Kirsten is the Director General of WWF International and has been a life-long global conservation leader. Starting at WWF as a youth volunteer ranger, Kirsten has risen to various global leadership positions in the organization, with over 20 years of experience with WWF. Prior to WWF, she worked in Kenya and Malawi with local communities on wetland conservation. Throughout her conservation career, she has had a particular interest in the relationship between nature and socio-economic systems. Kirsten sits on several boards, including the Board of Wageningen University in The Netherlands. She holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences with the Erasmus University of Rotterdam and a Masters Degree in International Economics of the University of Maastricht.