Gabriela Cotto was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where her early dream of becoming a veterinarian took a different turn. Inspired by her grandmother Laura’s care for her farm and love for cooking, Gabriela discovered her true calling in agriculture.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, she worked on farms across Puerto Rico, gaining firsthand knowledge of the challenges local communities face, particularly how the island’s colonial  history has limited access to high quality, locally grown food. This fueled her interest in sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.

Driven to deepen her expertise, Gabriela pursued a master’s degree in Agricultural Ecology in Barcelona, Spain, specializing in sustainability indicators and the evaluation of sustainability dynamics in territories and production systems.

Upon returning to the Caribbean, she joined the Caribbean Climate Hub, where she focused on understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change on regional agriculture.

Today, in her new role as a Farm Business Advisor, Gabriela continues to combine her technical expertise, cultural roots, and passion for community resilience to create more sustainable and equitable food systems.