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I have been an applied environmental social scientist and inclusive governance advisor for 25 years. I have always focused on small-scale fisheries, coastal communities, and women in fisheries – from research, processing, trading and governance. I am an islander – living and working in Australia (Tasmania), Tonga, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Malaysia (Penang). I dove deeply into tenure in my PhD which looked at the merging of cultural and contemporary practices and rights to govern coastal seas. Since then I have worked at village level to the level of international policy to examine what conditions are challenging, or enabling more equitable oceans.

Most recently, I led a multi million-dollar research-for-development program for the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, which brought together research, government and civil society partners to build resilience in small-scale fisheries. After that, I was easily drawn to Turning Tides. In my previous role I was alarmed by the prevalence of unintended and deliberate erosion of tenure and rights, globally. In terms of aid or ‘development’, business-as- usual was failing – regularly, and at great expense. Turning Tides is an opportunity to do things in new ways – a fit for purpose Facility that has been carefully designed; strong and firm, but adaptable in response to our partners. My role is to ensure the Turning Tides’ team is continually able to be responsive to partners.