Our Staff

Rob Dietz, Executive Director

Rob Dietz has experience in the public and private sectors working on solutions to natural resource problems using the tools of both economics and the natural sciences. He has researched a number of sustainability issues at various scales, including local-scale housing development, state policies for clean air, regional transportation initiatives, and national environmental law and policy. He has a master’s degree from Virginia Tech in environmental science and engineering and an undergraduate degree in economics and environmental studies from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mansi Grover, Research Director

Mansi Grover is a professor of natural resource economics, ecological economics, and conservation ecology. She has a Ph.D. in natural resource economics from Virginia Tech, as well as a master’s degree in economics from the Delhi School of Economics. She has completed projects with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Carbon Offset Coalition, Environmental Protection Agency, and Chesapeake Bay Program. Her research interests include risk and uncertainty analysis/modeling in environmental markets, economic and environmental sustainability, time series analysis, and ecological economics.

Deborah Schober, Outreach Director

Deborah Schober has an MA in sustainable development from the World Learning SIT Graduate Institute. She focused her studies on policy research and advocacy in the areas of globalization, economics, and agricultural systems. She received a BA in anthropology from Ithaca College, concentrating on rural development and including experience applying ecological principles in rural Belize. Born and raised on a family farm, Debbie has a strong background in agriculture and has been involved in community-based food security projects. Her current focus is on researching and promoting an economic system that benefits the planet and all who inhabit it.

Fola Babalola, Director of African Operations

Fola Babalola is a Ph.D. candidate in forest economics at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He has completed numerous projects that combine ecological and economic expertise, including a cost-benefit analysis of seedling production, design of incentives in the agroforestry industry, development of forest policy, and socio-economic valuation of non-timber forest products. Fola has received a number of scholarships, fellowships and research grants. His publications have appeared in scientific journals, proceedings, and technical reports. His current focus is on sustainable management and conservation of forest biodiversity in the face of economic growth.

Soumitri Das, Director of Indian Operations

Soumitri Das has over 10 years of international experience in the areas of forestry, biodiversity, energy, climate change, sustainable development, GIS and remote sensing based on his association with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) (India), Virginia Tech (US), Forest Technology Group (US), UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UK), and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) (India). A Chevening Scholar, Soumitri holds masters degrees in natural resource management from Virginia Tech (US) and the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) (India).

Neil Dawe, Director of Canadian Operations

Neil is a wildlife biologist who lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. He retired from the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, in 2006 after 31 years, during which time he managed National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and worked to protect migratory birds and their habitat. Prior to his work in the biological field, he spent seven years as a banker with one of Canada’s major banks. His current professional efforts focus on the preservation of global biodiversity by addressing the limiting factor of biodiversity conservation on the Earth today: economic growth. He regularly delivers presentations and writes newspaper columns on this topic.

Geoff Mosley, Director of Australian Operations

Geoff Mosley is a Councillor and former CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). He is an active member of the World Commission on Protected Areas and previously served as a member of the IUCN Council. He has been working as a volunteer to educate fellow citizens on the means to achieve a sustainable society.

Daniel O’Neill, Director of European Operations

Daniel O’Neill is a Ph.D. candidate in ecological economics at the University of Leeds. His research interests include steady state economics, biophysical limits to growth, environmental indicators, alternative ways of measuring human progress, and urban planning. He has worked in both the public and private sectors in areas such as regional planning and energy management. Dan holds a master of environmental studies degree from Dalhousie University and an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Victoria.