Ashley Camhi
Director of Innovative Finance for Forests and Climate @Wildlife Conservation Society
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WORK HISTORY
Director of Innovative Finance for Forests and Climate @Wildlife Conservation Society
Seattle, WA, US
Lead the design and execution of innovative finance mechanisms that mobilize public and private capital for measurable forest and climate outcomes across WCS’s global portfolio.• Developed and lead the High Integrity Forest Investment (HIFOR) Initiative demand work — a new generation of outcome-based forest finance units and bonds that align climate integrity, biodiversity protection, and social equity.• Structuring multi-million-dollar blended finance vehicles connecting corporate buyers, governments, and philanthropic partners to verified forest outcomes.• Advise on financial strategy and policy integration across country programs to ensure conservation finance aligns with national climate commitments and private-sector ESG goals.• Spearhead market positioning and partnerships with corporates, multilateral funds, and investors to establish HIFOR as a recognized, high-integrity standard for tropical forest investment.• Provide technical and strategic leadership to cross-functional teams developing legal, financial, and data infrastructure for outcome-based financing.• Represent WCS and HIFOR in high-level forums, media, and working groups, translating complex finance concepts into accessible, credible narratives for global audiences.Core Focus Areas: Outcome-based finance design | Forest & climate investment | Blended finance | Carbon markets | ESG | Partnership strategy | Strategic communications
EDUCATION
Arizona State University
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Natural Resource Economics
Vassar College
B.A., Environmental Studies
Boston University
Non-Degree, Rainforest Restoration
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
M.A., International Environmental Policy
SKILLS
ABOUT ASHLEY CAMHI
I’m an environmental economist (PhD) and conservation finance leader with over 15 years of experience bridging science, policy, and capital markets to deliver high-integrity climate and nature outcomes.As Director of Innovative Finance for Forests and Climate Change at the Wildlife Conservation Society, I design and implement mechanisms that connect public and private capital to measurable ecosystem results. I lead the demand work for the High-Integrity Forest Investment (HIFOR) Initiative — a new standard for forest finance that ensures credibility, transparency, and performance in tropical forest conservation. My work includes structuring financial instruments, developing legal frameworks, managing global partnerships, and guiding the branding and market positioning of nature-based investments.Previously, I was a senior program manager for Amazon’s Carbon Neutralization team, serving as a technical expert on the voluntary carbon market and advancing large-scale deforestation reduction partnerships through the LEAF Coalition. I’ve also founded and directed nonprofits, advised governments, and designed payments for ecosystem services (PES) and biodiversity finance programs across Latin America and the Caribbean with the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank.I bring a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic communication — turning complex environmental finance models into actionable frameworks that attract investment and deliver results. My leadership spans sectors and geographies, with a consistent focus on integrity, collaboration, and impact. Areas of Expertise:• Outcome-based & blended finance design• High-integrity forest & carbon mechanisms (HIFOR, ART-TREES, LEAF)• ESG & sustainability strategy• Payments for ecosystem services (PES)• Partnership development & stakeholder engagement• Policy, research, and strategic communicationsI’m passionate about building scalable, credible finance models that unite conservation, climate, and commerce — ensuring investments in nature deliver lasting, equitable outcomes.
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