Kirstie Méheux is a disaster risk management professional at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, specialising in training and professional development of personnel in risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response and recovery. Kirstie has operational experience in disaster response in both Fiji and Australia. Kirstie is also an experienced researcher in the field of disaster management in Pacific Island Countries. Kirstie has delivered training in 12 Pacific island Countries and Territories. Prior to joining SPC, Kirstie worked with Australian Red Cross in their Emergency Services Team, responsible for the recruitment, training, and deployment of volunteers within Australia. Kirstie has also held Visiting Fellowships at the University of New South Wales and Fiji National University with whom she is partnering to develop a Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Disaster Risk Management.
Over twenty two years international experience in Europe, Caribbean, South America and Pacific of coastal engineering, shoreline strategy management planning, assessing natural coastal processes and the impacts of human activities on the coastal zone. Expertise covers a broad range of technical disciplines with particular skills in the areas of hazard and climate risk assessment, coastal processes, coastal engineering and shoreline management, disaster risk reduction, climate change and adaptation, environmental assessment, and community participation. Over fifteen years’ experience in the Pacific region, having worked initially for the Government of Kosrae, in the Federated States of Micronesia, as Coastal Management Adviser. Since 2003 has led or been involved in a wide range of projects in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu.
Worked as an advisor on Public Health, Health Research Manager for the Fiji Ministry of Health. Lecturer at the Fiji School of Medicine in the School of Public Health. Did a reveiw on the impact of health intervention program amongst youth in Fiji.
Worked as the Director of Environment in Fiji and cordinate the reviw of Environment Laws such as Environment Management Act, Endangered Protected Species Act, Ozone Act and regulations. Take leadership in their enforcement. Worked with development partners in Fiji and the region and also at international level on the implementation of projects and ratification of Multilateral Environment Agreements. Assisted Government of Fiji on the establishment of major development projects that undergoes the EIA processes. Advisor on environmnet management for the Fiji Government and contributed to the development policies in otther sectros such as energy, water, agriculture, tourism, forestry etc.
Currently the Planning and Capacity Advisor for SPREP with focus on development of Environmnet planning tools and raising capacities of countries on Environment Impact Assessment. Worked with Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu and delivered an EIA training for its practitioners. Worked with Fiji, Vanuatu, Tuvalu on the development of the National Environmnet Management Strategies linking it to the their National Sustainable Developmet Strategies and also to regional and international Multilateral Environmnet Agreements. Worked with other divisions of SPREP in the area of waste, climate change and biodiversity
Fifteen years of experience with environmental assessment and planning, sustainable development and climate change in government, inter-government, non-government and academic organisations. Extensive knowledge of the agricultural, mining, energy and tourism sectors. Examples of work and project experience: incorporated climate change and disaster risk management considerations in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidelines and EIA training courses for Pacific Island countries; audited the energy and water consumption of mainstream and eco-tourism operators in Queensland, Australia; developed a methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions for the Australian tourist accommodation sector; identified mechanisms for building social-ecological resilience in tropical savanna landscapes; developed environmental research and management recommendations for seabed mining in northern Australia; authored the Darwin Harbour Water Quality Protection Plan (Australia).
Dynamic and dedicated professional with strong technical and policy background. Advanced qualifications (PhD) in environmental sciences, climate change & energy. Distinguished record in academia as a teacher, researcher and administrator. Extensive inter-governmental experience at international levels, in climate change. Over 20 years experience in climate change and related issues, mainly in Pacific but also worked in Africa and Asia. Public service experience, having worked for Governments of Australia, Fiji and Marshall Islands and international NGOs such as Independent Diplomat (ID). Considerable experience working for international organisations such as UNEP, ADB, regional organsations such as SPREP as climate change technical expert, and USP. Serves on the UNFCCC Roster of Experts. Extremely familiar with all issues in the UNFCCC climate negotiations. Extensive record of developing, managing, implementing and monitoring projects at national and global levels. Excels at working in a fast paced, multi-cultural environment and has excellent communication skills.
I'm a trained Environment & Climate Change Adaptation Practitioner/Specialist with over 10 years of practice and consultancy experiences. Provided technical advice to Governments of Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu on policy changes, marine resource use, climate change. Area of expertise includes; policy analysis, environment management systems, V&A, M&E, mainstreaming climate change adaptation interventions into planning processes, MPA, community engagement and workshop facilitation. Authored book on, Climate Change Adaptation and the Coastal Zone of S.Tarawa (2014), "Kiribati: the inter-linkages and the array of adaptation barriers and limits". Co-authored the "Kiribati Second National Communication Report to the UNFCCC" (2013) and other technical reports.
Barbara is a climate change and disaster risk reduction specialist with more than 16 years of direct professional in-the-field experience. She has provides advisory services in policy and program development, program and project evaluation, training and capacity building, to national and local government agencies and international and regional organizations, including the United Nations system and NGOs with focus on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for resilient development, food security, gender, policy leadership and advocacy. She is specialised in programmes aiming at climate change and disaster risk reduction mainstreaming into national and sector response policies, strategies and plans.
