Emily Weeks, PhD

Dr. Emily Weeks previously served as Senior Policy Advisor in the Bureau of Resilience and Food Security at USAID, where she led key initiatives in climate, land governance, and food security. She helped shape the Global Food Security Strategy, USAID’s Nature-Based Solutions guidance, and the Land and Resource Governance Joint Statement, integrating sustainability with economic growth to strengthen resilience in vulnerable communities.

She represented USAID on the National Climate Assessment 5, co-chaired the Global Donor Working Group for Land, and led the $50M Comprehensive Action for Climate Change Initiative (CACCI), supporting local organizations in meeting Paris Agreement goals.

Before USAID, Emily co-founded the National Land Resource Centre in New Zealand and managed over 20 research projects across Oceania, Asia, and Africa. Her work mobilized over $20B in private sector investments and supported sustainable development in 42 countries.

Emily holds a PhD in Conservation Biology from the University of Waikato and an MSc in Marine Ecology from Massey University. She is now CEO of WICE and based in Washington, D.C.