Leslie Durschinger

Leveraging 20 years of experience and a proven track record in the financial services industry, Ms. Durschinger founded Terra Global Capital in 2006 to attract private sector capital to nature-based solutions. Ms. Durschinger is recognized as a pioneer and innovator in alignment of development values and financially viable approaches to sustainable landscape management. Terra is a global leader in nature-based solutions program development, greenhouse gas quantification and community-based business model development, by providing technical expertise and investment capital to a global client base of governments, NGOs, and private companies in a collaborative and participatory manner. Under Durschinger’s leadership, Terra has financed numerous commercially viable sustainable landscape management programs, launched an investment fund that provides climate finance to the nature-based solutions sector in the global south. Prior to Terra, Ms. Durschinger held senior management positions in the areas of derivatives trading, investment management, algorithmic trading, risk management, and securities lending. She is a member of the IETA Council and Verra VCS Program Advisory Group and has served on numerous standards committees including Co-chair of IETA Natural Capital Solutions Working Group, REDD+ Social & Environmental Standards Committee, and Verra – VCS JNR Expert Working Group. Ms. Durschinger and her family make small production olive oil on their farm in Mendocino County. Among her previous employers are JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Barclays Global Investors, and Charles Schwab.