Julia Naime Sanchez-Henkel is a Ph.D. candidate at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and a Ph.D. Scholar at CIFOR. Through her research, she is interested in improving REDD+ reference levels, as well as in identifying the most effective policies to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Julia holds a bachelor’s degree in both biology and economics, and has a master's degree in Environmental Economics and Climate Change. Before starting her Ph.D., Julia was in her home country, Mexico, working at the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change and at the Centre for Global Change and Sustainability, where she coordinated and conducted research focusing on REDD+, agriculture, and provision of ecosystem services. She has fieldwork experience in Mexico, Peru and Brazil.