CYNTHIA JACOBSON, Ph.D.
Owner and Principal Consultant
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
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Twenty-seven years of experience as a wildlife professional, including state and federal government and academia
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Proven ability in leading multiple programs and multidisciplinary teams
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Established proficiency in managing and supervising diverse, professional staffs
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Extensive experience leading organizational planning and change initiatives
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Extensive background designing, conducting and publishing social science research focused on wildlife management and agency transformation
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Strong communication ability, both written and oral
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Demonstrated success working with elected and appointed officials and organizational executives
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Proven analytical and problem-solving skills
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Ability to establish and grow partnerships with a diversity of stakeholders
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Experience building, managing and evaluating budgets
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Agenda setting and meeting facilitation
WORK EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Senior Advisor for Arctic Conservation, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
May 2019-November 2019
Oversees USFWS activities related to the Arctic Council, International Porcupine Caribou Board and other Arctic-focused international activities. Provides leadership to the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Steering Committee on Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Arctic Mining. Oversees efforts regarding outreach and implementation of CAFF plans and recommendations within the U.S. Arctic. Serves on the USFWS Alaska Region’s leadership team.
Chair, Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group of the Arctic Council
January 2017-May 2019
For the 2017-2019 term, presided over the activities of the CAFF Working Group of the Arctic Council, a high-level international collaborative body that addresses issues of common interest in the Arctic, particularly the environment and sustainable development. Worked to build relationships and leveraged resources to help accomplish the work prioritized by the CAFF Board. As such, helped secure approximately $2M and provide oversight for U.S. priority projects and programs, including Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Arctic Mining; the Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative; the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program and the Arctic Youth Exchange Network. Served on the USFWS Alaska Region’s leadership team.
Assistant Regional Director, USFWS
August 2010-December 2016
USFWS’s, Office of Science Applications. Oversaw USFWS coordination of four Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs), the Alaska Region’s climate change initiatives, and regional efforts to increase science capacity within USFWS. Interacted with a diversity of partners to identify priorities and objectives, leverage resources, and fund highest priority work to achieve conservation goals. Oversaw $4M USFWS budget, and has leveraged upwards of $10M in grants and agreements. Supervised 15 professional staff (seven directly), including Program Coordinators, technical and administrative staff and outreach specialists.
Assistant Director, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
November 2007-July 2010
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Division of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). Oversaw the Nongame, Education, Hunter Information and Training, and Watchable Wildlife programs. Managed budgets between $5M and $10M and supervised between 14 and 20 professional staff (with up to 8 direct reports), including program coordinators, biologists, educators, technicians and administrators. Led DWC charge to establish and grow partnerships and secure alternative funding via statewide and national efforts such as Teaming with Wildlife. Worked closely with the DWC Director and Commissioner’s office staff on a variety of projects and serve on the Division Management Team, a leadership committee charged to set direction, develop and manage DWC’s budget. Participated in a wide variety of highly political regional and national efforts, advisory panels and committees focused on natural resources policy and management.
Wildlife Planner III, ADF&G
February 1999-October 2007
ADF&G, DWC. Designed and managed collaborative and, often controversial, planning projects for Southcentral and Northwestern Alaska. Designed and managed multidisciplinary stakeholder groups, including research and management biologists, policy makers and nongovernmental organizations, including the Game Management Unit 23 User Conflicts Planning Group, Kenai Brown Bear Stakeholders’ Group, Kenai Brown Bear Planning and Management Group, Kodiak Archipelago Citizens’ Advisory Committee, Wolverine Creek Management Committee, Anchorage Bear Committee, and Silver Salmon Creek Community Working Group. Each public process involved close collaboration with federal, municipal and private entities to ensure the successful outcomes.
Research Staff, Colorado Legislative Council
July 1996-July 1998
Legislative Council, State of Colorado. Worked with members of the legislature and Executive Branch on natural resources policy issues; organized meetings between legislators and natural resources agencies; analyzed policy and conducted research on agriculture and natural resources issues; and staffed the House and Joint House and
Senate Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committees and various interim committees related to natural resources issues. Served as lead analyst for natural resources ballot initiatives for the 1998 election.
