Sustainable Forest Biomass Sourcing for CDR: A Buyer's Guide

Dr. Atreya has worked in climate technology research and strategic advisory since 2009. She was the lead author of Bioresources within a Net-Zero Emissions Economy, a report by the Energy Transitions Commission evaluating the role of sustainable bioresources in climate change mitigation. While at SYSTEMIQ, a sustainability-focused systems change company, Meera provided strategic advice to a major climate-focused philanthropic foundation and co-authored a report on alleviating the plastic waste crisis; the United Nations Environment Programme is currently using this analysis as the basis for a global plastics treaty. Prior to SYSTEMIQ, Meera was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where she was designated as an Affiliate Expert in Renewable Energy & Cleantech and was a key member of the team that steered McKinsey to address its own global carbon emissions. 

Meera is based in London and is an advisor to Carbon Gap and former Technical Advisory Group Member of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). She holds a PhD in Chemistry (Chemical Biology) from UC Berkeley and an A.B. cum laude from Harvard. Dr. Atreya was awarded a US National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for her doctoral research on engineering enzymes to improve the efficiency, and lower the cost, of converting cellulosic biomass to 2^nd-generation biofuels.

Logan Sander uses his experience in forest management, biodiversity and forest tenure to apply an interdisciplinary approach to his work. Before joining Relae, Logan worked extensively in natural resources management. His early work included conducting vegetation surveys throughout Alaska for the USDA-NRCS and supporting projects to address deforestation in Morocco as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He later conducted agroforestry research and fieldwork in Jamaica and Sri Lanka. Subsequently, as a consulting forester, Logan provided forest management expertise to landowners in the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, he was a researcher on diverse projects supporting community forestry and collective forest tenure for clients such as the World Bank, Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, FAO, and private foundations. Logan has extensive field experience in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and New England, Morocco, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Sri Lanka.

Shirin has a diverse professional background spanning nature based solutions, energy policy, and data analysis. Before joining Relae, she worked as a Research Associate for CLASP where she conducted policyresearch on the efficiency and accessibility of household appliances across an international landscape. Prior to CLASP, she also worked at Indufor North America where she supported client-based consulting work relating to landscape conservation and forestry. During her time in undergrad, Shirin also worked in the UC Davis SCOW lab where she facilitated research on enhancing the carbon sequestration properties of agricultural soils.

Sanna works closely with clients to advise them on high-quality carbon reduction and removal strategies and solutions, bridging science and impact-focused outcomes.

Sanna has worked in environmental science advisory since 2014. She draws on her professional experience in environmental engineering and strategic advisory with expertise in climate earth systems, land use and water resource management, and urban climate adaptation. 

Prior to Relae, Sanna was the Carbon Dioxide Removal Lead for the Energy Transitions Commission, publishing Mind the Gap: How Carbon Dioxide Removals Must Complement Deep Decarbonisation to Keep 1.5°C Alive in 2022. While at SYSTEMIQ, a sustainability-focused systems change company, Sanna was research manager for the Food and Land Use Coalition during the publication of Growing Better: 10 Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use (laying out one of the first roadmaps for the global food systems transition). She also provided advisory services to the UNEP International Resource Panel on their 2021 strategic direction. She began her career as an civil and environmental engineer, focusing on climate resilient design for major infrastructure developments. 

Sanna is a Fulbright Scholar, and has worked in New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Adrianna is a science communicator and editorial professional with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of writing, design, and the environment. She brings a combination of deep scientific literacy and award-winning creative expertise to her work.Before joining Relae, Adrianna served as Communications Manager and Science Writer for Michigan State University's Forest Carbon and Climate Program, where she wrote and edited technical reports and white papers, oversaw digital communications, and provided creative direction for scientific illustrations, videos, and animations.Earlier in her career, Adrianna spent seven years as Art Director at Timber Press, guiding the aesthetic direction of dozens of book projects and mentoring junior design staff. Additionally, she has run an independent design and editorial practice since 2004, serving clients across the private, public, and academic sectors.Adrianna also has boots-on-the-ground experience working as a Forestry Technician with the US Forest Service, where she conducted forest inventory fieldwork across Oregon and Washington and was recognized for her editorial contributions to the Pacific Northwest Research Station’s scientific publications.