).
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He is the co-author with Leo A.W. Weigman of The Climate Solutions Consensus: What We Know and What to Do About It, (Island Press, 2010). He was PI of the $2 million Climate Adaptation and Mitigation e-Learning project.
He was a member of the clean energy advisory group of Montgomery County, Maryland, which helped to create a Climate Action Plan to guide the county in meeting its climate emergency goals of 100% reduction in GHG emissions by 2035.
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He organized and co-led a training program in Climate Early Warning Systems for senior members of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia.
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Dr. Blockstein was a member of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advisory Committee on Environmental Research and Education, the National Academy of Sciences’ Roundtable on Climate Change Education and on advisory committees for more than a dozen scientific, education and environmental organizations.
Dr. Blockstein worked for more than 40 years to support individuals from under-represented populations in science.
Dr. Blockstein was the 1987-88 Congressional Science Fellow of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the American Society of Zoologists (ASZ), working on the staff of the Science Committee of the US House of Representatives. He prepared the National Biological Diversity Conservation and Environmental Research Act.
He has presented over 100 scientific and public talks, organized more than 20 national conferences, 50 meetings and workshops, and written popular and scientific articles, His publications include How to Lose Your Political Virginity while Keeping Your Scientific Credibility, BioScience. January 2002: 9196.
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Dr. Blockstein earned his MS (1982) and PhD (1986) in Ecology and Behavioral Biology from
the University of Minnesota and a BS in Wildlife Ecology (1978) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He co-led Project Passenger Pigeon, to educate the public about the Passenger Pigeon on the centenary of its extinction in 1914.
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In 2008, he received the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Distinguished Service Award. He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and of the American Ornithological Society (AOS)
Dr. David Blockstein
Co-Director
Dr. Eban Goodstein
Co-Director
Eban Goodstein directs the Graduate Programs in Sustainability at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. Degree options include (1) the low-residency MBA in Sustainability based in NYC; (2) M.S. Degrees in Environmental Policy and in Climate Science and Policy; and (3) an M.Ed. in Environmental Education. Professor Goodstein holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in Geology from Williams College. Goodstein is the author of three books: Economics and the Environment, (John Wiley and Sons: 2020) now in its ninth edition; Fighting for Love in the Century of Extinction: How Passion and Politics Can Stop Global Warming (University Press of New England: 2007); and The Trade-off Myth: Fact and Fiction about Jobs and the Environment (Island Press: 1999). Articles by Goodstein have appeared in among other outlets, The Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Land Economics, Ecological Economics, and Environmental Management. His research has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Scientific American, Time, The Economist, USA Today, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, and he has testified in Congress on the employment impacts of environmental regulation. He serves on the editorial board of Sustainability: The Journal of Record. For a decade, he also served on the Board of Directors of the Follett Corporation.
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Goodstein has coordinated a series of national educational events around climate change, engaging thousands of colleges, universities, and K-12 schools in solutions-based dialogue. Most recently: WorldWide Climate and Justice Week, set for the first week of April, 2024. At Bard he also directs C2C Fellows, a network of undergraduates and recent graduates who aspire to sustainability leadership in business, NGOs and government.
Karianne Canfield
Director of Communications
Karianne Canfield has been in climate organizing since 2017, and is a Bard College Alumni. While at Bard, they organized a Rise Up protest where 700+ students, staff and faculty petitioned for Bard to join the UN SDG Accord. With a background in program development, communications, and strategic planning their work revolves around how to turn our strong feelings into stronger action. They support website management and helping the team with coordinated outreach and engagement through email campaigns. They are completing an M.S. in Resource Management from Antioch University. You can connect with Karianne on LinkedIn here.
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Azal Zahir
Regional Liason
Azal Zahir is an environmental educator, curriculum designer, and sustainability practitioner with a Master’s degree in Environmental Education from New York University (NYU). She believes deeply in reconnecting people with nature and, guided by this philosophy, founded Abadtak (“until eternity”), a community-driven platform focused on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), environmental education, and the use of nature as a space for self-awareness, reflection, and healing.
Azal is also a development writer, with numerous publications in leading Pakistani dailies, where she writes on sustainability, culture, and education. Since 2021, she has worked with Bard College and SolveClimate2030, delivering environmental educator training programs in partnership with Innovate.Educate.Inspire (IEI), across Pakistan, including in the remote valley of Hunza, Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Chitral, and Bahawalpur.
She continues to design learning experiences that bridge education, storytelling, ecology, culture, and community.
