ERIKA HARMS

Executive Director of the Tourism Sustainability Council (TSC) and Senior Advisor on Tourism at the United Nations Foundation, United Nations Foundation, Costa Rica

Erika Harms is the Executive Director of the Tourism Sustainability Council (TSC) and Senior Advisor on Tourism at the United Nations Foundation. In this role, Ms Harms manages and oversees the implementation of activities under the framework of the TSC. As Advisor on Tourism, Ms Harms supports the UN Foundation's tourism and conservation efforts. Ms Harms has focused on creating platforms to bring together private and public sector in support of the United Nations' conservation priorities, and has spearheaded initiatives such as the World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism and the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. She joined the UN Foundation in 2001, previously serving as the Executive Director for the Sustainable Development Program.

Before joining the UN Foundation, Ms Harms came to the United States as Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General of the Embassy of Costa Rica in Washington, DC. Previous to her diplomatic career, she worked for Monsanto Corporation as marketing manager for Central America and the Caribbean. From 1989 to 1995, she developed her passion for and knowledge of environmental issues while serving as a consultant in environmental law and policies for the government of Costa Rica, the World Bank, and local and international NGOs.
Ms Harms is a member of the WHA Governing Body, the Board of UNWTO, the Board of the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN), the Board for UNDP's Equator Initiative, and the Board of Friends of Osa. She has served as a judge for the WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge, the Travel and Leisure Global Vision Awards, and Smithsonian Travel. In 2008, Conde Nast Traveler recognized Ms. Harms as a "Trail Blazer" in Sustainable Tourism.

A 1991 graduate of the University of Costa Rica's Law School, Ms Harms holds a degree of Attorney at Law and Notary Public. In 1995, she obtained her master's degree in Business Administration and Natural Resource Management from INCAE, Central American Institute of Business Administration, in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Born in Costa Rica, Ms Harms' native languages are Spanish and German.