About

Climate Change Specialist ,
MCC Environmental

Summary

Gillian has extensive experience in understanding climate change impacts and undertaking vulnerability assessments; adaptation planning; and developing climate change policy in the Pacific including in Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea as well as in Indonesia the Philippines and Australia. Gillian's experience is often largely focused on ecosystem adaptation, and food security As well as working with National Governments to develop and implement Climate Change Policy, Gillian has also worked closely with NGOs and community groups to focus on community- based climate change adaptation. Gillian uses community capacity building skills to strengthen the competencies and abilities of people and communities so they can overcome the challenges they face (vulnerabilities) like those associated with climate change. Gillian also has understanding about costal defences for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management.

Qualifications and credentials
Bachelor of Science (Hons) Marine, 1994-1998, Completed, James Cool University
Masters Environmental Science, 2000, Completed, University of Sydney
Diploma in Leadership Development, Completed, Curtin Graduate School of Business
Commercial Dive Certificate, Completed
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, Member, Current
Pidgin, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent
English, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent
Work experience
M & E specialist
Proposal writing/Report writing
Capacity building specialist
Environmental and social safeguards specialist
Policy
Tetepare Descendants Association, Conservation Manager/Advisor, Solomon Islands
Sinclair Knight Merz, Executive Marine Scientist, Perth, Western Australia
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Climate Change Project Manager, Townsville, Australia
Department of Environment and Conservation, Senior Policy Advisor, Perth, Western Australia
MCC Environmental, Director, Pacific
SNAP Coastal Defences for Disaster Risk Management, WCS, Project Lead, Solomon Islands, Two field reports Policy Document
Community Based Climate Change Adaptation, WorldFish; AusAid; USAID, Project Leader, Western Province, Policy document Monitoring and Evaluation Reports
Analysis of Climate Change Funding in Solomon Islands, SPC, Analysts, Solomon Islands, Capacity building training workshops Final presentation of findings
Conservation Blue Print and Climate Change Risk Assessment for Western Province Communities, WWF-Pacific, Techncial Lead, Pacific, Conservation Blue Print Report Stakeholder Workshops
Independent Project Evaluation _ Alternative income generation, WWF Australia/ DFAT, Consultant, Australia, PNG, Solomon Islands, Interim Report Final Report - Project Evaluation Findings
Strategic Review of Opportunities within Solomon Islands, WCS, Lead, Melanesia, Findings Report and Recommendations
CTSP 5 Year MPA Project Implementation and Reportong, CTSP (USAID), Consultant, Australia_Solomon Islands, Reports Training (Capacity Building) M & E
Publications
Exploring opportunities for community based adaptation to climate change: Policy Brief to SI Government, WorldFish
Community based adaptations to climate change: A case study from Western Province World Fish, CTI
Community based MPA establishment in the Solomon Islands. Policy Brief, CTI - CTSP
Guidelines for Community Based Resource Management (CBRM) and Monitoring, CTI -CTSP
Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM).A Solomon Islands Policy Review, USAID
A Strategic framework for Responding to Coral Bleaching Events in a changing Climate Environmental Management,, GBRMPA, DOI 10.1007/s00267-009-9295-7.
Vulnerability of fishes of the Great Barrier Reef to climate change, In Climate Change and The Great Barrier Reef, GBRMPA
Climate Change Action Plan, GBRMPA