简介

Willem Brakel is an environmental scientist, teacher and career diplomat with broad experience conducting research in marine and freshwater ecosystems, managing government programs, and advocating/negotiating environmental policy solutions internationally. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University for research on Jamaican reef corals, and continued with ecological research and teaching while on the faculty at the University of Nairobi (Kenya) and Loyola University (Maryland). He then embarked on a 24-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, focusing on environment, science, technology and economic development, with assignments in Africa, Europe and Latin America. He was promoted into the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Counselor, and served most recently in the Department of State as Director of the Office of Environmental Policy.