H.E Giovanna Valverde Stark

Amb. Giovanna is a career diplomat since 2004 and an expert in sustainable development, climate change, agriculture, commerce and finance. She has distinguished herself in many countries as a climate change and trade negotiator as well as for promoting Costa Rica’s sustainable development model.

Amb Giovanna was previously responsible for Environmental agenda and was chief negotiator for negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. She also worked as director of International Affairs and Senior Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Costa Rica.

Between 2004 and 2010 Amb Giovanna worked as Minister Counselor for both the Embassy of Costa Rica in Belgium and the European Union and the Embassy of Costa Rica in El Salvador and member of the Central American Integration System (SICA). 

Her experience extends to teaching having worked as a Spanish and Italian professor in the Linguistics Department, University of California, San Diego, USA in the past. Ambassador Giovanna holds a Masters in Science in Microfinance from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium and a Master in Business Administration, with emphasis in International Trade, San Diego State University (SDSU). She also has a specialization in European Union Public Policies, Organización Italo-Latino Americana (IILA), Italy and Belgium.

Amb Giovanna has also worked as a climate change negotiator for COP25, Pre-COP25 and COP 17 to COP21.