Student and Alumni Advisory Board

Emma Krause is a Managing Consultant at Guidehouse, working on the European energy, sustainability and infrastructure team. She has over 10 years of experience supporting public and private sector entities to design and implement climate and energy policy and programs. At Guidehouse she currently supports the European Commission to design, implement, and administer just transition capacity building programs and RFNBO auctions and certification schemes, as well as assess European carbon pricing mechanisms. She graduated from the Hertie School with a Masters in Public Policy in 2019, and from Emerson College with a Bachelor’s of Science in Communications and Political Science in 2012. In her spare time you can find her running, biking, or immersed in a novel.

Rodrigo Jimenez Silva is a Climate Policy Advisor at GIZ, based in Berlin. Previous experience includes working for OECD as an external consultant, as well as International Cooperation Liaison and Head of Department for North America at Mexico's Ministry of Energy. He holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Hertie School and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations.

Dorian Wevers is a 2025 MIA graduate, now working as analyst in the Climate Diplomacy and Security team at adelphi. She holds an LL.M. in Public International Law, focusing on the nexus of climate change and international security. Dorian has professional experience at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in the Mitigation Action Facility, contributing to climate finance and mitigation initiatives. Her academic and professional background, therefore, reflects a strong commitment to innovative solutions at the intersection of climate policy and international relations.

Federico Guirado Wilson is a 2025 MPP graduate and a self-confessed tree-hugger. Passionate about nature and biodiversity, with a background in sustainable finance and a strong interest in the intersection of environmental policy and land use. Coming from a Latin American country with a rich agricultural heritage, he is excited to bring diverse perspectives to the Centre for Sustainability and foster more engagement between the student body and the Centre.

Paul Giraldo is an Electrochemistry and Process Engineer from Grenoble Institute of Technology. Through his positions as a sustainability consultant and a project manager, he has guided industrial companies in developing decarbonization strategies, managed hands-on decarbonization projects on oil rigs, set up European research projects on biofuels, conducted studies on hydrogen and gasification technologies, and supported companies with ESG compliance. Now aiming to put his experience at the service of EU policymaking, Paul is pursuing an MPP at the Hertie School and has a keen interest in all things related to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Juan David Gomez Laserna is a Colombian lawyer and public policy student at the Hertie School. His interests lie around advancing the adoption of renewable-centered power systems, and fair and sustainable transitions in general. Before Hertie,  as Regional Adviser for the Pooled Fund on International Energy, he designed and implemented philanthropic strategies for the adoption of renewable energies across Latin America and the Caribbean. Earlier, at one of Colombia's leading Law Firms, he advised companies on regulatory frameworks and project finance for renewable energy projects. He also co-leads APATA, an NGO that empowers rural communities to develop tourism initiatives promoting peace and biodiversity. In his spare time, he likes outdoor exercising and watching movies.

Catherine Orientale is pursuing her master's degree in public policy at the Hertie School. Her professional background demonstrates her commitment to marine science and biodiversity. In the U.S., she served as a marine science educator for Project Oceanology and contributed to both the research and educational outreach teams at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, where she focused on grassroots marine conservation and local wildlife initiatives. In Costa Rica, she worked for Ecology Project International, collecting data on endangered sea turtles and leading student research activities to promote experiential environmental learning. At Hertie, she looks forward to broadening her skill set in climate policy and strategies for mitigating climate change.

Ashley Orlet is a first-year MIA student interested in international climate policy and finance, climate and conflict, and combining science and policy. She recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Ecology and a Sustainability Certificate. Prior to joining the Hertie School, she conducted research on the interactions between climate change, climate finance, and insurgent conflict. She also collaborated with Atlanta-based solar company Cherry Street Energy to co-author a report examining how to sustainably support grid resilience and growing energy demand in Georgia. Finally, she previously interned at the Center for American Progress, where she co-authored a column analyzing how Project 2025 would harm global climate ambition.

Christian Sarpey is a first-year MPP student with a Bachelor’s degree in Global Environmental and Sustainability Studies. He has several years of experience as a student assistant and as an office manager for a member of the Hamburg Parliament, where he contributed to the revision process of the city’s climate law and strategy. He currently works at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, supporting efforts to communicate the opportunities and risks of marine carbon dioxide removal to policymakers and regulators. He is committed to bridging scientific understanding of sustainable carbon management with policy instruments that promote its responsible deployment.

Vermon Washington is a second year MPP student from Liberia focusing on climate policy. Driven by his passion for climate action, he researches mitigation policies and has presented findings at the Knowledge Beyond Boundaries Conference at the London School of Economics and the European Public Policy Conference. Prior to joining the Hertie School, he obtained a master's in international development degree from IE University and served as a Policy Analyst at the United Nations Development Coordination Office in New York. He is interested in using empirical findings to enable stakeholders to make informed policy decisions in mitigating the climate crisis.