For a complete list of work experience see CV.
PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS
Doyle-Capitman, D. J. Decker, D.J. and C. A. Jacobson. 2018. Examining the Role of Local Stakeholder Participation in Landscape-Level Wildlife Conservation. Human Dimensions of Wildlife. https://doi.org/10.1080/10871209.2018.1444215
C.A. Jacobson and D.J. Decker. 2017. Conservation Relevancy: What does it mean to us and for us? 82nd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 82: 27-33.
Jacobson, C.A. 2016. Adoption and Diffusion of Wildlife Governance Principles: Challenges and Suggestions for Moving Forward. 81st North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 81: 178-184.
Decker, D.J. A.B. Forstchen, E.F. Pomeranz, C.A. Smith; S.J. Riley, C.A. Jacobson, J.F. Organ, G.R. Batcheller. 2014. Stakeholder engagement in wildlife management: Does the Public Trust Doctrine imply limits? Journal of Wildlife Management 79(2):174-179.
Jacobson, C.A. and E. M. Haubold. 2014. Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: Building a network to help fulfill public trust obligations. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 19:427-436.
Decker, D. J., A. B. Forstchen, C. A. Jacobson, C. A. Smith, J. F. Organ, and D. Hare. 2013. What does it mean to manage wildlife as if public trust really matters? Transactions of the 78th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 78: 47-54.
Jacobson, C.A. and A.L. Robertson. 2012. Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: Bridging entities to facilitate adaptive co-governance of social-ecological systems. Human Dimensions of Wildlife: 17:333-343.
Decker, D.J. C.A. Jacobson, and J.F. Organ. 2011. Leaders’ Guide: Transformation of State Fish and Wildlife Agencies: Ensuring the Future of Conservation in a Rapidly Changing World.
Jacobson, C.A., J.F. Organ, and D.J. Decker. 2010. Fish and wildlife conservation and management in the 21st Century: Understanding challenges for institutional transformation. Transactions of the 75th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 75:107-114.
Jacobson, C.A., J.F. Organ, D.J. Decker, G.R. Batcheller, and L. Carpenter. 2010. A Conservation Institution for the 21st Century: Implications for State Wildlife Agencies. Journal of Wildlife Management: 74(2):203-209.
Decker, D.J., J.F. Organ, and C.A. Jacobson. 2009. Why should all Americans care about the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation? Transactions of the 74th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 74:32-36.
Jacobson, C.A. 2008. Wildlife conservation and management in the 21st century: Understanding challenges for institutional transformation. Ph.D. Dissertation, Cornell University.
Jacobson, C.A. and D.J. Decker. 2008. Future governance of state wildlife management: reform and revive or resist and retrench? Society and Natural Resources: An International Journal 21:441-448.
Jacobson, C.A., D.J. Decker, and L. Carpenter. 2007. Securing alternative funding for wildlife management: insights from agency leaders. Journal of Wildlife Management 71(6):2106-2113.
Jacobson, C.A., and D.J. Decker. 2006. Ensuring the Future of State Wildlife Management: Understanding Challenges for Institutional Change. Wildlife Society Bulletin 34(2):531-536.
Decker, D.J., C.A. Jacobson, and T.L. Brown. 2006. Situation-specific “impact dependency” as a determinant of management acceptability: insights from wolf and grizzly bear management in Alaska. Wildlife Society Bulletin 34(2):426-432.
Loker, C.A., D.J. Decker, and S.J. Schwager. 1999. Social acceptability of wildlife management actions in suburban areas: 3 cases from New York. Wildlife Society Bulletin 27 (1):152-159.
Loker, C.A., J.S. Shanahan, and D.J. Decker. 1999. The mass media and stakeholders' beliefs about suburban wildlife. Human Dimensions in Wildlife 4(2):7-26.
