Climate & Energy Finance · New York

Monica Soria

9+ years in structured finance, sovereign debt, and climate finance across three continents

$0.0B+
Executed
0+
Years
0
Continents
3.7
GPA · Columbia
01 / About

Finance professional at the intersection of capital markets, climate, and clean energy.

My career spans investment banking, transfer pricing at KPMG, and six years at The Nature Conservancy — first in financial planning and analysis, then leading the financial modeling of landmark sovereign blended finance transactions, including three debt-for-nature conversions totaling over $1.6B across Ecuador, Gabon, and Barbados.

I am completing an M.Sc. in Climate Finance (STEM) at Columbia University's Climate School, with 50% of coursework at Columbia Business School. My research examines the 1993–2013 U.S.-Russia nuclear disarmament-to-energy program and its implications for nuclear power in the energy transition.

I bring together deep financial modeling expertise — SPV structures, project finance, debt structuring — with fluency in Python, SQL, and Bloomberg, and a track record of coordinating across sovereigns, multilaterals, and commercial lenders from mandate through close.

Project Finance BESS Modeling Blended Finance SPV Structuring Sovereign Debt DCF · LBO Emerging Markets Python · SQL Bloomberg
Location
New York, NY
Current Role
Business Development Intern · FAST Metals Inc.
CFA Institute
Certificate in Climate & Investing (2026) · Level I (2019)
Languages
Spanish (Native) · English (Fluent) · German & French (Beginner)
CELI Fellow
Clean Energy Leadership Institute · 2026 · cleanenergyleaders.org ↗
02 / Transactions Sovereign Blended Finance
$0B
2024
Ecuador

Amazon Biocorridor Program

Largest debt-for-nature conversion to date. Refinanced $1.53B of sovereign bonds generating $460M for Amazon conservation. First TNC Nature Bonds project on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

Lender
Bank of America
Credit Enhancers
US DFC · IDB
Read more ↗
$0M
2023
Gabon

Blue Bonds · Ocean Conservation

First debt-for-nature conversion in mainland Africa. Unlocked $163M for marine conservation — protecting 30% of Gabon's ocean by 2030.

Lender
Bank of America
Credit Enhancers
US DFC · Reinsurers
Read more ↗
$0M
2022
Barbados

Ocean Conservation Sovereign Loan

First sovereign loan globally to include a natural disaster and pandemic clause post-COVID-19. Generated $50M+ for 15 years of marine conservation.

Lenders
Credit Suisse · CIBC
Credit Enhancers
IDB · TNC
Read more ↗

Scroll to explore →

03 / Experience Career
May – Aug 2026
FAST Metals Inc.
New York, NY
Business Development & Market Research Intern

Supporting a startup focused on critical minerals recovery from industrial waste, decarbonizing mining. Working on go-to-market strategy and supporting the structuring of the company's fundraising efforts.

Critical Minerals Recovery Go-to-Market Strategy Capital Raising
2022 – 2025
The Nature Conservancy
Global · LATAM & Caribbean
Sustainable Debt Analyst

Led financial modeling for $1.6B+ in sovereign blended finance transactions, supporting execution alongside multilaterals (IDB, US DFC), commercial lenders, and national governments from mandate through close. Built SPV cash flow waterfalls, debt sizing models, and investor return profiles. Engineered a Python pipeline automating sovereign bond data retrieval. Oversaw post-transaction SPV compliance and reserve monitoring.

Blended Finance SPV Waterfalls Sovereign Debt Python Emerging Markets Credit Enhancement
2019 – 2021
The Nature Conservancy
North America · 50 states
Financial Specialist

Led budgeting, forecasting, and reporting for $40M+ in multi-country funds across five TNC divisions. Automated financial workflows via SQL reducing processing time by 50%. Built reporting templates adopted organization-wide.

Fund Accounting SQL Automation US GAAP Forecasting
2017 – 2019
KM Capital Partners
Mexico City
Investment Banking Associate

Ran M&A, capital raise, and LBO analyses (DCF, trading multiples, IRR) at a boutique investment bank. Structured asset-based lending and blended finance vehicles for mid-market clients. Advised C-suite on capital structure and financing strategy.

