Summary
Yelena Finegold is a forestry and geospatial specialist with 11 years of experience leading ecosystem restoration monitoring at FAO, where she directs the Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM) and coordinates a 400-expert Task Force across 120 organizations. She combines technical expertise in remote sensing, GIS and open-source land monitoring tools with hands-on support for national reporting systems, REDD+ and peatland restoration assessments. Based in Rome, she builds user-friendly geospatial platforms and registries that translate complex satellite data into actionable restoration metrics for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and Global Biodiversity Framework Target 2. Her background in spatial modelling and land-change projections underpins a pragmatic approach to long-term forest futures and policy-relevant monitoring. Notably, she has supported over 20 countries in developing national satellite monitoring systems, blending field experience with scalable digital solutions.
11 years of coding experience
1 year of employment as a software developer
Bachelor's Degree, Geography, Economics, Bachelor's Degree, Geography, Economics at Clark University
Geography, Geoinformatics, Geography, Geoinformatics at University of Helsinki
English, Russian, Spanish, Italian