Our Team > Tori Yanco

Tori is a 1st year Earth & Climate Sciences PhD student jointly advised by Dr. Brian McAdoo and Dr. Martin Doyle. Her research interests focus on the relationship between natural disasters and ecosystem scale changes, the financial impact of climate change and natural disasters, and novel market-based solutions for disaster risk reduction.

Before joining the PlanetLab, Tori spent 5 years in the Insurance Industry working on a research and development team focused on climate and catastrophe risk and sustainability strategy. She hopes to leverage her industry experience and continued training at Duke to expand our understanding of how ecosystems contribute to managing risk in a rapidly changing world. Further, she is interested in understanding how society’s exposure to natural hazard risk can change when and if ecosystems are disturbed. In turn, she hopes to inform innovative finance and policy solutions that save vulnerable lives, property, and habitats.

Tori also has experience in renewable energy policy and technology, and broad experience across financial services having focused on climate-risk management across both investment and insurance portfolios. She holds an MS in Environmental Science & Policy from Northeastern University, and a dual BA in Environmental Studies and Communications from UC Santa Barbara. Outside of the lab she enjoys trail running, painting, yoga, and cooking for friends.