Whitney Yadao-Evans
Mililani
Summary
Professional leader with robust track record in guiding the delivery of complex, international conservation initiatives. Skilled in project and program management with extensive experience delivering conservation and natural resource management initiatives with emphasis on marine and coastal ecosystems. Strong focus on partner engagement, group facilitation and collaboration, and adaptable to changing social, political and environmental contents, consistently delivering high-impact results. Recognized for fostering a productive work environment and driving organizational success.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Delivery Director
Conservation International (CI)
06.2023 - Current
- Lead cross-functional team to provide project and program management and delivery guidance, mentoring and technical support (including design, governance, gender-inclusive conservation, risk management, safeguards, stakeholder engagement, operations and budgeting, MEAL, etc.) to technical and field-based teams across CI's global conservation programs.
- Provide strategic guidance to project teams across key public and private funding portfolios (including GEF, GCF, GIZ, Mastercard, Walton Faily Foundation, DFAT, MFAT, Bezos, and others) to meet donor requirements and expectations while adaptively managing project challenges.
- Develop and implement strategic initiatives to ground CI in sound project delivery and management and strong monitoring and evaluation, as well as oversee compliance to institutional project management requirements.
- Drive institutional capacity-building efforts (such as a faciliating a Community of Practice) to enhance project and program delivery by building the awareness and confidence of CI staff to apply fundamental project management concepts, tools, and approaches.
- The lead author of a collaborative effort (with more than 20 partners/co-authors) to advance gender equality in blue carbon initiatives through the collective piece “Advancing interdisciplinary science of gender is key to the success of blue carbon initiatives” accepted for publication by Nature Communications.
Senior Manager, Project Delivery, Marine, Gender & Safeguards
Conservation International (CI)
12.2021 - 06.2023
- Led technical project and program management and delivery support to CI's thematic and field-based conservation programs (including projects and programs funded by Mastercard, MFAT, GEF, and GCF) to mitigate risk associated with project delivery.
- Oversaw the implementation of gender and safeguards policies, approaches and strategies for the Blue Nature Alliance and other priority conservation initiatives including capacity building, adaptive management, and production of key materials.
Manager, Gender & Safeguards
Conservation International (CI)
07.2019 - 12.2021
- Led the implementation of ocean conservation projects in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands including the driving strategies, managing project workplans and budgets, coordinating regional activities across multiple countries and programs, providing technical capacity support, building long-term partner and donor relationships, managing subgrantees and consultants, and coordinating communications to support program priorities.
- Developed systems and built CI's institional capacity to design and deliver gender-sensitive and safeguard-compliant conservation projects in close collaboration with field teams, colleagues, and partners.
Program Manager, Coral Triangle Initiative Program
Conservation International (CI)
11.2017 - 06.2019
- Managed technical and operational delivery of DFAT and USAID funded projects focused on large-scale, integrated marine resource management (aka seascapes) in the Coral Triangle region as well as community-based marine resource management projects in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
- Guided technical development and faciliated negotiations between the six countries of the Coral Triangle Initiative to reach consensus and establish a regional Seascape Model and Framework.
- Designed and facilitated international workshops to advance regional collaboration and shared learning on on large-scale, integrated marine resource management and community-based resource management in the Coral Triangle region including strengthening engagement with national and provincial governments, partners and donors.
- Developed and faciliated gender-inclusive conservation mentoring and capacity building inititives and provided technical support to CI programs and partners as the designated Gender Focal Point for CI’s Asia-Pacific Field Division.
Senior Program Coordinator, Coral Triangle Initiative Program
Conservation International (CI)
02.2015 - 11.2017
- Mentored and supported local NGOs in Papua New Guinea to sustainably manage coral reef and mangrove ecosystems using customary practices in combination with scientific knowledge and tools.
- Produced a film, 'Gwala Rising' telling the story of resilient communities confronting climate change with traditional conservation practices in Papau New Guinea.
