Irene is an interdisciplinary sustainability expert dedicated to solving complex environmental challenges. Passionate about advocating for solutions to end plastic pollution, her experience spans community research, public environmental agencies, and corporate sustainability.

Spending extended time in the Peruvian Amazon, working on climate change adaptation research with Indigenous communities and seeing rivers gorged with plastic pollution, motivated her to found Life Out Of Plastic (L.O.O.P.), a social enterprise that has been mobilising citizens to take action on plastic pollution in Peru since 2011. L.O.O.P. 's advocacy work, notably the longitudinal data collected on marine litter at Peruvian beaches, led to the adoption of the law that regulates the use of single-use plastics in Peru.

Irene continues to support L.O.O.P. as chair for the board. She has further expanded her work, supporting the scaling of Climate KIC's entrepreneurship program and establishing South Pole's circular economy practice. She is currently an independent sustainability consultant. Irene holds a BSc in Environmental Sciences from McGill University and a Master’s in Environmental Management from Duke University.