Carleton B. Shephard is the President & Chief Executive Officer of CNS Global, an impact investment firm which advises on the financing of both domestic and international projects that provide competitive returns together with measurable social and environmental benefits. Prior to CNS, Mr. Shephard was the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, serving in that role for nearly five years. In that capacity, Mr. Shephard advised the Under Secretary and his senior staff on all matters of strategic planning, trade promotion, and policy implementation. Mr. Shephard managed the Under Secretary’s portfolio of international trade and policy missions and staffed the Under Secretary while on travel across 45 countries, serving as his chief liaison to headquarters and staff around the world. Prior to joining the International Trade Administration, Mr. Shephard was the Founder of Insider Expeditions, a boutique travel company that develops and leads curated trip experiences around the globe for university, corporate, and private clients. In his career in educational and experiential travel, Mr. Shephard has developed or directed over 500 customized travel programs across seven continents, and is still actively involved in the company. Mr. Shephard graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University and earned a Masters in International Relations and Public Administration while serving as a World Peace Fellow in Tokyo. Mr. Shephard was the youngest Peace Fellow of 60 selected from around the world in 2004 by Rotary International. Mr. Shephard speaks Spanish and Japanese, and loves surfing, piano, yoga, and all things related to music and the ocean.