Yoko has over 25 years of professional experience working on biodiversity and natural resources management. Prior to joining ADB, she directed the GEF Small Grants Programme as its Global Manager at UNDP in New York. With a budget of over US$1 billion, she strategically managed a global team of 200+ staff, covering 127 countries with 27000 community-led projects on global environmental issues. From 2004-2017, she worked at the Global Environment Facility and held key positions, including Head of Asia Program, Coordinator on Gender and Social Inclusion, and Program Manager on Biodiversity. While at the World Bank, Yoko also served at the Rwanda Country Office and managed its environment portfolio. Prior to that, she worked at the World Wildlife Fund as its Conservation Director in Mongolia and later as a Senior Advisor on Multilateral Relations in Washington DC. She started her development career at JICA in Tokyo, and later at UNDP as Environment Program Officer at Nepal and Mongolia Offices.
Yoko is a Japanese national and holds a master’s degree in international development with a focus on environment management from the American University in Washington DC. During undergraduate, she studied environmental studies and development economics at Aoyama Gakuin University and University of Oregon.
Website: ADB.org