Senior Specialist for Climate Change and Resilience, UNIDO| August 2021
- UNIDO-AGR strategy for the GEF 8, Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Adaptation Fund (AF) based on the strategic priorities of these funds and focusing on AGR value proposition to scale up UNIDO’s work in the field of technical cooperation.
- Prepared strategic concepts projects and provided technical support for the review of concept and project documents for these funds.
- Provided support for the development of partnerships with the objective to expand UNIDO outreach and value proposition.
Senior Specialist for Biodiversity, UNIDO| November 2019
- Technical report and support to operationalize the Traceability, Transparency and True cost accounting approach (3T approach) using blockchain in agricultural value chains for biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. The technical report highlights the methodology/approach, mapping potential partners for execution of the 3T approach as part of the UNIDO-GEF project in Peru, with estimated budget requirements.
- Technical inputs to the CEO endorsement Project Document to enable Traceability, Transparency and True cost accounting -3T- methodology for the project. Preparation of terms of reference to ensure engagement with organizations for Traceability, Transparency and True cost accounting using blockchain in the field.
CFS High Level Panel of Experts for Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) Standing Roster| Dec 2019
- Peer review of HLPE documents specifically those covering agroecology and nutrition.
Senior Specialist for Climate Change and Resilience, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)| Dec 2018
- Developed strategic vision for UNIDO's PTC/AGR and a reference paper for UNIDO to address global environmental issues in the framework of the GEF-7 programming directions.
- Developed communication material for UNIDO/PTC/AGR's to reflect its GEF-7 programming directions, including circular economies, equity and inclusion for sustainable industrial development.
- Moderated UNIDO's side event titled "Clean, Cool, Clever: Food strategies and cold chain concept to increase resilience to climate change" at the sixth GEF assembly in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Expert Reviewer for Second Order Draft of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL)| January 2019
- The Government and Expert Review of the SRCCL Second Order Draft (SOD) of the IPCC ensures a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the relevant scientific, technical and socioeconomic literature. Reviewers encompassing the range of scientific, technical and socio-economic views, expertise, and geographical representation contribute to this process. I served as an Expert Reviewer for the Second Order Draft of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL).
Instructor and Faculty at Oregon State University's Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Corvallis, Oregon | Current
- Guide graduate students for research and grants, teach and network to enable research and educational opportunities for students coming from different backgrounds, interests and capacities.
- Guest lectures on stakeholder engagement in ENSC 515 (Environmental Perspectives and Methods).
- Co Created and co-taught ENSC 508 (Workshop) .
- Co-created ENSC 543 "Excelling in Interdisciplinary Teams' and co-teaching ENSC 543 in Winter 2020.
- Developing ENSC 543 "Excelling in Interdisciplinary Teams' for e-campus Spring/Summer 2020.
GPSEN Executive Director, Portland, OR | 2018 June-2020 June
This position requires an understanding of UN programs and the Sustainable Development Goals; Knowledge of federal and state standards that affect nonprofit organizations and experience publishing newsletters and using social media. Some of my responsibilities include:
- Communication with the Board and Governance Committee about all issues affecting the organization and its management, including compliance with state and other requirements
- Support GPSEN committees with programs and grants; co-created GPSEN strategic plan (2019-2022) and annual report with Board President and the board to share with partners, officials, and United Nations colleagues.
- Co-creation of Bridging for Sustainability and Virtual Bridge to UNFCCC-COP events with partners and stakeholders.
- Maintain non-profit status by ensuring that policies, standards, and procedures are followed.
- Administer funds for the organization with support from Treasurer and the Board.
- Develop and maintain partnerships by representing GPSEN within and beyond the Greater Portland community.
- Oversee volunteers, contribute to GPSEN Newsletter and produce event reports such as Talanoa Dialogues: Pulse of Portland, for the Virtual Bridge to COP25.
