Sam MacKinnon

Experience

• 

  Scotianomics

  May 2018 - Jan 2021

  Leading the organisation's research team, advising on the research agenda, and developing new services for clients, such as data visualisation tools, as well as engaging with private, non-governmental and governmental organisations. Supporting the think tank's research team to collect, analyse, and report on public policy and economic development trends. Our research was used to advise a range of clients and often published to the public domain.

  • Senior Researcher

    Aug 2019 - Jan 2021

  • Researcher

    May 2018 - Aug 2019
• 

  Scottish Land Commission

  Jan 2019 - Mar 2019

  Consultant

  The Land Commission is a semi-autonomous government body tasked with creating or informing the policy and initiatives of the Scottish Government in relation to land-use and ownership. I was hired by the Commission to: 1) establish a database of public land assets; and 2) create with it an application for monitoring land-use that would assist planners in making development decisions. This application would be used to support a new Scottish Government policy promoting civil society organisations to apply for public land for use in economic projects.The role involved me researching governmental institutions and third sector agencies in the project region and requesting or locating data on their land titles, compiling it into a master database. Using a Geographic Information System, I classified land according to its location, use, size, and its proximity to other economic activity, such as tourism clusters. I used this data to build a data visualisation application allowing development specialists to explore this information on a map and make informed decisions from it. Show less

• 

  Seawater Solutions

  Jan 2021 - now

  Currently establishing the Regenerative Development of Anlo Wetlands (ReDAW) project in Ghana's largest coastal wetland: a nature-based solutions initiative combining mangrove reforestation using the Verra standard with economic development through regenerative aquaculture, apiculture, and agriculture. Developing nature-based solutions projects for strong economic impacts and climate resilience. Most of my field time was spent in Ghana while also working remotely on projects across Africa, Europe, and Asia.

  • Chief Operating Officer

    Sept 2022 - now

  • Senior Development & Strategy Officer

    Jan 2021 - Sept 2022
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  Regenerative Resources Co

  Jul 2021 - Feb 2022

  Consultant

  Providing advisory, technical and capacity building services to develop landscape restoration and livelihoods projects.

• 

  Regenerative Development of Anlo Wetlands (ReDAW)

  Jan 2024 - now

  Director