Rafael Oscar Oqueli (O’Kelly)

For the past 29 years, Rafael has dedicated his career to natural resource management and ecosystem restoration. His experience spans several international organizations, including the United States Forest Service (USFS), German Cooperation (GIZ), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as well as for the Honduran State Forestry Administration, where he was the head of the forest management office for several years. Rafael has trained professionals in earth sciences and has written numerous regulations on managing natural resources (including guidelines for better forest management).

As Eden's Country Director of Honduras, Rafael oversees a multidisciplinary team dedicated to advancing landscape restoration, supporting local communities that provide forest management services, and achieving innovative and quantifiable results.

Rafael holds a master's degree in Geography and an Engineering degree in Forestry Sciences with a focus in Watershed Management from the National University of Forestry Sciences (UNACIFOR).