Tom Sanborn Resume

EDUCATION

2020     International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium – Universitá Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy – Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland

2012     Bachelor of Science (BS), Evolution and Ecology, Barret Honors College, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

NORTHERN ECONOMICS EXPERIENCE

Project Consultant, September 2023–Present

PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE   

February 2023–Current
Marine Conservation and Fisheries Consultant, CASE Consultants International

• Assisted with project proposal, NOAA ProTech, and government contract writing and editing.
• Advised on marine conservation, environmental policy and fisheries issues in business development activities.
• Provided professional expertise on outreach and engagement, facilitation of strategic development, and environmental justice.

February 2017–September 2018, February 2021 – October 2022
NMFS Longline Fisheries Observer, Techsea International, Inc. and Lynker Technologies

• Collected longline tuna and swordfish catch data to support fisheries management as guided by the MSA, ESA, MMPA and NEPA
• Assisted the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) in regulating Hawaiian fishing vessels.
• Collected specimens and biological samples in support of NOAA research projects.
• Assisted crews in mitigating protected species interactions.
• Completed over 550 working sea days in adverse weather and minimal living conditions.

February 2019–December 2020
Impact and Partnerships Team Leader, Cyan Planet, Munich, Germany

• Assisted in the scripting, design and development of “How is the Water,” an immersive media project (VR) centered on marine conservation and education.
• Managed an organizational outreach team to generate a leads database and create strategic partnerships with 40+ organizations.
• Lead writer for grant and accelerator applications, achieving over €50,000 in funding.
• Developed and led immersive media workshops at conferences, universities and for the public.

December 2019–March 2020
Visiting Master’s Researcher, The Thresher Shark Research & Conservation Project, Cebu (Philippines)

• Collected underwater thresher shark observation data for long-term population analysis.
• Conducted community a needs assessment and developed research and survey protocols tailored to the Malapascua community.
• Hired and managed a small team of research assistants to conduct 150+ in-depth interviews with stakeholders in the local language (Cebuano).
• Performed qualitative and quantitative analysis of survey and biological data to inform local conservation practices.

July 2013–September 2016
Coastal Resource Management Volunteer, Peace Corps, Southern Leyte (Philippines)

• Worked with the local community and municipality to assess marine ecosystem health, identify environmental threats, and develop sustainable ecotourism and conservation strategies
• Assisted in the development of municipal policy to manage fishing activities and implement new marine protected areas around critical coral habitats
• Developed relationships with community stakeholders to facilitate projects and implement outreach and education campaigns
• Worked with international agencies (like USAID) to write, fund, and implement small-scale grant projects and tracked progress through technical reporting
• Extended 2-year contract by 1 year to ensure project sustainability
  

OTHER RELEVANT SKILLS

CERTIFICATIONS

• National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) Pacific Island Region Fisheries Observer
• Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH)- Rutgers Cooperative Extension

AWARDS and RECOGNITION

• Erasmus+ Scholar, 2019
• School of Life Sciences Ralph A. Fisher, Jr. Scholarship Award in biology, 2010

PUBLICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS

Sanborn T and Jung J (2021) Intersecting Social Science and Conservation. Front. Mar. Sci. 8:676394. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.676394