Karina Bautista
Senior Program Officer, Nature-based Innovation
As Senior Program Officer for Nature-Based Innovation Karina explores different opportunities to advance food innovation-related methodologies that can reduce the negative impacts of our current global food system. She also contributes to the VCS program in the development of new social and environmental safeguards.
Prior to working at Verra, Karina worked as a food systems researcher and regenerative farmer at her own business Huerta Luna, establishing the first local seed bank and agroecological research for the Galapagos Islands. As a research consultant, Karina worked with WWF to complete the first food waste baseline for cruise ships and restaurants on the Galapagos, and she also worked with Diners Club in Ecuador to train restaurants on sustainable ingredient sourcing and waste reduction. Most recently, she published a book called “MMM, the delicious science of the agroecological garden explained in 3 M’s”.
Prior to her work with her own business, Karina worked with Canopy Bridge sourcing and connecting sustainable producers in the Amazon basin with international markets, and was part of the REDD+ SES Ecuador team with Conservation International.
Karina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from Bates College and an Master of Public Administration degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University. In her free time, Karina enjoys free diving, running, and illustrating.