At GRID-Arendal I work to advance the concept of blue carbon as a nature-based blue economy solution to the impacts of climate change. My career with and in the civil society, academic and legislative sectors encompass over 25 years of experience in marine science, conservation, and policy, and over 14 years of experience in blue carbon.

My projects at GRID-Arendal have included the Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project (on behalf of Abu-Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI)), a global first in national coastal blue carbon scaling and uptake, and the Global Environment Facility’s Blue Forests Project (on behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme), which piloted blue carbon on the voluntary carbon market and critically championed its recognition and uptake in international climate and biodiversity treaties, and the UAE Oceanic Blue Carbon project (in partnership with AGEDI), the world’s first national science and policy assessment of oceanic blue carbon. Additionally, I developed the Norwegian Blue Forests Network and serve on the Coordinating Group of the International Partnership for Blue Carbon.

I hold a master’s degree in Marine Affairs and Policy from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science and my work prior to GRID-Arendal included a focus on marine protected areas, coral reef science, deep sea coral biogeography, and marine environmental policy analysis and advocacy in the USA.