Lecturers (to be completed) > Joanna SMITH

Dr. Joanna Smith is the Director, Ocean Planning and Mapping for The Nature Conservancy (TNC Canada).  She is the global lead for marine spatial planning and works alongside partners on the ground to bring frameworks, planning tools, technologies and best practices to MSP processes at small and large scales. Her team’s project areas include evaluation of ecosystem services mapping and marine protected areas.

Joanna’s MSP experience spans a decade including multi-year involvement with the Washington State Marine Plan, USA, and the Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast in British Columbia, Canada. Since 2014, Joanna has been the science and process lead for the Seychelles MSP Initiative on behalf of the Seychelles government, an output of the award-winning Seychelles debt swap for conservation and climate change. Joanna also provides advice and support to marine planning in Canada, Caribbean, Indonesia, Mauritius, Mexico, Palau and other geographies, working closely with governments, stakeholders and partners to help advance sustainable ocean management.  

Joanna received a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Washington, USA and has a M.Sc. in Ecology from University of Victoria, Canada. She is a collaborator with Open Channels and the EBM Tools Network and is on the Editorial Board for MEAM – Marine Ecosystems and Management.