Through Paula Vlaming’s work at the environmentally-focused Institute at the Golden Gate, she became involved in sustainable tourism and the power that tourism has as an economic development tool. As the Co-Executive Director, Paula feels privileged for the opportunity to work to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people and their environment around the world.
Prior to Planeterra, Paula’s range of work included 6 years as a program development consultant where she led a national sustainable foods initiative in partnership with the National Park Service. She also has over 10 years experience in the public policy arena with positions at the California State Legislature, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Presidio Trust of San Francisco. Paula’s passion for travel started young - she lived in over 5 different countries before the age of 18, and has traveled throughout Europe, Africa, South East Asia, the Caribbean and Central & South America. Travel created a desire to give back, and her volunteer work has included projects in Kenya, Tanzania and El Salvador. Paula has served on numerous nonprofit boards, and is currently on the board of IDEX (International Development Exchange) based in San Francisco.
