Verra is pleased to announce three new members have been elected and appointed to its Board of Directors: Derek Walker, El Hadji Mbaye Diagne, and Jennifer Park. With deep expertise in carbon markets, climate policy, sustainable finance, and institutional governance, these new members will strengthen Verra’s leadership at a critical moment for global carbon markets.

Derek Walker (joined January 1, 2026) is a seasoned nonprofit executive and climate leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing climate, clean energy, and equity-focused solutions. He is currently senior advisor at the Health Effects Institute and chair of the board of the Institute for Sustainable Communities. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and served as executive director of the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society at Dartmouth College.

El Hadji Mbaye Diagne (joined April 1, 2026) is a globally recognized expert in carbon markets and international climate policy, with more than two decades of experience supporting governments and multilateral processes under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He currently serves as director general of Afrique–Énergie–Environnement (AEE) in Senegal and has been a member of Senegal’s official UNFCCC negotiation delegation since 2000, serving as lead coordinator on market-related issues. Additionally, he has held several senior international roles, including chair of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board, member of the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body, and lead author for the Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Jennifer Park (joined April 1, 2026) is an internationally respected leader in climate finance, impact strategy, and climate diplomacy. Currently a partner at ALTÉRRA Management Limited in Abu Dhabi, she leads impact and corporate strategy for one of the world’s largest private climate investment vehicles. Previously, she served as a senior adviser in the executive office of the UN Secretary-General, advising Secretaries-General Ban Ki-moon and António Guterres on climate and energy policy. She played a central role in advancing landmark initiatives such as the Paris Agreement and Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs). She is also a trained lawyer and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.

Together, these three leaders will help guide Verra as it continues to advance integrity, innovation, and impact in the environmental and climate markets.

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