RAYSA FRANçA
Y4N Role: Global Engagement Director
Location: Finland/Brasil
Pronouns: She/her
Languages: Portuguese, English, Finnish, Spanish
Connect: raysa@youth4nature.org / LinkedIn
Fun Fact: The first time she saw the northern lights she cried like a baby!
Raysa França is a climate and nature young leader passionate about growing communities and the endless possibilities of plant-based food. With a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Minas Gerais and an MSc in Leadership for Change from Tampere University, Raysa has more than ten years of professional and volunteering experience in the sustainability and regeneration sector. Her expertise includes animal rights, policy, new economic thinking, feminism, justice, and social inclusion within the climate and nature movements. Friends and colleagues describe Raysa as kind, friendly, and creative.
Originally from Brazil, Raysa has embraced Finland as her new home. Her professional journey began in corporate sustainability, where she helped companies become more sustainable through benchmarking, research and reporting. She has worked in various organisations and sectors, including museums, universities, business schools, student organisations, and startups. Most recently, Raysa has been serving the climate and nature movements as the Regional Director at Youth4Nature and as a co-founder at the local Finnish NGO Symbiosis Tampere. Raysa's hybrid background allows her to engage stakeholders for climate action through different channels, making her an effective communicator. You can find her exploring the outdoors, dancing, or engaging in the Finnish tradition of sauna and ice swimming in her free time.
If you'd like to connect with Raysa, don't hesitate to reach out to her email (raysa@youth4nature) or connect on Linkedin.
Previous roles at Y4N include: Regional Director, Europe & Central Asia, and Communications Lead.