Loker, C.A., D.J. Decker, and L.C. Chase. 1998. Ballot initiatives--antithesis of human dimensions approaches or catalyst for change? Human Dimensions in Wildlife 3(2):8-2.
Curtis, P.D., D.J. Decker, R.J. Stout, M.E. Richmond, and C.A. Loker. 1997. Human dimensions of contraception in wildlife management. Pp. 247-255 in Terry J. Kreeger, Tech. Coord., Contraception in Wildlife Management. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Technical Bulletin No. 1853, Washington, D.C.
Loker, C.A. 1995. Public acceptance of wildlife management actions in suburban areas of New York State. M.S. Thesis, Cornell University.
For a complete list of publications see CV.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Jacobson, C.A. and R. Rimelman. Mainstreaming biodiversity in Arctic mining: Perspectives on a collaborative approach (invited presentation). The 3rd Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Meeting of Mining Regions and Cities Skellefteå, Sweden. 12-13 June, 2019.
Jacobson, C.A. and Decker, D.J. 2017. Conservation relevancy: What does it mean to us and for us? North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Spokane, WA 5-10 March, 2017.
Jacobson, C.A. Adoption and diffusion of wildlife governance principles: Challenges and suggestions for moving forward (invited paper). North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Pittsburg, PA 14-18 March, 2016.
Jacobson, C.A. and J.F. Organ. Time for a remodel?: Why, what & how (invited paper? The Wildlife Society’s 22nd Annual Conference, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 8-12 November 2015.
Jacobson, C.A. and A. L Robertson. Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: Bridging entities to facilitate adaptive co-governance of social-ecological systems (invited plenary paper). Pathways to Success: Integrating Human Dimensions into Fish and Wildlife Management, Breckenridge, CO 24-27 September, 2012.
Jacobson, C.A., D.J. Decker, and J.F. Organ. Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the 21st Century: Understanding Challenges for Institutional Transformation. North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Milwaukee, WI 22-26 March 2010.
Jacobson, C.A., D.J. Decker, L. Carpenter, J. Organ. Funding state wildlife management: implications of institutional change on highly resource dependent organizations. The Wildlife Society 15th Annual Conference, Miami, FL. 8-12 November 2008.
Snively, M.L, G.V. Hilderbrand, C.A. Jacobson, J.P. Meehan, and E.K. Solomon. Compatibility of bear viewing and bear hunting in Southcentral Alaska. The Wildlife Society 14th Annual Conference, Tucson, AZ. 23-26 September 2007.
Decker, D.J., S. J. Riley, S.A. Jonker, and C.A. Jacobson. Coexistence of people and wolves: Insights about stakeholder engagement in controversial wildlife issues (invited paper). The Wildlife Society 14th Annual Conference, Tucson, AZ. 23-26 September 2007.
Hughes, J.H., C.A. Jacobson, T.L. Brown, and D.J. Decker. Predator management in Alaska: insight into an historically intractable issue. 69th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Spokane, WA. 16-20 March 2004.
Pelstring, L., C.A. Loker, J.S. Shanahan, and D.J. Decker. Using human dimensions research to improve agency public participation. The Wildlife Society 6th Annual Conference, Austin, TX. 7-11 September 1999.
Loker, C.A., D.J. Decker, and L.C. Chase. Human dimensions of ballot initiatives. The Wildlife Society 4th Annual Conference, Snowmass, CO. 22-27 September 1997.
Loker, C.A. and D.J. Decker. Human dimensions insights for successful wildlife damage management in suburban environments. The Wildlife Society 3rd Annual Conference, Cincinnati, OH. 1-5 October 1996.
Loker, C.A. and D.J. Decker. Overcoming controversy in wildlife management: lessons from the amendment on black bear hunting in Colorado. 5th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Ft. Collins, CO. 7-10 June 1994.
For a complete list of speaking engagements see CV.
