Yoca Arditi-Rocha is a proud Latina and internationally recognized sustainability leader with over 25 years of experience. Trained as a biologist, she earned her degree in Corporate Sustainability from the University of Vermont and a Master’s in Liberal Arts from Harvard University, blending academic excellence with realworld impact.
Yoca is the CEO of The CLEO Institute, a women-led, nonpartisan nonprofit advancing climate literacy, policy advocacy, and community resilience. CLEO partners with communities, governments, and philanthropy to translate science into civic capacity—training educators and residents, mobilizing youth, and shaping pragmatic, people-first solutions that protect health, strengthen economies, and build climate-ready cities across Florida and beyond.
For over seven years, Yoca has transformed the organization into a national catalyst for climate action. Her strategic, equity-driven approach has unlocked several hundred million of dollars in federal funding through landmark initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act, while engaging more than 1.6 million people in grassroots education and advocacy. Notably, CLEO efforts have mobilized Gen Z youth, cultivating a dynamic generation of climate champions.
Yoca’s influence extends beyond CLEO’s efforts. She served on the leadership council of Resilience 21, a nationwide coalition of climate resilience experts, and as a member of The Resilience Roadmap’s Steering Committee at Duke University, where she helped shape actionable recommendations for the Biden-Harris national resilience agenda.
A sought-after keynote speaker at international forums, including UN climate negotiations, NPR, and major TV networks, Yoca is a respected voice in climate advocacy. Her work has been honored with the Ford Motor Company’s “Mujeres Legendarias Award in Sustainability” (2019), the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s “Hispanic Leadership Award in Sustainability” (2021), and most recently named among “100 Latinos Most Committed to Climate Action” (2024).
From her early inspirations in the Caribbean to her groundbreaking work on the global stage, Yoca channels her passion into tangible change. Under her leadership, The CLEO Institute continues to unite communities, policymakers, and industries to build a just, resilient future for all.
