Jason Philibotte

Experience

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  Peace Corps

  Mar 1999 - Jun 2001

  Coastal Resource Management Volunteer

  • Implemented training workshops for 300+ fisherfolk (75+ women) in marine ecosystems, coastal resource management, and resource assessments in Philippines.• Trained 50+ Coastal Resource Management Peace Corps volunteers in coral reef survey methodology, fish identification, safety, security, and cultural issues, and water safety.• Develop community-based marine resource management plans, including monitoring and evaluation plans that assist communities with adaptive management.• Designed coral reef survey techniques and marine ecosystem education modules in Tagalog for community based coastal resource management program.• Developed and implemented tiered monitoring protocol for Haribon-Palawan project staff.• Conducted coral reef monitoring and survey activities in 3 national marine parks and 15+ communities for host agency, Palawan provincial government, and WWF – Philippines. Show less

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  NOAA Coral Conservation Program (contractor)

  Aug 2006 - Feb 2010

  Senior Coral Reef Resource Management Specialist

  • Coordinated Hawaii’s Local Action Strategy (LAS) to Address Overfishing, a collaborative effort between NOAA and Hawaii Department of Aquatic Resources. Responsibilities included coordination of steering committee to implement strategic plan, development of projects that address LAS priorities, and dispersal of funds to project implementers.• Coordinated and managed several community-based marine conservation programs in the Hawaiian Islands, components include biological monitoring, education and outreach campaigns, observation and compliance programs, and documentation and implementation of traditional and cultural knowledge.• Revised and updated Hawaii’s Fisheries Local Action Strategy strategic plan to address over-fishing in Hawaii, in collaboration with the Department of Aquatic Resources.• Conducted a workshop in Fiji on setting national priorities for future applied scientific research relating to marine managed area monitoring and evaluation attended by 40 fishery biologists and marine scientists working in government, non-government, and academic organizations (including CI).• Conducted marine protected area management planning and evaluation workshop in Philippines, Barcelona, Croatia, Indonesia, and Viet Nam• Conducted marine protected area management planning and evaluation workshop for a network of MPAs in China. • Conducted marine protected area management planning and evaluation workshop for British Virgin Islands. The BVI government was mandated to create a network of MPAs that encompassed 30% of representative near-shore habitat.• Develop community-based marine resource management plans, including monitoring and evaluation plans that assist communities with adaptive management. Show less

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  Sustainable Visions LLC

  Sept 2006 - May 2022

  Executive Director and Founder

  - Environmental consulting company specializing in marine management planning, ecological monitoring, programmatic needs assessments and environmental impact assessments. - Successfully managed over $500,000 in government and private funding since 2006.

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  NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries (contractor)

  Feb 2010 - Aug 2011

  Indonesia Capacity Building Coordinator

  • Developed MPA management capacity building program for Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs. Responsibilities included identifying priority needs, developing curriculum, and overseeing logistics for multiple trainings, including budgets. • Conducted 5 trainings in 18 months, including Training of Trainers, for MPA managers in Indonesia. Trainings were attended by a total of 115 participants, including 32 trainers.• Responsible for managing $550,000/yr in USAID funding in 2011/2012.• Developed capacity building curriculum for Sustainable Financing of MPAs, MPA management, and Sustainable Fishing Show less

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  Conservation International

  Aug 2011 - Apr 2014

  Director

  • Direct the implementation of the Hawaii Fish Trust including strategy development, adaptive management, external governance and budget compliance.• Responsible for the management of $1.6 million/yr in private funding and $1.6 million/yr in secured match funding.• Create and manage strong, high-quality partnerships for implementation of the Hawaii Fish Trust through communication, collaboration, and effective grant administration (including partnerships with key fishing, government, and community leaders).• Raise financial resources for the Hawaii Fish Trust in collaboration with Development and Global Marine Division Leadership. Show less

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  NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

