Lauren Gifford is a climate strategy leader and carbon governance expert working at the intersection of climate science, finance, governance, and justice. As Senior Advisor for Climate Philanthropy and Investing at Project Drawdown, she guides philanthropies, investors, and institutions in aligning capital with science-based, high-integrity, and equitable climate strategies.
An active researcher, convener, and thought leader, Lauren brings more than 15 years of experience advancing climate solutions across governments, NGOs, universities, foundations, multilateral processes, and Fortune 100 companies. She previously served as Director of the Soil Carbon Solutions Center and Assistant Professor of Carbon Management at Colorado State University, where she led interdisciplinary research and cross-sector partnerships focused on agriculture, rangelands, and land-based mitigation, and founded the Carbon Finance Bootcamp. She also served as Scientific Advisor to Carbon Direct and other tech companies, advising on carbon removal strategy, market integrity, and the human dimensions of high-quality carbon management.
A nationally recognized climate communicator, Lauren regularly serves as a subject matter expert in interviews with major media, including the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Washington Post, TIME, the New York Times, and others.
Lauren holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Colorado Boulder, an MA in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College, and a BA in Communications from American University. She completed a postdoc with University of Arizona and the global Earth Commission articulating boundaries for a safe and just future and the transformations necessary to stay within them. She lives in Colorado.