Leah Carriere

About Leah Carriere

I am a global conservation finance specialist with extensive experience designing and operationalizing complex structures and programs to achieve conservation outcomes at scale. Throughout my career, I have led and contributed to a variety of complex international conservation projects, with a focus on developing fit-for-purpose innovative funding mechanisms, ensuring transparency and accountability through impact reporting, coalition building through multi-stakeholder partnerships, and designing and implementing in-person and online training courses for a wide range of stakeholder groups. In various positions at The Nature Conservancy, I have contributed to the development and implementation of sovereign debt conversion transactions to fund large-scale conservation and climate change adaptation activities in emerging markets. In my current role, I oversee compliance, reporting, and investor relations across the portfolio of closed Nature Bonds transactions. I was previously the Manager of Development Programs at international NGO, Sustainable Travel International, where I managed the Travel Philanthropy and Carbon Offset programs. I also lived in St. Kitts and was seconded in the St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism to coordinate the design and implementation of sustainable tourism programs on the island.I have a Master\'s Degree in Global Environmental Policy with a focus on natural resource management and sustainable development from American University\'s School of International Service. I have a high degree of knowledge and technical experience in funding mechanisms for conservation, sustainable travel & tourism policy and practice; global climate change politics; climate change adaptation & mitigation; environmental markets; multi-stakeholder/ cross-cultural collaboration; and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Experience

1. Compliance & Investor Relations Director, Sustainable Debt

   The Nature Conservancy

   Sep 2025 — Present

Education

• University for Peace (UPEACE) - UN Mandated

  Master of Arts (M.A.) semester, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development

  2014 — 2014

• The University of the South Pacific

  Certificate, South Pacific Studies

  2011

• American University School of International Service

  Master of Arts (M.A.), Global Environmental Policy

  2013 — 2015

• Hofstra University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Cultural Anthropology/ Political Science

  2008 — 2012

• Macquarie University

  Politics of International Development/ Indigenous Studies

  2011