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Speakers - Adaptation

Dr. Leslie Simpson

email: leslieasimpson(at)hotmail.com;
leslieasimpson2000(at)yahoo.co.uk

Dr.  Simpson is employed as a Natural Resources Management Specialist with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and is a former CARDI Representative in Jamaica.

  • He holds a PhD in Agriculture, majoring in Soil Science, from the University of the West Indies.
  • He is a professional agriculturist and project manager with over 35 years experience in agricultural research, teaching, administration and production in several Caribbean countries.
  • He has held senior positions at the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) in Guyana, Faculties of Agriculture at the University of Guyana (UG) and the University of the West Indies (UWI), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.
  •  In 2001, he attended the first Beahrs Environmental Leadership Programme at the University of California, Berkeley and was exposed to all aspects environment management including global climate change and its possible effects on the physical environment. Since that time he has been representing CARDI on all major discussions related to climate change and agriculture in the Caribbean.
  • He is the author of several publications in international, regional and national journals.

Ms. Hyacinth Douglas email: hyacinthd(at)unops.org
Hyacinth Douglas is the National Coordinator of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) in Jamaica, a global programme that award grants to locally registered Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBO) to assist in addressing environmental and developmental problems. The programme is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 
Hyacinth possesses over 20 years of experience in Programme Management, Development Planning and Administration, Hyacinth’s expertise includes: project management, policy development, organizational development, leadership, management and development training. Hyacinth is passionate about helping communities that are most vulnerable and marginalized make the most of their resources and talent and helping to strengthen the capacities of individuals especially in the area of proposal writing, project development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. 
In addition to her accomplishments in Programme Management, Development Planning and Administration, Hyacinth is a Certified Professional Secretary and a trained Human Resource Professional; she provides coaching services through one-on-one coaching, group workshops and educational seminars with schools and non-profit organizations. She also served on several committees and was recently  appointed to the Bamboo and Indigenous Material Industry Advisory Committee (BIMAC). 
A recipient of several awards namely: Outstanding Leadership of GEF SGP Jamaica and Efficient Utilization of Grant Funding (GEF Secretariat), Excellence in Research (University College of the Caribbean), to name a few. Hyacinth holds a Diploma in Financial Management and Accounting, Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management and an Executive Masters degree in Public Administration.  
Her personal, academic and professional attributes  can be characterized as dedicated, enthusiastic, resourceful, energetic, honest and loyal. Hyacinth’s objective in life is to positively contribute to the growth and development of any organization or individual by imparting her knowledge and skills in the most professional, efficient and ethical manner. 

Mr. Dale Rankine email: dralstonrankine(at)gmail.com

Dale Ralston Rankine is a graduate student in the Department of Physics which resides in the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. Dale, a graduate of Kingston College, holds a B.Sc in Mathematics/Meteorology (with First Class Honours) and a M.Sc in Natural Resource Management (specialising in climate change) both read at the Cave Hill Campus of UWI. 

He worked as an applied Meteorologist at the Meteorological Service, Jamaica (2000-2005) where he was responsible for the Agro-meteorology section and also represented Jamaica in a number of local, regional and international symposia in agro-meteorology and climate change. He was later employed to the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as Jamaica’s National Coordinator for the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) and the UNDP/GEF Community-based Adaptation Project.

In his tenure (UNOPS), he had overall responsibility for management, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of community projects under the GEF SGP. Portfolio of projects numbered over 60, with total assets of over USD 1.5 Million. Activities were piloted in three focal areas namely Biodiversity conservation, Prevention of Land Degradation and Climate Change mitigation. He also had responsible for day to day management of pilot projects in adaptation at the community level and engaged International, Regional and National Climate Change Experts in the development of common approaches for adaptation, indicators and tools for decision making.


Dr. Dale Webber dale.webber(at)uwimona.edu.jm

Dr. Dale Webber is a Coastal Ecologist with over twenty years experience in the environmental field. He is presently the Grace Kennedy Foundation endowed, James Moss-Solomon Snr. Professor of Environmental Management at The University of the West Indies and Director of the Centre for Marine Science. He lectures courses in Ecology, Coastal Plant Ecosystems and Integrated Coastal Zone Management and has successfully supervised over 30 Masters and 10 Ph.D. graduate students and boasts over 30 publications. 

Much of his research has been pivotal to the environmental policy and decisions of the Jamaican government though the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica where he serves as Chairman. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the National Council of Ocean and Coastal Zone Management. He has also worked closely with the Natural Resource Conservation Authority where he also served as Chairman of the National Ramsar Committee on Jamaica’s wetland management between 2003 and 2009.

 

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