Science Project Team Member, Beaverton School District| September 2018- June 2019
- Review existing Science curriculum and practices in order to make curriculum and adoption recommendations to the School Board.
- Research best practices and instructional materials to be considered for possible adoption in Science
- Articulate long term and supporting learning targets and assessments in Science
- Recommending professional development and structures for ongoing professional learning
GPSEN Fellow and Board Member, Portland, OR | 2018
- Documenting agrobiodiversity and agro ecological practices in community and home gardens in four cities.
- Design networking opportunities for urban stakeholders in sustainability, particularly urban community and home gardeners to connect over issues of food access and justice, biodiversity conservation, wise water use, climate change and policies that influence sustainable living in communities.
- Regional and community based development work with focus on regional and global SDG’s, sustainable agriculture, agrobiodiversity conservation and urban food and water resilience. Particular interest in identifying and creating networking for collaboration with stakeholders including diverse national and international agencies and NGO's involved in transformation through agroecology, education and research.
Instructor, Portland Underground Graduate School, Portland, OR | Current
- Crop Diversity: Change Your Palate, Change the Future: Historically, we knew and used more crop varieties than we know and use today. A lot of that change has to do with our picky palates. In this course, we explore why (and how) our current food system makes us vulnerable. You’ll learn how to cultivate agrobiodiversity through your palate, plate, and pocket so you're eating more sustainably and ensuring crop production and food security for the future. We learn about “gleaning,” the process of collecting leftover crops, and about gleaning opportunities in the Portland area. Why I chose to teach this course? Some thoughts are here .
- Intro to Heirloom Apples: In this course, we explored the extraordinary Apple biodiversity in Oregon, learned about the history of apples which arrived into the United States from different parts of the world, the history of the Botner Apple Collection in Yoncalla, Oregon has the largest private collection of heirloom apple trees in the United States - nearly 4,000 of them; and learn about the work of Temperate Orchard Conservancy in stewarding that collection, while tasting some of these wondrous apples generously shared by the Conservancy.
Instructor, Saturday Academy, Portland, OR | Current
- Model United Nations: Climate Change Council. December 2017, June 2017, July 2018, July 2019, July 2020: Taught the art of parliamentary procedure through a Model United Nations model program. Students prepared for and deliver mock debate a delegate of one of 193 countries in the United Nations. They learned to research, negotiate and debate a country’s interests and risks on climate change policy. Delegates debate “nationally determined contributions” to adopt at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations.
- Model United Nations: Climate Change Council. June 2017. Students learned to research on how policy and trans-boundary agreements impacts water quality locally and around the world. They learned art of parliamentary procedure representing a member state of the United Nations and debate water scarcity issues with focus on nations sharing the Mekong river. Students experience the potential impacts of being a Model UN delegate and also learned from site visits to local watersheds and water treatment facilities.
Board Member and Scientific Advisor, Cityslicker Farms, Oakland, CA | 2014-2016
- Community organising, stakeholder capacity building through community partnerships and participation.
- Donor facing events; campaign and fundraising;
- Value add-in project and grants to help mobilise funding.
- Policy development in context of nutrition security, food policy and in building community resilience to climate challenges
Founding Member Sustainability stealth start-up| Current
- A cloud solution to integrate urban agriculture, agrodiversity conservation, rain and greywater harvesting, and urban waste for community based climate resilience and biodiversity conservation
- Designed to engage diverse stakeholders in communities to plan for and implement interventions for community resilience to climate challenges, particularly focused on food, water and energy security
- Brings together scientific and practical knowledge based on citizen science and professional scientists to address local and global issues concerning climate change, food security and water security and network communities working to build climate resilience
Biodiversity Adviser | 2013-2015
SmarterDharma.com
- Selection, design and implementation of projects
in India and USA with focus on urban and periurban community living for low
carbon-energy footprint and climate resilience, using a combination of diverse
tools, such as solar, urban rainwater harvesting, grey water reuse, sustainable
farming and community waste management.
