Armina Zardkoohi is a first-generation Iranian-Costa Rican economist and climate activist, and the driving force behind the initiative Lead & Learn.
Lead & Learn is my personal quest to redefine what it means to be a leader. Through this space, I share my learning journey and the ideas that inspire me; from business, economics, and finance to development studies, climate change, sustainability, and gender equality.
About me
I was born into an Iranian-Costa Rican family, a background that has deeply shaped my commitment to advocating for women’s rights. My academic journey began in Computer Science, but I later found my path in Economics, a shift driven by my growing interest in understanding the systems that shape our world.
Service has always been at the core of who I am. From creating a financial literacy program for children, to advocating for the integration of sustainability into business and economics curricula at my university, to serving as the president of Costa Rica’s first Young Women’s Parliament for the Climate, a space designed to empower a new generation of interdisciplinary women in politics and advocacy, and to advance the inclusion of women in climate decision-making; each experience has reinforced my belief in the power of purpose-driven leadership.