Sophia Wood

Carbon Project Success Manager, North America

2023

MSc Environmental Policy and Regulation

2022 - 2023

Through my MSc program in Environmental Policy & Regulation at the LSE, I pursued a rigorous course of study focused on shifting political and economic incentives to improve outcomes for people, nature, and our climate. Specifically, I concentrated on three areas: 1. Quantitative Modeling: Through courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and statistical analysis, I sought to understand and demonstrate spatial and statistical correlations between conservation interventions and outcomes at global and regional scales. 2. Climate Policy Communication: Through my capstone course in Environmental Regulation, I produced several brifs, reports, and presentations on complex topics in climate management, directed at diverse audiences, from US Congress to rural agricultural communities. 3. Forest & Biodiversity Management: My dissertation research used geospatial regression modeling to study the potential for payments for ecosystem services or other sustainable forest-based income to decrease deforestation risk in Central African rainforests. It concluded that forestry continues to have a mixed impact on forest loss while compensating forest users for opportunity costs (for agriculture etc) did not statistically reduce the risk of deforestation in high biodiversity areas in Gabon.

Director

2020 - 2022

Friends of Wallacea (friendsofwallacea.org) partners with rural and indigenous communities to develop wildlife tourism that empowers and incentivizes the conservation of biodiversity hotspots around the world. We work with communities to develop tour itineraries that showcase their unique wildlife, connect them with postgraduate students for research collaborations, and amplify their international marketing and sales efforts through a simple, user-friendly online marketplace.

South America Regional and Ecuador Country Manager

2018 - 2022

- Established regional vision and planning for South American biodiversity research projects in Peru, Ecuador, and Guyana in alignment with organizational and partner objectives - Oversaw efficient and prudent allocation of yearly expedition budgets in Ecuador for logistics, operations, and management of two-month field research season, including lodging, food, scientific equipment, transportation, and salaries for 20-person team and 200+ students - Managed contracting, training, and team leadership in challenging remote field conditions while prioritizing biodiversity research goals alongside student education and indigenous community needs

Venture Partner

2018 - 2022

I joined the Magma Partners operations team to deepen my impact in the Latin American startup ecosystem by vetting future investments, supporting companies in our portfolio, and developing educational content for investors, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders in the US and Latin America. I later held an advisory role on the team and supported PR efforts through 2022. As Principal, I was previously responsible for the sales and client content strategies for Magma Media, Magma Partners' in-house marketing and PR agency for Latin American startups. Content Marketing: Developed and executed long-term content creation plans to establish Magma Partners as a leader in the Latin American ecosystem and educate US investors about local opportunities. Public Relations: Managed and published daily on LatAm List, a news source for sharing Latin American tech news in English. Grew readership and mailing list by +30% per month. Deal Flow: Sourced, interviewed, and evaluated early-stage Latin American startups for potential investment from Magma Partners. Attended startup and investment events in Santiago to grow Magma's network. Sales: Researched and contacted potential Magma Media clients in Ecuador, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia and create custom marketing and PR proposals to support their needs. Operations: Represented Magma Partners at international events or for visitors, provide in-person support in Magma offices, and complete other duties as needed.

Blue Carbon Project Manager

2021 - 2022

- Coordinated development of a one-million-credit, 25-year private voluntary carbon offset program through large-scale blue carbon reforestation project in Honduras in partnership with local NGOs, communities, regional government, and international institutions (Plan Vivo certified) - Co-designed and promoted pioneering biodiversity credit methodology with Verra and Gold Standard, particularly focused on sustainable investment strategies to support wildlife protection - Managed data analysis and accomplished tight deadlines for Project Idea Notes (PIN) and Project Development Documents (PDD), leading team of 15+ scientists and researchers - Collaborated with fishing cooperatives to develop business ideas for investment through carbon funding and negotiated development plans with institutional investors during due diligence process

Freelance Copywriter

2017 - 2019

I specialized in websites, social media copy, company blogs, and bylines about Latin American tech and entrepreneurship. Organized and wrote copy for premier Colombian paragliding website with 80+ hits per day and 98% click-through rate. Drafted customer-facing and partner-facing copy for VamosA social media and website.

Marketing Manager

2017 - 2018

Following my passion for writing about cutting-edge development in Latin America, I created refreshing, industry-specific content for startups in Latin America that are marketing to a U.S. audience. Responsibilities: Researched, outlined, and wrote SEO-based content for company blogs, with a focus on the Latin American tech and entrepreneurship scene Pitched and wrote bylines about Colombian entrepreneurship news for Latin American online publications Plan and managed monthly social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook) for Launchway Media and three tech startups based in Latin America Conducted competitor research and provided support for media outreach and PR campaigns

Co-Founder and Marketing Director

2017 - 2018

VamosA is an international training program for aspiring entrepreneurs. We travel with university students and young professionals to major startup hubs in Latin America to learn from seasoned experts how to build, test, and market new products. Our mission is to make entrepreneurship training and international education more accessible to people of all backgrounds. As Co-Founder and Marketing Director of VamosA, I was responsible for all aspects of marketing and B2C recruitment. Business Development: Planned and executed new strategies to optimize user engagement and retention for both B2B and B2C channels Marketing Strategy: Integrated Inbound marketing across all outreach: email, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and VamosA blog. Analytics: Managed Google Analytics and SEO to analyze performance statistics for website and social media. Recruitment: Sourced leads for B2C sales funnel via email marketing, social media, and newsletter. Copywriting: Created all copy on VamosA website, including original blog content and writing bylines for major Latin American publications. Communications: Maintained close relationships with university partners in Latin America and USA to develop opportunities for students to participate in VamosA programs through their academic institutions.

National Park Fundraiser

2017 - 2017

While in Fiji, I was responsible for coordinating the grant writing process to support indigenous Fijian community in efforts to develop land into national park/conservation area. Responsibilities: Sourced and vetted eight fundraising opportunities from international development organizations and foundations Wrote, edited, and submitted $25K grant application to US Department of State, including registering company with NATO and US government to enable Opwall’s eligibility for the grant Acted as main liaison between Fijian community and international development organizations, conservation scientists, and foreign students, to assure conservation benefits for mataqali (family clans) Participated in meetings with major development organizations and universities based in Suva to source leads for funding opportunities in Natewa Province Developed and coordinated cultural activity plan for high school students during two-day homestay in indigenous Fijian village. Led meetings with village chief and leadership to build local capacity among Fijian youth to take over as activities coordinator in 2018.