- Organized and facilitated workshops with government representatives and conservation practitioners in the Coral Triangle to advance regional initiatives to expand community-based natural resource management and institutionalize large-scale, integrated marine management in transboundary areas.
- Supported the advancement of gender within conservation initiatives at the community, national and regional levels through research, technical support and guidance and capacity building efforts
- Developed communications products and promoted CI’s Coral Triangle Initiative program with internal and external audiences using video, social media, and other platforms.
Policy Analyst, NOAA Fisheries Service
Earth Resource Technologies
06.2014 - 02.2015
- Guided and supported technical discussions within the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC), including facilitation of bi-annual conferences and preparation of key materials and products.
- Tracked progress of the European Union’s discard ban on commercial fisheries and developed recommendations to NOAA Fisheries Service on advancing domestic bycatch reduction efforts.
Health Education Volunteer
U.S. Peace Corps
03.2008 - 05.2010
- Peace Corps, Health/Environmental Education Volunteer, Tata, Morocco, 2008-02, 2010-05, Managed a U.S. Government funded Clean Water Project to improve water quality through an environmental education campaign and community partnerships.,
- Managed a U.S. Government funded Prenatal Care Enhancement Project to train doctors and midwives in the use of ultrasound to diagnose prenatal health conditions and examine fetal development.,
- Conducted health education for women and children through group sessions focusing on pre and postnatal care, breastfeeding, birth control, nutrition, sanitation, and smoking.
- Trainer and mentor for incoming Peace Corps Volunteers preparing them to plan, manage, and evaluate projects in their assigned communities.
Education
Master of Arts - International Environmental Policy
Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS)
Monterey, California05.2013
Bachelor of Arts - International Studies
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado11.2007
Skills
- Marine conservation and coastal resource management expert
- Project and program management expert and trainer
- Board Member of PM4NGOs, an organization that promotes and sustains the professionalism of program and project management in the international development sector
- Gender-inclusive conservation specialist
- Expertise in risk and adaptive management
- Expertise in group facilitation and stakeholder engagement including international, national and local level stakeholders
Languages
Spanish – Fluent, oral and written
Tashleheet (Berber Dialect) - Fluent, oral
Arabic - Intermediate, oral and written
Bahasa Indonesia – Conversational
Timeline
Delivery Director
Conservation International (CI)
06.2023 - Current
Senior Manager, Project Delivery, Marine, Gender & Safeguards
Conservation International (CI)
12.2021 - 06.2023
Manager, Gender & Safeguards
Conservation International (CI)
07.2019 - 12.2021
Program Manager, Coral Triangle Initiative Program
Conservation International (CI)
11.2017 - 06.2019
Senior Program Coordinator, Coral Triangle Initiative Program
Conservation International (CI)
02.2015 - 11.2017
Policy Analyst, NOAA Fisheries Service
Earth Resource Technologies
06.2014 - 02.2015
Health Education Volunteer
U.S. Peace Corps
03.2008 - 05.2010
Bachelor of Arts - International Studies
University of Denver
Master of Arts - International Environmental Policy
Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS)
Publications and Presentations
Yadao-Evans, et al. (In Press). Advancing interdisciplinary science of gender is key to the success of blue carbon initiatives. Nature Communications.
Finkbeiner, E. M., Fitzpatrick, J., & Yadao-Evans, W. (2021). A call for protection of women’s rights and economic, social, cultural (ESC) rights in seafood value chains. Marine Policy, 128, 104482.
Bennett, N. J., Katz, L., Yadao-Evans, W., Ahmadia, G. N., Atkinson, S., Ban, N. C., ... & Wilhelm, A. (2021). Advancing social equity in and through marine conservation. Frontiers in Marine Science, 994.
Yadao-Evans, W., & Kauhiona, D. (2019). Reflections on gender, fisheries and managing the environment: Solomon Islands case study. Women Fish. Inf. Bull, 30, 10-19.
Anderson (Yadao-Evans), Whitney. “There used to be…” TEDx Monterey: Sea Change. April 2012.