Our Story

Zack Parisa is the co-founder and CEO of NCX. Over the last decade, he has developed and pioneered precision forestry tools that are revolutionizing the way that forests can be measured, valued, and managed. Using satellites, cloud computing, and machine learning, NCX worked with Microsoft to create “Basemap,” the first high-resolution forest inventory of the United States. It is now using this data to build new markets for forest values beyond timber, such as carbon, wildlife habitat, and fire risk. Zack is a forester and biometrician by training. He earned an MFS from Yale University, and a BS in forestry from Mississippi State University.

Max Nova co-founded NCX over a decade ago. He built many of the Natural Capital Exchange’s core technical systems that power the largest forest carbon projects in the US. Now Max serves as the COO of NCX and helps connect American forest owners with net-zero pioneers like Microsoft. Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Max earned a degree in computer science from Yale.

Julia has worked across the non-profit, public and private sectors to advance positive impact at the intersection of climate change, natural resource management, and finance including at The Nature Conservancy, the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Blue Forest Conservation and New Forests. Her background is rooted in conservation, environmental science, and business. Julia earned her MBA-MS in Environment and Resources with a focus on land use from Stanford Graduate School of Business. At Stanford, she co-led GSB’s Sustainable Business Club, co-founded the GSB’s business, climate and innovation summit and partnered with The Natural Capital Project and the InterAmerican Development Bank to advance investment in nature-based solutions. She earned a BA in environmental studies with a focus on biodiversity conservation from Yale University.

Dr. Spencer Meyer is the Head of Science at NCX. Spencer is responsible for ensuring NCX is deploying and advancing the most credible, innovative science on natural capital solutions. He works externally with stakeholders and thought leaders to link the science and business of natural capital markets. He also oversees internal science alignment across all teams for carbon, biodiversity, and other forms of natural capital.

Spencer is an innovator and leader with 20 years of experience working collaboratively with NGO, government, private sector, and academic partners to solve natural resource challenges. He is a co-founder of Sebago Clean Waters, an advisor to conservation NGOs and private foundations, and a frequent speaker on forest management, watershed protection, natural climate solutions, conservation finance, and partnership development. 

Spencer previously worked at the Highstead Foundation, Harvard Forest, Yale School of the Environment, University of Maine, and The Nature Conservancy. He earned his A.B. from Dartmouth College and his M.S. and Ph.D. in forest management and sustainability science from the University of Maine.

Lora heads the People Operations team and is responsible for our end-to-end people function. She leads strategy and execution of talent attraction, retention, engagement, culture, employee productivity, and growth.

She has over a decade of experience in the impact investing space working in venture capital, non-profit, and private equity in Silicon Valley, across the United States, and in emerging markets. Lora has led in the areas of talent acquisition, performance management, recognition, career development, organizational development, total rewards, and strategic leadership development.

Prior to joining NCX, Lora was the VP of People at a SaaS drone technology company. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

Kyle is the Senior Director of Finance at NCX. He leads the financial planning and analysis, accounting, and treasury functions of the company and supports the COO in various strategic initiatives. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a BS in finance and an MS in accountancy.

After beginning his career as a CPA at PwC, he has spent nearly a decade working in the investment management industry as a fund controller and investment professional. Most recently, he was a director in the forestry and agricultural group at a global asset management firm and served on the investment committee overseeing the ~$2 billion portfolio. He currently lives in Richmond, Virginia where he enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, going for hikes along the James River, and in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Cheryl is Director of Marketing at NCX. Prior to joining NCX, Cheryl was a marketing leader at global customer experience management company, Merkle. She was nominated as a “Mobile Woman to Watch” for helping to shape the emerging mobile technology space while at a mobile technology start-up and worked in production for feature animated films. Cheryl has her MBA from University of San Francisco’s Business School.

Andy is the Director of Product at NCX, responsible for delivering great product experiences to landowners and customers. As a landowner himself, he has a special passion for using technology to make NCX more accessible, intuitive, and empowering for everyone who participates.

His prior work experience includes nearly 10 years at Microsoft in a variety of sales, customer success, and product management roles. He is originally from the southeastern United States and earned his BS from Georgia Tech.

Luciana is our General Counsel. She has over 20 years of experience counseling private investors, investment funds, entrepreneurs, and public companies on a variety of matters including formation, governance, financings, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures.

Luciana has extensive international experience, including in emerging markets such as Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Previously, as a partner at Goodwin Procter LLP, she developed a new practice area for the firm focused on impact and responsible investing. Prior to rejoining Goodwin in 2015, Luciana was Senior Vice President of Natural Resources at Harvard Management Company (HMC) where she was involved in all legal aspects of HMC’s global forestry and agriculture portfolio. Prior to joining HMC, Luciana practiced law at Goodwin’s Boston office and, before that, at Linklaters’ New York office. She began her legal career at Le Pera & Lessa in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Luciana is a Senior Fellow at the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (Columbia University) and teaches a course on Sustainable Finance at Boston University School of Law. Luciana holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law, an LL.M. from Columbia Law School, and a law degree (Abogada) from the Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad de Buenos Aires.