Maria Caldas

Maria Fernandes Caldas is an architect with a Ph.D. in Architecture and Urban Planning from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. She has built her professional career in the public sector, working in management and policy formulation for urban planning, housing, and socioeconomic inclusion, implemented through extensive participatory processes. She served as Secretary of Urban Policy in Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais State, and at the Federal Government level, she was responsible for the Urban and Social Infrastructure Division of the Growth Acceleration Program. Currently, she serves as an Advisor at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy for initiatives related to Land and Communities, and for training programs focused on land management and climate change in Latin America. She also acts as a Senior Fellow for Sustainable Development at ICLEI South America, guiding the development of studies and plans focused on climate action planning for states and municipalities.