Ekena Rangel Pinage has a bachelor’s degree in Geography and a master’s degree in Forest Sciences from the University of Brasilia, and a PhD degree in Sciences from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. She worked for the government and non-profit sectors in Brazil, at institutions such as the Brazilian Forest Service, EMBRAPA and WWF-Brasil. Her last appointment prior to joining WCS was with Oregon State University as a post-doctoral scholar. Ekena has experience with spatial conservation planning and monitoring of forest cover, structure, and function with a range of geospatial technologies.