Areas of Interest
Sustainable tourism practicies and infrastructure planning,   Sustainable agriculture (e.g. wine),   Raising a conservation ethic amoung targeted stakeholders,   Protected area management,   Private lands conservation mechanisms,   Invasive species management,   Freshwater resource management (including ecological flows),   Fire management,   Ecosystem services valuation and strategies,   Ecosystem restoration,   Conservation finance mechanisms,   Coastal development,   Climate change adaptation,   South Africa,   Mediterranean Basin,   Chile,   California / Baja California,   Australia  

I have the great honor of being The Nature Conservancy's Director for Global Mediterranean Habitat Conservation. I serve as TNC's champion to advance the conservation of the highly threatened and extremely biodiverse mediterranean biome worldwide. I'm known jokingly by my nickname in Spanish- Jefe - and have worked in conservation around the world for 20 years. I came to the Conservancy in 1997 after receiving National Science Foundation and American Association for the Advancement of Science fellowships, and work at the US Agency for International Development on environmental conservation issues. I've had several posts at The Nature Conservancy, primarily in roles championing the Conservancy?s science, conservation planning and measures, and protected areas work, inside and outside of the United States.

I have a particular interest in our the engagement of new partners in the mediterranean's productive sectors like agriculture, and creating new innovative allies in the effort to conserve mediterranean habitats worldwide.

I live with my wife and 2 daughters in Colorado, hold a Ph.D. in Ecology from Brown University, and am fluent in Spanish. When not traveling the world, i love to cycle, hike, and telemark ski.