Sonya is responsible for engaging asset managers and institutional investors to help tackle the world’s biggest sustainability challenges. Specifically, Sonya works with investors to integrate ESG issues into their investment practices. She also supports investor engagement with large companies across a range of sectors to promote more rigorous sustainability policies and practices related to climate, water, forests, and human rights.
Prior to joining Ceres, Sonya was Head of ESG for the Wells Fargo Social Impact Investing team and a Lead Sector Analyst at SASB. At Wells Fargo, she oversaw ESG factors for $2.4 billion AUM in client assets; led targeted engagements with portfolio companies focused on climate change, human capital, and corporate governance; and made proxy voting recommendations on 1400 voting items annually for the bank’s Proxy Voting Committee. At SASB, Sonya led research and consultation with corporations and investors across 16 industries, culminating in the release of the 2018 SASB Standards. Sonya also has previous work experience as an analyst at Bailard Investment Management, at Google, and at Ecotrust, an environmental nonprofit.
Sonya earned an MBA with Honors from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and a BS in Economics Summa Cum Laude from American University. She holds the SASB Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credential and the CFA Climate Risk, Valuation, and Investing Certificate and has passed the first two levels of the CFA exam.