Alec Hope Buenaventura
Regional Liason
Alec Hope C. Buenaventura is the founder and adviser of the YORP registered organization named Youth for Active Citizenship And Leadership also known as YACAL Pilipinas. On the professional side, he is currently a Legislative Staff Officer under the Office of Senator Loren Legarda. He was also a Policy Development Officer at the Department of Finance under the Climate Finance Policy Group.​
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Alec is a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences specializing in Economics and Political Science at the University of the Philippines Baguio. He is currently doing thesis writing under Master in ASEAN Studies on the topic Agrarian Climate Justice in ASEAN at the University of the Philippines - Open University.
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As an organization adviser, Alec is actively involved in spearheading youth-led events both online and on-site covering various issues in all-levels of the society such as human rights, rights of nature, politics and governance, humanities and arts and mental health to name a few. He is also currently seated as the Leader for the Center for Rights of Nature and Climate Justice at YACAL Pilipinas. Under this capacity, he is also representing YACAL Pilipinas in the Rights of Nature Youth Philippines Steering Committee.
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As a Legislative Staff Officer, Alec is tasked to provide technical assistance and complete staff work for the Senator in the process of legislation, from drafting bills, research and actual enactment of laws. As Policy Development Officer for Climate Finance, Alec handles projects and programs that lead to the operationalization and mobilization of climate finance – finance or instruments to fund climate action.
Prior to founding YACAL Pilipinas, Alec was the country team leader of the Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Movement under the SolveClimate2030 Movement of the Bard Graduate Programs of Sustainability in 2023. He was also a social science educator from 2017 to 2024.
Recently, Alec has been cited as a Finalist to the Philippine Resilience Awards 2025.
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^1 These are the Committees Alec is in charge as LSO: Committee on Environment and Climate Change, Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Committee on Energy, Committee on Youth, Committee on Economy, Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Committee on Trade, Commerce & Entrepreneurship, Committee on National Defense, Peace and Reconciliation
^2 Portfolios handled by Alec as PDO: G7-V20 Global Shield Against Climate Risks which is expected to be used to enhance the Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) landscape of the Philippines, making cities more climate adaptive and close-in towards resilience when finalized. Alec also handles ventures and efforts related Just Transition, Renewable Energy, Circular Economy, Gender mainstreaming and People’s Survival Fund.*
Paul Lodry DONGMO
Ghulam Hussain Saadat
Regional Liason
Hussain Saadat is an environmental activist and youth climate advocate with a degree in Water and Environmental Engineering from Kabul Polytechnic University. He is the founder and director of the Blue Water Association, a youth-led climate action network, in Afghanistan, and he has been involved in advocacy, leadership, and collaboration efforts focused on water management, environmental protection, and climate action. His work extends across Afghanistan and beyond, where he strives to support cooperation and contribute to initiatives that promote sustainability and climate resilience.
Kaleka Lenox
Regional Liason
Kaleka Lenox is passionate environmental and climate practitioner dedicated to advancing sustainable land management, climate resilience and community-driven development. As a Team Lead at the Broad Borders Hope Foundation and Kenya Focal Point for the African Environmental Network (AEN), He has led impactful initiatives that integrate reforestation, soil and water conservation and agroecological practices to combat land degradation and enhance food security. His work with Women in Water and Natural Resource Conservation (WWANC) also focused on transforming women’s water burden into economic opportunities through sustainable farming techniques, improved household health and nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Notably, He spearheaded a water conservation project that developed catchment systems, restored degraded landscapes and trained women on sustainable land use, demonstrating the transformative power of linking agricultural innovation with environmental stewardship. Through strategic communication and multimedia storytelling, He has highlighted the tangible impact of sustainable practices, showcasing how environmental conservation can drive resilient, empowered and economically vibrant rural communities.
​Fredrick Mwenje
Regional Liason
​Fredrick Mwenje serves as the Programs Coordinator for Broad Borders Hope Foundation, where he leads strategic initiatives at the intersection of Agroecology, Climate-Smart Agriculture and Regenerative Agriculture. An expert researcher and practitioner, he specializes in translating complex climate policy and agricultural innovation into actionable, research-driven solutions that bolster sector resilience. Fredrick is recognized for his ability to facilitate high-level dialogues and enhance knowledge management, effectively bridging the gap between academic research and impactful policy implementation. Committed to sustainable sector transformation, he champions the integration of emerging technologies and evidence-based decision-making to drive economic viability and environmental stewardship, addressing critical global challenges in food security and resource management.
