Meet the Team

America H. Calonge leads the digital strategy and agile operations practice at VerdAbility. Her work focuses on designing and executing digital strategy for climate finance and sustainable infrastructure programmes, translating AI-driven digital transformation into measurable operational delivery. A former Director of the Asia Representative Office for the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, she brings over 18 years of experience across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, leading complex multi-country programmes with governments, multilateral institutions, and private-sector stakeholders. She combines operational discipline with a strategic understanding of how digital tools, data, and agile methodologies create competitive advantage in highly regulated, capital-intensive environments. Her approach is guided by three principles: efficiency, effectiveness, and excellence.

Miguel A. Franco brings more than 30 years of international experience at the nexus of energy, climate change, and environmental management. At RTI International, he served as Director of Energy and Climate Change and led the US$54 million USAID Power Africa Off-grid Project, where a team of 45 professionals across 26 countries mobilized over US$1 billion in investment and achieved more than 7 million household connections. He has worked in over 50 countries implementing programs spanning renewable energy, energy efficiency, methane capture, and environmental management for USAID, FCDO, the World Bank, IDB, USEPA, and UNDP. He holds an M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

Yana Fleming is a strategic communications advisor with 20+ years of experience across 45+ countries, specializing in climate finance and sustainable infrastructure in emerging markets. At VerdAbility, she develops communications strategies translating complex technical frameworks for diverse stakeholder groups, with particular focus on Indo-Pacific and Small Island Developing States contexts. She has designed communications strategies for the World Bank and DFAT-funded programs, structured monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks for bilateral funders, and created behavior change campaigns for energy efficiency initiatives. She specializes in responsible AI deployment for communications in resource-constrained environments and designing solutions adapted to local media landscapes. Yana is multilingual and holds an MA in Integrated Marketing Communications and a BFA in Photography.

William Porter is a transaction advisory and climate finance professional with over 10 years of experience in financial structuring, sustainable infrastructure investment, and capital mobilization. He has served SMB and high-net-worth clients across 10+ U.S. states, integrating ESG-aligned portfolio construction and alternative asset strategies into comprehensive financial planning frameworks. He has managed $100M+ in client assets, developed advanced financial models for a $1B+ project pipeline, achieving an 18% improvement in forecasting accuracy, and reduced portfolio risk by 15% through systematic ESG-informed rebalancing. He holds a Global Executive MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, an M.S. in Resource Economics from Tuskegee University, and is completing the Private Equity Certificate at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Sibongokuhle Maphalala is a PhD candidate in Economics at the University of Pretoria, where she also completed her undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Economics and Econometrics. Her research interests focus on sustainable energy, public policy, fiscal analysis, and advancing a just energy transition in South Africa. She has experience in climate finance, sustainable infrastructure, and economic policy research through her work at Krutham and DNA Economics, where she contributed to analysis on renewable energy, blended finance, infrastructure, and capital markets. Sibongokuhle combines strong quantitative and analytical skills with a growing focus on the intersection of sustainability, state capacity, and economic transformation.

Douglas Hinrichs brings over 25 years of experience in energy transition strategy, industrial decarbonization, and low-carbon infrastructure development. He has mobilized more than US$400 million in IFI and private investment for clean energy programs, including restructuring a US$13 million FCDO program in Nepal that catalyzed over US$400 million in renewable investment. He also served as a Power Africa Transaction Advisor at Deloitte Consulting and as Global Practice Leader for Urban Climate Change at Mott MacDonald, where he directed the World Bank’s Global Study on Climate Resilient Infrastructure. He holds a Master’s in Environmental Studies from the University of Illinois and certifications in GHG Protocol and Emissions Trading Systems.

Ivonne is a mission-driven strategist with 17 years turning bold ideas into scalable impact. She serves as a Senior Consultant at VerdAbility (AI & data center, health), and Instructor with the College of Southern Maryland. Ivonne has secured $991M+ in funding, launched 18 ventures, and designed programs across three continents. She stands ready to assist with scalable operations, while leading with AI and innovation.

Santiago Mirabal Montero is an energy transition and industrial decarbonization specialist with deep experience in power-sector reform, renewable energy integration, and decarbonization programmes across emerging markets. Over the past decade he has worked in nearly thirty countries, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Egypt, Colombia, and Spain. His assignments include power-sector reform and distributed solar PV master planning in Uzbekistan, transmission network development and renewable energy integration, a sugarcane bioenergy roadmap, and a green ammonia plant in Spain. He is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers (Spain Chapter), the Mining Engineering Association of Spain, UNEF (the Spanish Photovoltaic Association), and PROTERMOSOLAR.

Sophie Mokoene is a procurement specialist with over 15 years of experience across U.S. Government, FMCG, and energy-sector procurement. She has managed end-to-end RFQ and RFP processes, supplier negotiation, and contract administration for multimillion-rand procurements, applying FAR, AIDAR, PFMA, PPPFA, and B-BBEE frameworks. Her experience includes managing U.S. Government procurement in South Africa under strict compliance, transparency, and audit-readiness standards, as well as designing and delivering procurement training and capacity building for newly appointed procurement staff at USAID and the U.S. Embassy. She holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management and is a registered CIPS student.