DCF / LBO / IRR M&A Capital Raise Pitch Books
2016 – 2017
KPMG
LATAM
Global Transfer Pricing Consultant

Performed valuations of intercompany transactions for multinational public companies. Conducted economic analysis to optimize tax strategy across Latin American jurisdictions.

Transfer Pricing Valuation LATAM Tax
04 / Work & Research Selected Work
Research · Columbia University AC4

Megatons to Megawatts — Economic Analysis

Evaluating the economic benefits of the 1993–2013 U.S.-Russia HEU Agreement and its implications for nuclear power as a clean energy transition pathway.

Columbia AC4 project page ↗
Feature · Columbia Climate School

Investing in Change: Monica Alonso Soria's Path to Columbia

Profile on transitioning from finance into climate, and pursuing the M.Sc. in Climate Finance at Columbia's Climate School.

Read on Columbia Climate School ↗
Financial Model

[Pending]

Coming soon

Coming soon
Climate Policy Papers

[Pending]

Coming soon

Additional Work

[Pending]

Coming soon

05 / Education Academics & Fellowships
ITESM · Monterrey Institute of Technology

B.Sc., Finance — Graduated with Honors

Mexico City · 2011–2016 · Study Abroad: McMaster University, DeGroote Business School (Canada)

GPA 3.8 · Merit Scholarship
Pivotal 180 · Ongoing

Tax Equity & Renewable Energy Modeling

ITC / PTC structuring · Renewable Energy & BESS Modeling

Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI)

2026 Fellow

Selective fellowship for emerging clean energy leaders

cleanenergyleaders.org ↗
Current Research · Columbia AC4 · May–Aug 2026

Megatons to Megawatts

Economic analysis of the 1993–2013 U.S.-Russia HEU Agreement — converting nuclear warheads into commercial reactor fuel — and its implications for nuclear power as a clean energy transition pathway.

Read more ↗
06 / Skills Toolkit

Financial Engineering

  • DCF · LBO · Project Finance
  • BESS & Renewable Energy Modeling
  • SPV Cash Flow Waterfalls
  • Debt Structuring & Sizing
  • Blended Finance · Sovereign Bonds
  • Asset-Based Financing
  • Liability Management

Software & Data

  • Advanced Excel (Macros / VBA)
  • Python — pipelines & automation
  • SQL — workflow automation
  • Power BI
  • Bloomberg · Refinitiv
  • Capital IQ · PitchBook
  • R — statistical analysis
  • LLM Prompting

Certifications

  • CFA Certificate in Climate & Investing (2026)
  • CFA Level I (2019)
  • Cornell — Business Contracts (2024)
  • GRI Institute (2024)
  • Impact Investing Diploma (2018)
  • AI Fellowship — Saturdays.AI (2020)
  • Data Analysis Bootcamp — SQL/Python/R
07 / Recognition Awards & Memberships
  • 2025Stanley Park Climate Finance Fellowship · Columbia University
  • 2026CELI Fellow · Clean Energy Leadership Institute
  • 2023–24Panelist, Euroclima LATAM & Caribbean Conference · European Union
  • 2015CFA Research Challenge — National Finalist · CFA Institute · IEnova (LNG, Renewables & Storage)
  • 2014Emerging Leaders in the Americas (ELAP) Scholarship · Government of Canada
  • 2011Academic Merit Award — Graduated with Honors · ITESM
  • CFA Society New York
  • WRISE
  • Fixed Income Analyst Society
  • Financial Women's Association
  • Columbia Energy Association
  • Young Professionals in Energy
08 / Beyond the Desk

Discipline and endurance — off the clock too.

The habits that make a good structured finance professional show up elsewhere: completing ultras, competing on the squash court, organizing communities.

🎾

Squash

Competitive, strategic, relentless.

🏃

Marathon & Ultra Running

Philadelphia Marathon (2023) · DC Rock & Roll Half (2023) · Mexico City Half (2019, 2021) · 30K Armadillo Ultra Trail Run (2019)

🏊

Triathlon

AsTri Baja Sur Sprint Triathlon (2019)

🚴

Cycling & Community Organizing

Organizing crew, DC Queer Bike Rides

09 / Contact

Let's connect

I am glad to speak with people working at the intersection of finance, energy, and sustainability.