Sarah Lowery is an Economist and Public-Private Finance Specialist. Ms. Lowery leads work on integrated finance for sustainable land use and responsible private sector investment, and she manages multiple partnerships with companies on land rights. She focuses on the links between secure land tenure, inclusive economic growth, and sustainable environmental management, and manages a portfolio with a heavy emphasis on women’s land rights and economic empowerment, including in partnership with the private sector.
Educational Background
Ms. Lowery holds a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a master’s degree in Environmental Management (MEM) from Yale University. She also has bachelor’s degree in Economics & Business and Japanese Studies from Lafayette College.
Regional Experience
Ms. Lowery has extensive experience in Latin America and the Caribbean. She has also worked on projects in Ghana, Ethiopia, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Mozambique, Madagascar, and Zambia.
Previous Experience
Ms. Lowery brings over 17 years of experience at the intersection of business, finance and the environment. Prior to joining USAID, Ms. Lowery managed the Public-Private Co-Finance Initiative at Forest Trends, where she designed public-private financial mechanisms in Brazil and Colombia that encourage sustainable land use (i.e. reduced deforestation and increased climate-smart agriculture technologies). She has authored several papers on climate finance innovations like REDD+ bonds and ways to utilize climate finance to unlock larger pools of capital like domestic agricultural finance in the pursuit of conservation goals.
Publications and Presentations
- More food, more forests, fewer emissions, better livelihoods: linking REDD+, sustainable supply chains and domestic policy in Brazil, Indonesia and Colombia, Carbon Management, April 2014
- Rural Credit in Brazil: Challenges and Opportunities for Promoting Sustainable Agriculture, Forest Trends, November 2015
- Jurisdictional REDD+ Bonds: Leveraging Private Finance for Forest Protection, Development, and Sustainable Agriculture Supply Chains, Forest Trends, February 2014