Santiago García is a conservation scientist and policy expert with over 15 years of experience across Latin America, Africa, and the U.S. He is Director of Forests Partnerships at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), supporting forest governance and climate finance. Santiago previously served as Ecuador’s National Forestry Director and led national REDD+, restoration, and wildfire programs. He holds a PhD in Natural Resources from Cornell University and a Master’s in Conservation Leadership from Colorado State University. His work bridges science, human dimensions in natural resources, environmental policy, and Indigenous rights to advance equitable conservation and sustainable land use at multiple governance levels.