Hope Arisi
Regional Liason
Hope Arisi is an agribusiness and data-driven development professional whose work bridges agricultural innovation, policy research and community empowerment. With strong expertise in data science, econometrics, smart and sustainable agriculture, spatial analysis (GIS) and environmental and social impact assessment, she leverages technology and evidence-based approaches to strengthen resilient and inclusive agricultural systems. She has served in diverse capacities as a policy researcher, programme lead, strategist and evaluator, contributing to initiatives that enhance food security, environmental sustainability and climate resilience. Deeply committed to gender equity, she has actively mentored students and empowered women in rural communities through training and capacity-building initiatives that promote the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Her work aligns with the global agenda on ending poverty and hunger (SDGs 1 and 2), ensuring vulnerable populations particularly women access the knowledge and tools needed to improve livelihoods and adaptive capacity. Hope currently serves as the Partnerships Coordinator at Broad Borders Hope Foundation (BBHF), where she advances strategic collaborations to translate research and innovation into scalable, community-driven impact.
Dr. Philippe C. Forêt
Senior Fellow
Prof. Philippe C. Forêt is a Senior Research Fellow in the Graduate Programs in Sustainability of Bard College. He was previously a visiting professor in environmental studies at the American University of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan) and the dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Brac University (Bangladesh). Forêt has taught classes in geography, history, and Asian studies at Nazarbayev University (Kazakhstan), and at the Universities of
Basel, Geneva, Zurich, and Nottingham (UK). His first appointments were at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at Austin.
In Zurich, Forêt leads the programs in innovation and sustainability studies that are hosted at the Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability of the School of Management Fribourg (University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland). He has been since 2020 a member of Prof. Max Bergman’s Social Transitions Research Group at the University of Basel. With Profs. Christoph Kueffer (ETH Zurich and OST University) and Marc Hall (University of Zurich), he founded in 2013 “Environmental Humanities Switzerland” at SAGUF, Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences.
Forêt has presented over 180 conference papers and guest lectures, and he has helped organize international conferences and world summits. His books in the environmental humanities and on the history of geography in Inner Asia have been published in Bern, Geneva, Honolulu, Leiden, London, Paris, and Shanghai. His research activities have received awards from twelve different countries. The Institutes of Advanced Studies of Uppsala (Swedish Collegium, 2008), Nantes (2011), and Bristol (2018) have elected him Fellow. He
has since 2017 been a member of the Society of Fellows of the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society at Ludwig-Maximilians University, in Munich.
Forêt holds a PhD in geography from the University of Chicago. He went to the University of California at Berkeley for postdoctoral training in natural resources. He was a doctoral student at Tokyo University, his MA and BA degrees are from the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris, and he is a Peking University alumnus.
Tobias Hess
Education Campaign Manager
Tobias Hess (he/him) is a climate organizer, writer and musician from Los Angeles, currently residing in Brooklyn. He studied music and experimental humanities at Bard College, graduating in 2022. His past climate work includes founding the Sunrise Movement's Hub at Bard College, working as an online trainer for the Sunrise's Movement's online school for activists and interning at the Climate Reality Project during the summer of 2020 as their Youth Engagement Intern. When he’s not working with the Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week, he can be found writing about music and digital culture, which he has pursued in a freelance capacity since 2021.
Carla Panyella Medrano
Director of Programs In Latin America and the Carribean
Carla is currently on leave, please reach out to Mariana Romero Rivera for the time being: m.romero3@uniandes.edu.co
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Carla Panyella Medrano is a Tourism Administration Professional with a Master's Degree in International Relations from the Pompeu Fabra University, University of Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, ​​and a Master's Degree in Development Practice from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia. She was part of the work team of the SCALA Observatory of the School of Management of Universidad de los Andes as Head of Alliances and Research and worked in the area of ​​project coordination at the Corporación Visionarios por Colombia. Since late 2018 she is the Project Official of the SDG Center for Latin America and the Caribbean of Universidad de los Andes that is part of the Sustainable Development Solution’s Network.
Mira Dzhakshylykova
Director of Programs In kyrgyzstan
Mira Dzhakshylykova, an esteemed alumna of the AUCA, double majored in Environmental Management and Sustainable Development (LAS-EMSD) and ICP departments. Mira pursued a Master's degree in Water Cooperation and Diplomacy, from institutions such as the University for Peace (UPEACE) in Costa Rica, IHE-Delft in the Netherlands, and Oregon State University (OSU) in the USA.
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Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to environmental causes and global cooperation, Mira gas coordinated multiple projects addressing critical environmental and social challenges. As a dedicated eco-activist and Peace Ambassador for the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), Mira serves as a Sustainability Coordinator at AUCA. With a background in environmental science and sustainability strategies, Mira strives to integrate sustainable principles into AUCA's operations, initiatives, and community engagements.
