Mark Thomas Email & Phone Number

Port-Of-Spain, Port Of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago

Developed strategies that enhanced partnerships and resource mobilization for the 24 agencies of the UN Country Team in Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch CaribbeanImproved understanding of the development contexts in the Caribbean by developing Country Assessments for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, and by conducting research on economic trends and development priorities in the countriesDeveloped and coordinated programs that are modernizing the data and statistics ecosystem in Trinidad and Tobago (including through digitalization and the establishment of an independent government agency for development related statistics, by building capacity and networks for data sharing, and via enabling environments for the application of Big Data Analytics in official statistics)Enhanced capacity in the local and regional private sector to integrate environment, social and governance (ESG) best practice into business models and philanthropy (including via the creation of texts, and the facilitation of workshops and international conferences)Supported the Government of Trinidad and Tobago with addressing the mismatch between the skills supplied by the education sector and those demanded by the economy (by facilitating Labor Skills Assessments for economically important sectors)

Port Of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago

Maximized coherence and relevance of UN Country Team (UNCT) programming by moderating the Joint National Steering Committees that developed the Country Implementation Plans for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, which established the governance framework for UN development support to those countriesEnhanced the relationship between the UN and the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), including by coordinating the visit by the UN Secretary-General to Trinidad and Tobago in 2023, and by developing key messages and background notes for the SG's participation in the CARICOM Heads of Government Summit and related meetingsImproved understanding of the development contexts in the Caribbean by developing Country Assessments for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, and by conducting research on economic trends and development priorities in the countriesEnsured effective, coherent and accountable implementation of UNCT initiatives through strategic guidance to the UN Resident Coordinator, leadership of the UNCT’s Business Operations Strategy, and knowledge management and capacity development activities in and outside the UN System

Port-Of-Spain, Port Of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago

Enhanced Ministry’s capabilities to enhance disaster and climate change preparedness and resilience, especially regarding rural communities, by facilitating and drafting appropriate policies and proceduresDiminished the environmental effects plastic and organic wastes by developing and implementing community- and business-based initiatives to address such wasteEnhanced disaster and climate change awareness among diverse audiences, including business and community leaders, by creating and disseminating of multimedia awareness materials that were crafted for their respective recipientsEnsured timely, effective, efficient, and transparent program implementation and delivery via project management, including program development, financing, stakeholder engagement, budgeting, procurement and reporting

Port-Of-Spain, Port Of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago

Accelerated sustainable development and the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals in Trinidad and Tobago (but also in Barbados and Jamaica) by formulating and managing a portfolio of development projects, with a focus on green growth, climate resilience, education and skilling, gender equality, disaster risk reduction, and social developmentPromoted local and regional sustainable development, business development, and disaster resilience by facilitating and, in some cases, co-authoring relevant strategies, policies and processesImproved knowledge and decision making on development issues relevant to the Caribbean by undertaking research and analyses, and by authoring reports, briefing materials, and presentationsEnhanced the effectiveness, efficiency and reputation of the Foundation by leading its team of up to ten professionals, and by managing the organization’s project budgets and timelines in ways that guaranteed successful implementation and deliveryImproved financial and environmental transparency in the extractive industries by serving as the civil society lead on the Trinidad and Tobago chapter of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)Enhanced awareness of development issues and approaches among general and targeted audiences via the design, creation and deployment of multimedia materialsUndertook environmental-, social- and governance-impact assessments of the organization’s initiatives to maximize their relevance and effectiveness, and to relay best practices and lessons learned

Barbados, Jamaica, And Trinidad And Tobago

Promoted female entrepreneurship in the Caribbean by:Researching and analyzing the narratives of successful women entrepreneurs, their motivations for starting a business, the challenges they faced, and how they overcame obstacles to become successful; andRecommending policies and processes to increase the number and chances of success of women entrepreneurs in the region

Bridgetown, Barbados

Enhanced management of Caribbean coral reefs, and of related resources (e.g., beaches, fisheries) and infrastructure (e.g., coastal housing and industries) by developing, with funding from the European Union, the first university-level text and multimedia teaching materials on Caribbean reef biology and management

Bridgetown, Barbados

Enhanced disaster-management capacity and climate change resilience in 18 Caribbean Countries by managing a multimillion-dollar initiative financed by the European UnionUndertook research, analyses and reporting, and facilitated stakeholder engagements and expert engagements, that led to the development of long-term, international-standard disaster-management and climate-change-resilience strategies for the Caribbean’s governments and business sectorEnhanced regional, international and multilateral activities during regional natural and Man-made disasters by managing the information management chain (e.g., developing Situation Reports, Political Briefs) and directing CDEMA’s regional and international communications during crisesMaximized donor return on investment and impact by monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of disaster management and public communication initiatives against stated objectivesMaximized awareness among public and private-sector stakeholders by organizing and executing CDEMA workshops and press junkets

Port Of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago

Improved public information and democratic processes by directing and editing the country’s most-watched nightly news TV broadcast, with management of the associated staffImproved institutional effectiveness and efficiencies by undertaking change management of the analogue-to-digital transition of the production and broadcast facilitiesImproved capacities by training new personnel in media production, bringing them in line with international standards

Kingston, Jamaica

Enhanced the region’s professional capacity by teaching, examining, and mentoring university students in the biomedical, life and environmental sciencesEnhanced regional and international scientific knowledge by securing funding for, undertaking, and publishing peer-reviewed research in the biomedical, life and environmental sciences, and supervising research students and technicians

Bethesda, Maryland, Usa

Enhanced regional and international scientific knowledge by undertaking research on thyroid hormone's role in the regulation of gene expression during embryonic development

Master Of Science - Ms, Science Media Production, Distinction

The theory and practice of communicating science and technology stories to mass audiences, with an emphasis on broadcast media (television.

Diploma, Communication And Media Studies

The theory and practice of communication and media production.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Biology

Research into environmental effects on muscle development and growth in vertebrate embryos.

Master Of Philosophy - Mphil, Biology

Research into metabolic control during development; Resulted in the following publication: Thomas, MA and Agard, JBR (1992) Metabolic rate.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Zoology And Biochemistry, First Class Honours