Claudia S. de Windt, Founding Partner & CEO

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“Claudia is a tireless advocate for environmental law and sustainability in the Americas. Our collaborative partnerships always had impact on the ground. She is very passionate about helping the people in the region to a brighter future, extremely competent and pursues her goals with great resolve”. Arnold Kreilhuber Acting Director, Law Division, UN Environment Programme

International lawyer and expert in political sciences, from the Dominican Republic. Visiting Scholar at The Environmental Law Institute (ELI). Adjunct Associate Professor at American University, Washington College of Law. Collaborating Researcher of the Center of Constitutional Studies of the Supreme Court of Mexico. Member of the Steering Committee of the World Commission on Environmental Law of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), of the group of experts of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for crimes that have serious impacts on the environment, and the group of experts in environmental law of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America. Keynote speaker at national and international forums, frequently addressing high-level authorities including heads of state, ministers, parliamentarians, and judges.Served for almost two decades at the Organization of American States (OAS) Department of Sustainable Development and Secretariat for Multidimensional Security. Directed multiple initiatives on environmental law and its links to public policies, the rule of law, human rights, investment, conflict prevention, security, gender perspective, and the rights-based approach in the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Advised and participated in numerous political and negotiation processes in the multilateral and hemispheric sphere. Led joint efforts with the executive, legislative and judicial branches to address challenges to environmental security and justice, making significant contributions to environmental legislation, enforcement, compliance and jurisprudence in Latin America and the Caribbean. From 2015-2017, co-Chaired the Green Growth and the Law Working Group of the The Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP). Graduate of Universidad Iberoamericana, UNIBE (Doctor in Law). Master's Degree (LLM) in International Legal Studies from the American University Law School. Certificate in Negotiations from the Harvard University School of Law. Before joining the OAS in 2001, practiced corporate law at Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández. Judicial interpreter of the Court of First Instance of Santo Domingo

Key Areas of Expertise: Environmental rule of law and justice, public policy, UN and Inter-American System, human rights, trade, investment and environment, conflict resolution and sustainability diplomacy. Skills: Regional leadership, strategic communication and planning, political processes. Negotiation, empathy, culture and diversity awareness.
Languages: Spanish and English (bilingual), French and Portuguese (basic-intermediate).