Regional Adaptation Lead, Wellington Regional Leadership Committee Partnership

Tom is a geographer, knowledge translator, connector and specialist in coastal and climate adaptation. He has 23 years of experience across a number of realms and in a number of places.

For almost a decade, Tom has helped local governments and other organisations bridge that contested space between knowledge-policy-action and has been at the vanguard of a number of NZ’s first adaptation projects. Having successfully mainstreamed a regional climate action programme for Te Tai Tokerau, Tom is now setting his sights on unlocking the collaborative potential for Wellington and is developing a regional approach to climate adaptation for the region.

In his spare time, Tom founded and co-convenes the Aotearoa Climate Adaptation Network (ACAN). ACAN exists to support and connect all local government adaptation-related practitioners and build the capability and capacity of the many professions involved in delivering action. ACAN now consists of 270 members from 77% of local governments and related entities and continues to grow. Over the last 12 months or so ACAN has been laying the foundations for the eventual launch of the broader Aotearoa Society of Adaptation Professionals (or ASAP).