  Apr 2014 - now

  * Coordinate NOAA’s engagement on behalf of the United States in international fora concerned with the conservation and management of living marine resources and their habitats in the Pacific Ocean, such as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, and coordinate for PIRO the bilateral engagement of the United States on fisheries issues with other nations in the Indo-Pacific.* Implement U.S. obligations under international fisheries agreements, including monitoring, reporting, and developing regulations in accordance with applicable laws.* Manage and administer the policies, procedures, and budget of the International Fisheries Division necessary for implementation of federal laws and regulations, and provides leadership toward accomplishment of regional goals and objectives in support of NOAA Fisheries and PIR strategic plans.* Perform the full range of supervisory duties, including planning and assigning work, developing performance standards, evaluating work performance, arranging for training and development, and resolving internal complaints and problems. Show less Supervisory Foreign Affairs Specialist for NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement’s International Operations program. Responsibilities:* Manage various assigned International programs within the Investigative Operations Division of the NOAA/NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE). * Supervise assigned staff engaged in combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as well as the trade in protected marine species and IUU fish and fish products.* Develop, coordinate, and implement plans, programs, and activities (including fiscal management, agency representation, personnel management, and administrative oversight) to ensure proper administration and management of direct reports.* Initiate, coordinate, and assimilate scientific, economic, political and legal information in support of NOAA's responsibilities for the conservation of international fisheries and protected species -- working through bilateral and multilateral engagement.* Lead analysis of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and bycatch of protected living marine resources, as well as, advise and provide input to departmental formulation and direction of the foreign affairs of the United States bearing on international fisheries relations.* Provide leadership to determine the scope and direction of new or revised multilateral and bilateral agreements relating to international fisheries.* Plan, develop, and complete position papers, proposals, agreements and treaties to support U.S. negotiations and consultations with foreign countries. Show less International lead for NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program including the following responsibilities:• Program manager for NOAA’s technical assistance partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in the Asia Pacific Region, including the development of NOAA’s project strategy, proposals, work plans, and quarterly monitoring and evaluation for activities under the NOAA/USAID partnership, topics include community resilience, climate change, sustainable fisheries, and biodiversity.• Co-chair of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force secretariat, responsibilities include planning Task Force meetings, leading monthly cross-government steering committee meetings and managing several US Coral reef Task Force working groups (Climate Adaptation, Restoration, and Enforcement)• Prepare program briefings, responses and updates on highly sensitive or controversial issues regarding NOAA’s international technical assistance and Coral Reef Task Force activities for high-level officials in the U.S. and foreign governments, NOAA leadership, congressional committees, the State Department, and media.• Manage approximately $3.6million of project funds to support coastal management and conservation including the administration of budget, deliverables, and activities. Show less • Project manager for NOAA’s technical assistance partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in the Asia Pacific Region, including the development of NOAA’s project strategy, proposals, work plans, and quarterly monitoring and evaluation for activities under the NOAA/USAID partnership, topics include climate change, sustainable fisheries, and biodiversity.• Co-chair of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force secretariat, responsibilities include planning Task Force meetings, leading monthly cross-government steering committee meetings and managing several US Coral reef Task Force working groups• Lead for NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program Pacific Island region projects focusing on climate change, fisheries, and watershed management. • Evaluated NOAA’s partnership with USAID to determine partnership strengths, programmatic problems, and corrective strategies. Results were communicated to NOAA leadership and used to develop NOAA’s standard operating procedures for engagement with USAID.• Evaluated NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program’s International engagement portfolio, provided analysis to senior leadership regarding programmatic strengths, issues, lessons learned, and future strategy. Results will be integrated into the CRCP’s new strategic plan. • Prepare program briefings, responses and updates on highly sensitive or controversial issues regarding NOAA’s international technical assistance and Coral Reef Task Force activities for high-level officials in the U.S. and foreign governments, NOAA leadership, congressional committees, the State Department, and media.• Manage approximately $3.6million of project funds to support coastal management and conservation including the administration of budget, deliverables, and activities. • Lead trainer for NOAA’s first ever Leadership Forum for Marine Protected Area Managers for 20 coastal managers in the Mediterranean. Show less

  • International Fisheries Division Director

    Apr 2022 - now

  • International Operations Branch Chief

    Jun 2020 - May 2022

  • International Lead, Natural Resources Specialist

    Dec 2017 - Jun 2020

  • Senior Program Management Specialist

    Apr 2014 - Dec 2017
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  Local I'a Community Supported Fishery LLC

  Jan 2015 - Dec 2017

  Owner / Founding Member/ Executive Director

  Local I‘a (http://localiahawaii.com) is a local sustainable seafood enterprise – a community supported fishery (CSF) business for the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Our mission is to increase access to, and consumption of, locally sourced seafood while improving profitability for producers, and sustainability in our local fisheries. Local I‘a CSF takes a quadruple-bottom line approach, seeking to create positive environmental, social, economic, and cultural changes in our island community. The overarching goal of our business is to support sustainable fishing livelihoods by increasing the value of local fisheries, improve consumer access to fresh, local, responsibly caught seafood, and preferentially source from sustainable fisheries that are well-managed and can provide seafood for future generations. Our business model comprises a subscription service that links customers, retailers, and restaurants directly to local fishers, providing a high value seafood product at a competitive price-point to both our customers while driving higher profits for local seafood producers. This model builds on successful models in community supported fishery and agriculture enterprises and is the first of its kind in Hawai‘i. Show less