- Strategies to strengthen capacities of governance institutions and local stakeholders with a special focus on improving public transparency, accountability frameworks and responsiveness to citizens' demands.
International Consultant on Land Degradation, Climate change and Sustainable Forests | 2011-12
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
- Led design of Project Identification Form (PIF) and developed the Project Preparation Grant(PPG) for a Global Environment Facility full-sized project provisionally entitled “Conservation, Sustainable Management and Expansion of Dryland Forest in Iran” for I.R. Iran.
- Lead consultations with officials at FRWO and prospective stakeholders to determine local and national priorities. Gauge the baseline situation, identify threats and root causes for land degradation and deterioration of dryland forests factoring in influences of climate change; identified institutional strength and weakness, capacity to co-ordinate and work across and within institutions and identified land and water management practices which have historically worked in the project area.
- Proposed gender sensitive, participatory, community-driven demonstration activities of adaptive INRM to address threats and root causes to attain local and global environment benefits;
- Briefed meetings with the GEF operational focal points and UNDP on policy and procedural issues, timelines; articulated with incremental reasoning, an assessment of the perceived project risks, an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of proposed project;
- Identified co-funding sources for the PPG and PIF based on consultations with the proposed Implementing Partner and the UNDP Country Office.
International Team Leader for Iran Project | 2009-10
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations
- Lead a team of national and international consultants to design and successful funding of a full-sized GEF project, “Rehabilitation of Forest Landscapes and Degraded Lands with particular attention to saline soils and areas prone to wind erosion” in I.R. Iran
- Working closely with National Project Director, and stakeholders at local, provincial and national level, I lead our team to detailed field visits to gauge the baseline situation. Conducted extensive stakeholder meetings with local representatives to understand threats barriers to sustainable resource use and its conservation, and reasons for increase in salinity and erosion
- Led the initiative to ensure cooperation between provinces and departments including Forest Range land and Watershed Organization (FRWO) and Ministry of Environment (MoE) and local stakeholders, engaging them in all stages from project design, implementation and monitoring and managed the process resolving conflicts of interest to reach overall goal
- Coordinated multidisciplinary approach to design GEF intervention strategies, including natural resource management, land use planning, social economics, nature/ forest conservation and restoration, implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and partnering with ongoing interventions at different levels
Biodiversity and Gender Consultant | Pre-2009
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)- Energy and Environment Group (EEG) & Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- Gender analysis of the EEG portfolio in close consultation with policy advisers, programme officers, project managers and extensive desk analysis of project documents. Outputs include: a detailed review and analysis of the EEG portfolio; sector-specific concept papers for biodiversity, chemical management, land degradation and deforestation, access to energy services and water governance that provide practical, guidance to staff and practitioners on how to integrate gender considerations into different service lines; A consolidated gender, energy and environment resource kit; and a gender and environment training module.
- Developed projects focusing on biodiversity conservation for GEF funding up to 35 million USD in co-ordination and consultation with governments, NGO's and other stakeholders. Development of diverse size projects within set time and monetary budgets including the preparation of reports providing short and long-term trends and projections
- Regional Bureau of Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC): Appraisal, development and formulation of conservation projects for Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Belize, Chile, Cuba, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Peru working with relevant country offices and counterpart institutions.
- Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific (RBAP): Develop and formulate of projects focusing on agrobiodiversity in China, Vietnam and Laos, and projects addressing biodiversity conservation and land degradation in I.R. Iran, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Samoa. Appraisal, development and formulation of the projects in Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Maldives and Nepal, focusing on the conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants.
Regional Bureau of Europe and the CIS (RBEC): Develop and formulate of projects specifically focusing on agrobiodiversity in Armenia and Georgia, working with relevant country offices and counterpart institutions. Exploration and development of options to strengthen and improve medium size biodiversity concept papers proposed by the countries with project development funds (PDF).