She has used multi-stakeholder participatory approaches in Pacific countries and has proven hands-on expertise in-the-field. She worked with government and beneficiary institutions to formulate policies and implement programmes. She was responsible for the formulation of national policies, vulnerability assessment, gender, disaster risk reduction and natural hazards prevention and mitigation through the promotion of long-term strategies to adaptation planning for effective aid delivery at national and regional level. In her work she has developed funding recommendation, strategic positioning, partnership and recommended doable and realistic implementation plans, including timelines, costing and roles and responsibilities.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Global Environmental Protection and International Policies and is an active member of the Pacific Infrastructure Advisory Centre and Adaptation Learning mechanism as well as the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery East Asia and the Pacific Disaster Knowledge Network. Barbara is serving on United Nations Women National Committee Aotearoa New Zealand.
I have been working with the Climate Investment Funds Admin. Unit to develop M&R tools for three of the four funds, PPCR, CTF and SREP. I have worked for the World Bank with the governments of Zambia and Samoa to develop national M&R systems for the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience.
Global experience in performance monitoring, evaluation and analysis of social development. Strong background in strategic management design, planning and implementation multi-sectoral development projects. Considerable experience in adult education specifically in strategic development planning and performance monitoring, appropriate technologies, PC management and software use.
Dr. Jami Bartgis completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Oklahoma State University and predoctoral internship at the University of South Florida, Florida Mental Health Institute. She is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and has spent her career working for both tribal and urban American Indian (AKA, Native American) communities. Dr. Bartgis is currently the President and CEO of One Fire Associates, LLC, a research and evaluation firm dedicated to community-based and participatory projects with underserved and disenfranchised populations. In her previous position as the Director of Technical Assistance and Research at the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) in Washington DC; Dr. Bartgis provided technical assistance, research support, and capacity building for urban Indian health clinics and programs across the United States to improve the quality and accessibility of health care for American Indian and Alaska Native people living in urban areas. Highlights of her previous work include the development, implementation and evaluation of children’s health systems; a range of community-based and participatory projects to advance health and environmental knowledge, policy and practice; and the honor of working with countless American Indian youth and families as a clinical service provider, community-based researcher/evaluator, and in the development and advocacy of health service systems for her community.
With over 16 years of experience in sustainable energy development, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, my work focuses on increasing energy access, improving livelihood, and building resilience of vulnerable communities in developing countries. I have provided services to donors and development agencies; including IFAD, Sida, UNESCO, UNEP and USAID; both being part of an organization as well as independently. I have been extensively involved in understanding the needs of developing countries of Asia in relation to improving access to energy supply and resilience to climate change; and developing innovative solutions to address those needs in ways that are appropriate to local contexts. Areas of my expertise are:
• Climate Change Adaptation: Adaptive capacity for municipalities; community based adaptation planning; and climate vulnerability assessment.
• Climate change mitigation: Strategies for low carbon development, sustainable waste management, sustainable city planning, and Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Sustainable energy: Energy access through renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency in buildings and facilities, and policy analysis for cleaner technologies in SMEs.
Palanitina is a highly qualified, experience and respected senior Samoan public service leader with significant experiences in health governance and health system strengthening. public health services in general, public health education, health promotion, disease prevention and high level public health leadership, management and administration. She had held senior executive positions in the Samoan Government, including the Director General of Health (DGoH) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ministry of Health for 9 years (Feb 2005 – Feb 2014) and Assistant CEO of the Division for Women in the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) from Sept 1998 – Jan 2005. Palanitina has championed health system strengthening (HSS) based on the WHO Framework on HSS 2005. She led and completed in 18 months (Feb 2005 – July 2006) the realization of the public health reform which began in 1998. She was instrumental in the development and advocacy for passage through Parliament of 18 legislations plus several health policies within her terms of leadership; to practically implement the MOH’s new monitoring and regulatory functions. She has been advocating for women’s empowerment at policy and program levels. She led the practical translation of regional and international conventions through empowerment programs, including the establishment of women’s leadership networks. She led the establishment of the Partnership for the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which the Samoan Government ratified in 1992. A sought after adviser, Palanitina has evaluated a number of Pacific regional and country programs, including for AusAid before becoming DFAT, WHO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. She has facilitated country and regional collaborations and, through her consultancy and government CEO appointments, Palanitina has had significant involvement in the delivery and review of regional and some international programs through WHO.
A multiple disciplined evaluation and sustainability consultant with over three years experience working in the Pacific region and 18 years experience working in Australia. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in climate change adaption, proposal writing, sustainability education, behaviour change (community engagement), monitoring and evaluation, carbon accounting, permaculture, international development (water security, food security, coastal adaptation), strategic planning and information and communications technology. Hard working and professional attitude complimented with friendly personality. Understands the challenges faced by Pacific Small Island States and has the ability to be flexible and creative in responding to these challenges. Co-founder of Pacific Research and Evaluation Associates (PREA) http://www.prea.com.au . All consultancy work outlined below is with PREA. Let us work together to achieve a good outcome.