Alona LeoraBunning

(240) 505-0880

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

  • MPA, Environmental Science and Policy, Columbia University.
  • 5 years’ experience inreport preparation, climate resilience, partnership research coordination, project management,environmental policy, and communications.
  • Experienced in the use of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook).
  • Proficient in Russian and French languages.
  • Proficient in social networking and remote document retrieval tools (Twitter, Dropbox).
  • Familiar with applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

WORK EXPERIENCE

International Life Sciences Institute, Washington DCFebruary 2015-March 2017

Scientific Program Associate – ILSI Research Foundation

Center for Integrated Modelling of Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition Security

  • Manages and develops new sustainable agriculture projects for CIMSANS, which leads public-private collaborations on improving integrated modeling of climate change, land use, and food security.
  • Write and coordinate grant applications to USDA, USAID.
  • Coordinated multiple workshops on sustainable agriculture and food system metrics.
  • Prepares policy reports and communications on climate change, nutrition and agriculture.
  • Develops and presents PowerPoint presentations on novel climate and agriculture programs.
  • Publication: Seven Food System Metrics of Sustainable Nutrition Security

Engility/IRG, Alexandria, VA August-Oct 2014

Agriculture Consultant, Climate Change Resilient Development

  • Researched and prepared report forUSAID’s CCRD Programanalyzingresiliency of wheat farmers toclimate change impacts in Kazakhstan.

World Bank, Washington DC Sept 2013-June 2014

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and AgricultureRisk Management Consultant

  • Researched components of CSA (mitigation of emissions, resilience, production), developed Excel databases and presentations on policy implications of these data.
  • Supportedthelaunch of the Global Alliance on Climate Smart Agriculturethrough drafting proposals, outreach, and international and domestic event coordination.
  • Contributed to climate finance backgroundfor CSA and farming matrix;
  • Initiated a proposal for the inclusion of gender considerations in developing best farming practices.
  • Supported World Bank participation and negotiation of the GACSA launch in Johannesburg (December 2013).
  • Publication:Agricultural Risk Management in the Face of Climate Change

Columbia University Practicum, New York, NY Jan-May 2013

Manager of Graduate Consulting Team

Client: World Resources Institute (WRI)

  • Analyzed lessons derived from aid practice to inform international negotiations prior to the UN conference on climate change in 2015, in support of WRI’s Climate Justice Dialogue.
  • Led team of 11 graduate students researching financing equity in development agencies.
  • Coordinated the creation of a research framework, briefings, and a final research product.
  • Publication:The Climate Justice Dialogue: Lessons for the Climate Regime from Aid Arrangements

Informed WRI publication:Equity Lessons from Multilateral Regimes for the New Climate Agreement

Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI March 2011-Aug 2013

Technical Editor for the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations

(working remotely)

  • Edited45 articles onremote sensing, climate and land-cover/land-use change for successfulsubmission for publication (e.g. Journal Of Regional Environmental Change).
  • Revised “Land-Use and Land-Cover Dynamics in Central Asia” and “Southeast Asia” special issues, including 13 submitted articles and proposals.
  • Organized meetings in Kaifeng, Hohhot, and Nanjing in China for 50 international and local academics in attendance, and provided editing support.
  • Publication: Chen, Jiquan et al. Dryland East Asia: Land Dynamics amid Social and Climate Change. De Gruyter, Higher Education Press. June 2013.

EDUCATION

Columbia University M.P.A, EnvironmentalScience and Policy May 2013

GPA: 3.8School of International and Public Affairs New York City, NY

Coursework: Sustainability Management, Economics of Environmental Policy, Energy Policy, Environmental Policy, Climate Finance, Adaptation to Climate Change,Risk Assessment and Toxicology, Environmental Chemistry, Climatology, Hydrology, Urban Ecology

Drew UniversityB.A., Political Science May 2010

GPA: 3.7Minors: Russian, European Studies Madison, NJ

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

SwedenPresented Metrics of Sustainable Nutrition Security2015

South AfricaJohannesburg Climate Smart Agriculture conference 2013

VietnamHanoi conference: Climate Adaptation in Southeast Asia 2011

ChinaOrganized climate workshopsin 3 cities (with MSU) 2011