Santiago Aparicio

Santiago Aparicio has a diverse work experience in the field of environmental sustainability and development. Santiago began their career as a Climate Change Advisor at the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in 2015. Santiago then worked as a Climate Finance Advisor at the World Resources Institute from 2015 to 2016. Santiago later served as a Public Policy Advisor at the Fondo para la Accion Ambiental y la Niñez, where they developed a transparency mechanism for reducing corruption risks that trigger deforestation. In 2017, they took on the role of Environmental Finance Advisor at Fundación Natura.

Also in 2017, Santiago co-founded a solar energy enterprise called ILUMINANDO, which aimed to solve the energy access problem for underserved populations. As the Director and Co-Founder of ILUMINANDO, they provided reliable and cost-effective renewable energy solutions, benefiting 33,000 people.

Santiago then joined the National Planning Department DNP in 2018. Santiago served as the Coordinator of the National Climate Change Adaptation Readiness Programme, funded by the Green Climate Fund, until 2019. Santiago was then promoted to the position of Director of Environment and Sustainable Development at the same department, a role they held until 2022.

In 2022, Santiago worked as the Director of the V Sustainability Summit at Grupo Semana, organizing an event focused on the theme of regeneration with national and international keynote speakers. Santiago then joined the UNDP as an Advisor before transitioning to their current role as the Project Manager for the Americas Flyway Initiative at the National Audubon Society.

Santiago Aparicio began their education in 1984 at Colegio Los Nogales, where they completed their School degree and studied various subjects. Santiago then pursued their higher education at Universidad Externado de Colombia from 1998 to 2003, where they focused on Government and Foreign Affairs. Later, in 2010 and 2011, Santiago attended Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where they obtained a Master's degree in Applied Imagination. Although their specific field of study is not mentioned, Santiago's education reflects a diverse range of interests and experiences.