Noelle O'Brien

Noelle is the Chief of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Thematic Group concurrently Director, of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Division of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department of ADB. Previously, Noelle was a Principal Climate Change Specialist for the Pacific region and has worked on expanding ADB’s work on mitigation investments, scaling up adaptation investments in the 14 Pacific member countries, and raising climate finance. A comprehensive climate and disaster risk assessment to inform resilience planning for Tonga has been a high point of her recent work. Prior to joining ADB, Noelle spent 7 years working with UKAID’s Strengthening Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change program in Kenya. The program invested in achieving transformational change by scaling up public and private sector innovation and investment in low-carbon and adaptation products, services, and assets. Noelle holds a Natural Science Degree from Trinity College Dublin and a Master’s Degree in Applied Environmental Science and Development Management has worked with the Mekong River Commission, the Center for People’s and Forests, and several international organizations in Southeast Asia and Africa.