Steven Ruddell is Founder and Principal at CarbonVerde, a bio-carbon project and policy consulting firm with headquarters in Durango, Colorado. As a professional forester and forest resource economist, Ruddell has 40 years of experience in public and private forest resource management, forest policy, forest economics & market research, manufacturing management, and forest products supply chain management.  

For two decades, Ruddell has consulted with private sector companies and not-for-profit organizations in investing in forest conservation and sustainability initiatives using market-based mechanisms that include carbon asset management strategies for trading emission reduction credits, and investing in sustainable forest management practices required to access North American markets. His previous experience includes leading the World Wildlife Fund’s global operations in forest carbon offset projects, Executive Director of the Governors’ Climate & Forests Fund, as well as leading Bureau Veritas Certification’s North American operations for its third-party sustainable forestry and ISO 14001 certification services.

Ruddell holds a master’s degree in Forestry and an MBA from Michigan State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Forest Management from Utah State University. Additionally, he has completed three years of post-graduate work towards a PhD in Natural Resource & Environmental Economics from Michigan State University.