Ministers of the Romanian Government

Professional experience

• 1 Nov 2011- 17 Nov 2015 Head of Unit – Climate Change, Environment, and Natural Resources / The European Commission, DG International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO)  Bruxelles    
  • Overall management of EU international cooperation and development in the areas of, environment, green economy, climate change, forests, desertification, disaster risk reduction, chemicals and waste; water and sanitation (until January 2014); horizontal contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Authorizing officer and overall management of the environment and climate change envelope of two development assistance financial instruments (ENRTP and GPGC) totaling over 2.5 billion EUR
  • Lead negotiator on behalf of DEVCO for the UN Summit Rio+20 (Jan – July 2012)
  • Lead negotiator on behalf of the EU for the Forest Law Enforcement Government and Trade (FLEGT)
  • Leading DEVCO's preparations for UNFCCC Climate COP 21, Paris (climate finance, GCCA+ flagship initiative)
  • Representation of EU internationally as high-level official, speaker, moderator, panel participant
  • Supervised EU Court of Auditor reports: Water and Sanitation (2012), Climate Finance (2014), FLEGT (2015)
  • Management of a multi-disciplinary team with staff from 11 EU member states
• Jan – Oct 2011 Policy analyst, International Relations and Western Balkans / The European Commission, DG Climate Action     Bruxelles, Belgium
  • Engaged in political dialogue in the context of pre-accession regarding EU Climate policy (scientific, technical legal, health, and security issues); monitoring missions in support of EU Delegation and beneficiaries
  • Policy analyst for Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Federal Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania
• 2005-2010 Henry R. Luce Research Fellow in International Environment and Resource Policy/ The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Boston, USA 
  • Conducted interdisciplinary research on global challenges related to sustainable development, international affairs, multilateral negotiations, good governance, and stability
  • Teaching Fellow for Fletcher's Emeritus Professor William Moomaw, a member of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• Jan-March 2008 Visiting Adjunct Professor, International Business Relations / Dar-Al-Hekma University, Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
  • Conceptualized and taught a graduate program in International Business Management. The course was a pioneering initiative of Dar-Al-Hekma and Fletcher to educate for the first time Saudi women in international relations and diplomacy, to help them pursue international careers
  • Lectured on Business Eco-Innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility at the first Environment and Sustainability Conference of the Golf region; media coverage and live interview for the Saudi National Radio
• 2005 – 2006 Policy analyst, Sustainable Financial Markets Group / The International Finance Corporation/The World Bank, USA  (Washington DC, USA)
  • Conceptualized the research underpinning IFC's report "Banking on Sustainability - Financing Environment and Social Opportunities in Emerging Markets" (IFC, 2007). The results of the report were used to generate best case practices demonstrating sustainability business competitive advantage, identify demand for IFC’s sustainability products (i.e. carbon finance, and environmental business finance)
• 2003-2004  Research Affiliate, Sustainable Development Group /Harvard Center for International Development, USA  (Cambridge, USA)
  • Designed and managed the research study investigating opportunities for sustainable economic development in the context of post-communist transformation in Romania
  • Dialogue and field interviews with local communities, central government and local authorities. Findings of the project documented the co-authored book “Romania Redux, as viewed from Harvard” (2005)
• 2001-2002 Country Director România / Fauna & Flora International (the world's oldest conservation organization)   ( UK, Romania )          
  • Managed FFI’s in-country operations in Romania during the implementation of the $8.8 million GEF and World Bank Biodiversity Conservation Project (BCP), which pioneered the first system for protected areas' management post-communism
  • Coordinated at least 20 in-country missions to provide support to Romanian authorities to prepare management plans, sustainable tourism strategies, rural development plans, and community outreach plans for three pilot National Parks (Piatra Craiului, Retezat, and Vanatori Neamt Bison Reserve)
  • Ensured extensive relationship management between FFI and Romanian public authorities (Ministry of Environment, National Forest Authority, local government, NGOs, and National Park teams)
• 2000-2003 Founder and President / Green Cross Romania (GCR)  (Switzerland, Romania) 
  • Established GCR from the ground up as a Romanian environmental NGO, developed the vision and strategy
  • Developed and managed relations with public authorities, donors, and international counterparts; represented the organization in international and domestic events, alliances and coalitions
• 1995 – 2000  Executive Director / The GROUP FOR UNDERWATER AND SPELEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION (GESS)  Romania
  • Overall management of the organization; project development and extensive representation and fundraising; contribution to raising GESS's profile as a leading Romanian scientific and environmental advocacy group
  • Coordinated the campaign “Bright Faces of Romania”, a series of international media and communication events aimed to raise Romania’s international profile by featuring its pristine nature and cultural heritage.
  • Coordinated the first-class publication "Caves Beyond Time" (offered to Hillary Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Al.Gore); assisted the production of “Cave man, Space man”, and “The Cave that Time Forgotten”, two documentaries by GESS and BBC broadcasted on National Geographic Channel
  • Participated in over 20 speleological field expeditions in Romania
• 1987 – 1988 Nurse practitioner / Coltea Hospital, Bucharest

Educație și formare profesională   

• 2007-2008  The Institute for Political Studies - Sciences Po Paris, France / Visiting Research Fellow: The EU leadership in International Climate Policy
• 2004-2008 The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, USA  /PhD    
• 2002-2004 The John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA  / Master in Public Administration; Certificate in Public Policy
• 1996-1997 UNESCO-Cousteau Department of Ecology, University of Bucharest, Romania  / Master of Science, Systems Ecology and Management of Natural Capital
• 1991-1996  Department of Natural Sciences, Ecological University Bucharest, Romania / License  (summa cum laude) 
• 1983-1987  Nursing Lyceum, Bucharest, Romania.

Publicații

• Co-authored books: “Romania Redux as viewed from Harvard” (2005);  “Caves Beyond Time”(2002)
• Authored papers: “International Finance Corporation’s role in stimulating green growth in emerging markets through business innovation”  – paper competitively selected for the PhD section of the World Bank Conference on Development Economics (Cape Town, 2008)

Burse și distincții

• Henry R. Luce Fellow for doctoral studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
• Edward S. Mason Fellow, and Joint World Bank and Japan Government Fellow for graduate studies at Harvard Kennedy School
• “The Gorbachev Award” for significant contributions to the environment received from Mikhail Gorbachev,  President of Green Cross International
• Founding member of the Romanian Association for Eco-tourism (AER)

Limbi străine

• English (fluent); French (professional level); Spanish (intermediary)