Carlos Brunat brings deep expertise in business development, strategic planning, M&A, and infrastructure investment across Latin America, Europe, and Africa. As co-founder of Apolo Strategy he has structured renewable energy investments and led international expansion strategies in wind and solar markets. He also served as Head of M&A and Business Development at Enhance Group (formerly ATCO-Sabanci JV) and held strategy roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He holds an MBA from IESE Business School and a degree in Economics from the University of Buenos Aires.

Marcela Huertas Figueroa is an origination and project structuring specialist with over 30 years of experience in investment management, ESG integration, and capital raising for green and high-impact projects. She served as Fund Manager at the Inter-American Development Bank managing a US$300 million financing program, and as CEO of Infivalle and Propacifico, advancing SDG-aligned investments including solar-powered neighborhoods in Colombia. Earlier, she held senior positions at the World Bank Group, including Chief of Staff to President James D. Wolfensohn and Head of Strategy for IFC’s Latin American Region. She holds degrees from ESADE, New York University, and Los Andes University, and co-authored Subnational Capital Markets in Developing Countries (Oxford University Press, 2004).

Fahmiddin Fazil is an energy economist and business development specialist focused on Central Asia and Eurasia. He has worked on renewable energy integration and decarbonization programs across the region, as well as energy transition research and advisory engagements. He completed postdoctoral studies at Columbia University and holds degrees from the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent.

Virginia Alzina is an industrial policy and sustainability specialist with experience across more than 45 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. She has led industrial transition and logistics decarbonization initiatives, including the Latin America Industrial Transition Enabling Facility. She holds an M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from Johns Hopkins University and is a member of several international impact assessment and responsible investment networks.

Matthew Addison is an energy sector policy specialist with experience across more than 40 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. He has advised on energy security, power-sector reform, and decarbonization, including the Ukraine Energy Security Project and the Power Central Asia program. His work focuses on policy frameworks that enable clean energy investment and market development in transition economies.

Makhliyokhon Tojieva is a gender specialist working at the intersection of social inclusion, statistics, and economic development in Uzbekistan. She has led international relations, strategic development, and gender initiatives at the national level and teaches management and marketing. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Economics from Tashkent State University of Economics.

Bakhtiyor Ergashbaev is a stakeholder engagement and energy specialist based in Uzbekistan, where he chairs the National Association of Energy Specialists. He has led national capacity-building and energy efficiency initiatives, including solar PV and heat pump modernization of public buildings, and works closely with government and industry counterparts. He holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Innovation Management from Tashkent State Technical University.

Arjun Dhakal is an industrial economist specializing in climate finance, economic appraisal, and decarbonization analysis across South Asia. He has formulated provincial climate change financing frameworks in Nepal and led nature-related financial disclosure (TNFD) readiness assessments. He holds an M.Sc. from Central European University and is an active member of several environmental and economic research associations.

Zafar Saipov is a power system and industrial decarbonization specialist with deep experience in Uzbekistan’s energy sector. He has contributed to the country’s energy decarbonization roadmap and to green private sector development and economic policy advice. He holds a PhD (Candidate of Technical Sciences) and is a member of the National Association of Energy Engineers of Uzbekistan.

Botir Mavlanov is a social safeguards specialist with experience in social impact assessment, resettlement planning, and stakeholder consultation for infrastructure and energy projects in Central Asia. He has supported World Bank and ADB programs in irrigation energy efficiency and climate-adaptive water resources management. He holds a degree from Tashkent State Technical University.

Alexey Volkov is an environmental safeguards specialist focused on environmental compliance and impact assessment for infrastructure and energy projects in Central Asia. His work spans environmental due diligence, safeguards frameworks, and small hydropower development. He holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Policy from Indiana University and is pursuing a PhD in agricultural decarbonization.

Nurshod Saidov is a stakeholder engagement and green business development specialist focused on Uzbekistan and Central Asia. He has supported the creation of a green business development ecosystem in Uzbekistan and capacity building for the Ministry of Economy. He holds a Master’s degree from the Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt in Germany.

Dilshod Elmuradov is a power system and energy efficiency specialist focused on Uzbekistan’s electricity sector. He has led energy auditing and ISO 50001 implementation for industrial enterprises and the deployment of energy-saving technologies. He holds a Master’s degree from Tashkent State Technical University and is a member of the National Association of Energy Specialists of Uzbekistan.

Akmalkhon Khikmatullaev is a financial management specialist with extensive experience supporting donor-funded programs in Uzbekistan. He has provided financial management, disbursement, audit coordination, and reporting support to ADB-financed projects, including the Sustainable Solid Waste Management Improvement Project. He holds degrees in Economics and Law from Tashkent State University and the National University of Uzbekistan.

Bobur Shamsiev is a legal advisor specializing in energy and infrastructure regulation across Central Asia. He has contributed to the drafting of electricity legislation and to policy work on opening regional gas and power markets. He holds an MBA from Robert Gordon University and a degree from the University of World Economy and Diplomacy.