If you could give a TED Talk on behalf of the forest, what would be your opening line to get the audience’s attention?"

"Every breath you take is a gift from a tree—yet with every passing minute, we obliterate the lungs of our planet. If we do not stop deforestation, we are quite literally suffocating our own future."

Gerald Prolman is the Executive Chairman and founder of Everland, which he established in 2017. Everland represents the world’s largest portfolio of high-impact, community-led forest conservation projects. Everland connects forest communities with corporations to protect some of the planet’s most vital ecosystems, fostering sustainable development through business partnerships.

Before founding Everland, Gerald played a crucial role at Wildlife Works, a global leader in REDD+ project development. Starting in 2008 as EVP of Business Development, he helped bring the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project in Kenya to international recognition. This project became the first to achieve verification and issuance under the Verified Carbon Standard (VERRA) in 2010, marking a historic moment in the voluntary carbon market.

Throughout his career, Gerald has been at the forefront of creating sustainable business ventures. He founded Organic Bouquet, Inc. in 2001, the first online retailer for sustainably grown fresh-cut flowers, setting a new standard for eco-friendly gifting. Before that, in 1989, he established Made In Nature, Inc., the first organic produce brand to break into the US mass-market, ultimately leading to its acquisition by Dole Food Co.

With over 45 years of entrepreneurial experience, Gerald has consistently merged business with social and environmental impact, driving innovative solutions for both markets and communities. At Climate Week NYC, Gerald is focused on the critical role businesses play in supporting forest conservation and creating impactful climate solutions.

If you could give a TED talk on behalf of the forest, what would be your opening line to get the audience’s attention?

"What else do I need to do to convince you to protect me? Are my services not valuable enough?"

Josh's journey into environmentalism began at the age of 16 during a transformative wilderness experience in the Wind River mountains of Wyoming. That profound encounter with nature sparked his lifelong passion for conservation and his belief in the power of voluntary action and market mechanisms to help transform our relationship with the natural world.

Since joining Everland in 2019, Josh has focused on creating meaningful, equitable partnerships between forest communities and large corporations. He is driven by the opportunity to address forest loss at its root cause and create a large-scale impact by uniting communities and companies in common cause.

Outside of the office, Josh spends time on personal growth practices such as sound healing, music, and traditional ceremonies, all of which help him stay connected to the spirit of nature and fuel his drive to conserve it.

At Climate Week NYC, Josh's primary goal is to generate real momentum toward regrowing the market for avoided deforestation carbon credits, understanding that every moment lost is a critical opportunity missed. He aims to leverage relationships with innovative conservationists and courageous leaders to create lasting impact.

If you could give a TED talk on behalf of the forest, what would be your opening line to get the audience’s attention?

"We know we are all connected to the forest because the oxygen they create is the most abundant element in the human body. Forests are the air we breathe, the water we drink; they sustain us... Will we sustain them?"

Josh joined Everland five years ago, shortly after the Series A round closed, driven by a deep desire to tackle climate change. With his background in economics and passion for environmental stewardship instilled by his parents, Josh's focus has been on securing funding for conservation. Over the years, Everland has channeled hundreds of millions of dollars into protecting forests and supporting local communities, becoming a leader in the space.

Josh's academic background in economics was sparked by his passion for understanding and improving human well-being at scale, a skillset he now applies in his career by helping companies safeguard Indigenous projects in some of the planet's most biodiverse ecosystems.

Outside of work, Josh enjoys dancing and loves finding new social dances.

At New York Climate Week, Josh’s goal is to meet people who want to fight climate change while helping communities thrive through forest conservation. Whether through collaboration on existing projects or exploring new initiatives, he aims to foster meaningful connections that drive impactful change.

If you could give a TED Talk on behalf of the forest, what would be your opening line to get the audience’s attention?

"I'll be silent when I'm gone."

Morgan joined Everland over 1.5 years ago, bringing a unique blend of expertise in Environmental Science, Biology, and finance. Her academic background and early-stage finance experience have made her a perfect fit for Everland, where she leverages these skills to help clients across industries make meaningful contributions to tropical forest conservation.

Morgan is passionate about Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and decarbonization, and her role at Everland allows her to continuously learn and grow in climate finance, which is constantly evolving. She finds great value in working with clients from different industries, helping them achieve the shared goal of conserving forests while learning from diverse perspectives in the carbon market.

Outside of work, Morgan enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including cooking, reading, practicing yoga, and repairing jewelry—her hidden talent that often surprises friends.

At Climate Week NYC, Morgan's primary goal is to connect with clients and prospective partners to share Everland's portfolio of REDD+ projects. She also plans to explore new areas, such as food system decarbonization, carbon capture, and biodiversity crediting, broadening her expertise in these crucial topics.

If you could give a TED talk on behalf of the forest, what would be your opening line to get the audience’s attention?

"As humans, we've gotten really good at building our financial wealth while drawing down nature's piggy bank—forests. But what if there was a way to build financial and natural capital at the same time?"

Philip joined Everland a year ago, bringing with him a lifelong passion for protecting ecosystems, a passion that began with a close encounter with a jaguar in the Bolivian Amazon during his teenage years. This experience sparked a deep commitment to conservation that has shaped his professional journey, focusing on preventing deforestation through corporate leadership.

At Everland, Philip explores a different strategy: changing the economics on the ground by directing carbon credit revenues to indigenous and local communities. This approach, he believes, is one of the most efficient and meaningful ways to ensure broad-scale biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation.

In his downtime, Philip is an adventurer at heart, enjoying rock climbing, dancing, board games, and picnics with friends.

At Climate Week NYC, he’s on a mission to connect with sustainability leaders, catch up with his network, and stay ahead of trends in the sustainable supply chain and carbon markets.

If you could give a TED talk on behalf of the forest, what would be your opening line to get the audience’s attention?

"If trees could talk, they’d remind us that our future is inextricably linked to theirs—protecting them is not just an environmental necessity, but a critical step in securing our own survival on this planet."

Natalie has been with Everland for five years, drawn by her passion for connecting conservation efforts with real-world social and economic impacts through ethical storytelling. With a strong academic foundation—an MSc in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics, a Master’s in Social Work and Non-Profit Management from Columbia University, and a dual Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs and Human Services from Northeastern University—she has spent her career elevating the voices of those most affected by climate change.

Her professional journey has included work with organizations like Global Citizen, Code REDD / Stand For Trees, UNESCO, and UNEP, along with experience living and working abroad in Cambodia, Thailand, India, and Kenya. These experiences have deepened her understanding of the global climate crisis and the importance of community-driven conservation solutions. The incredible people she has met along the way have inspired her commitment to ethical storytelling and community collaboration.

Outside of work, Natalie is a film enthusiast who can often be found at Curzon cinemas in London or experimenting with new vegetarian recipes at home. She’s also eagerly looking forward to indulging in her favorite New York bagels during Climate Week.

At Climate Week NYC, Natalie’s mission is clear: to amplify the voices of forest communities through film screenings, panel discussions, and festival events. Her goal is to forge strong partnerships that support community-led conservation efforts and ensure that the stories of those at the frontlines of environmental protection are heard.