More than 20 years’ experience in biodiversity conservation and community development, with primary focus on community-based initiatives in the Tibetan Plateau region of China and in Central Asian mountain areas. From 2014 until 2018, served as Associate Director of Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI), University of Central Asia (UCA). Lengthy experience in both NGO project implementation and academic research in fields of grasslands and wildlife ecology; community conservation projects; development projects focused on enhancing pastoralists’ livelihoods and well-being, including education, community health and income generation; community co-management and protected area management; policy analysis; and capacity building at different administrative levels. Has led the work of the non-profit organization Plateau Perspectives since 1998, and also has served as consultant for World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In 2013 served as Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) for the UNDP/GEF Qinghai Biodiversity Conservation Project, which seeks to strengthen the management effectiveness of the protected area system in Qinghai province, China. Previously was Honorary Research Fellow at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Kent. Since 2016 has been honorary Research Associate in the Institute of Asian Research in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) at University of British Columbia (UBC). Professional member of the international Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas, and several other IUCN working groups.