Melissa Pinfield

Melissa Pinfield is a Senior Partner at Meridian Institute based in the United Kingdom. She leads the Just Rural Transition Secretariat, housed at Meridian, and has helped develop and launch a range of multi-stakeholder initiatives to tackle complex issues including nature crime, voluntary carbon market integrity, and regenerative food systems. A highlight of her time at Meridian has been mobilizing resources and supporting processes that elevate the voices and perspectives of frontline food systems actors, including at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s annual Conferences of Parties (COP27 in Egypt and COP28 in the United Arab Emirates).

Melissa has more than 20 years of experience working on climate, environment, sustainable development and international relations. Prior to joining Meridian, she was Program Director of the Food and Land Use Coalition. She has worked for both the Australian and U.K. Governments on international climate policy and finance and served as a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Beijing.

Born in Adelaide, Australia, Melissa lives now lives in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom with her husband, two teenage children and cat. She enjoys cooking for friends and family, reading, and hiking.