Ruth Mathews Email & Phone Number

Stockholm County, Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden

Senior manager in the Water Resource Department. With more than two decades of experience working with the public and private sectors to achieve sustainable water resource use and management, I contribute my deep knowledge of the impacts of human activities on riverine, coastal and marine ecosystems to a range of projects that will reduce those impacts through improved governance and innovative solutions. I lead SIWI’s Source-to-Sea Programme with responsibilities for all stages of the project cycle from fundraising to delivery. I have contributed two important knowledge resources to the field of source-to-sea management as lead author of Implementing the Source-to-Sea Approach: a Guide for Practitioners and co-author of Source-to-Sea Framework for Marine Litter Prevention: Preventing Plastic Leakage from River Basins. The practitioners guidance and framework for marine litter prevention are applied in a large project in which I am piloting the source-to-sea approach in Lake Hawassa Basin, Ethiopia (source-to-lake) and Vu Gia - Thu Bon Basin, Viet Nam. I am the Coordinator of the Action Platform for Source-to-Sea Management (S2S Platform), a multi-stakeholder initiative to exchange and generate knowledge, and support joint action for improved management of land, freshwater, coastal and marine resources through the explicit consideration of the linkages from source to sea. As Coordinator of the S2S Platform, I provide strategic leadership to the multi-stakeholder initiative that helps freshwater, coastal and marine experts contribute to global knowledge generation on source-to-sea interconnections, connect and engage in collaborative projects, promote best practices, and take joint action to improve the management of land, water, coastal and marine linkages. The S2S Platform has more than 25 members, with an extensive combined experience in implementing measures to improve coordination across the source-to-sea continuum and achieve more sustainable resource use.

Stockholm, Sweden

Programme Manager in SIWI's Water Governance Department and Coordinator of the Action Platform for Source-to-Sea Management (S2S Platform). With more than two decades of experience in working with the public and private sectors to achieve sustainable water resource use and management, I will contribute my deep knowledge of the impacts of human activities on riverine and coastal marine ecosystems to a range of projects that will result in better water governance. As Coordinator of the S2S Platform, I will provide strategic leadership to the multi-stakeholder initiative that helps freshwater, coastal and marine experts contribute to global knowledge generation on source-to-sea interconnections, connect and engage in collaborative projects, promote best practices, and take collaborative action to improve the management of land, water, coastal and marine linkages. Established in 2014, today the S2S Platform has more than 20 international and regional organisations as members, with an extensive combined experience in implementing measures to improve coordination across the source-to-sea continuum and achieve more sustainable resource use.

The Hague Area, Netherlands

Responsible for expanding the scope of private, public and NGO sector engagement with the aim to heighten the level of the organization’s impact through joint, collaborative partnerships, creating greater value from project activities and increasing presence in local, regional and global issues through targeted communications. Actively supported fundraising and mentored colleagues for professional development and improved performance. Provided expert input to an internal workshop on setting targets for IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Participated in the annual stakeholder workshop convened by Nestle and furnished comments on their Shared Water Plan. Supported the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Inclusive Green Growth water cluster on meeting their water productivity target and provided guidance to the Ministry of Economic Affairs on building a robust food system for The Netherlands. Contributed expert input to the Valuing Water Initiative of the UN High Level Panel on Water.

The Hague Area, Netherlands

Led the organization in all areas of finance, human resources, communications, fundraising and project delivery, tripling the organization in size and establishing it as a reputable center of excellence. Built a multi-cultural team of world class experts and under my leadership, designed, managed, monitored and reported on a wide array of projects that built an evidence base for multi-national companies, SME’s and small-scale producers on concrete steps to take in implementing sustainable water use in both developing and developed countries. Expanded the application of Water Footprint Assessment through innovative projects including deep exploration of the sustainability of food and beverage and textile supply chains; a detailed study of the management of the quantity and quality of surface and groundwater resources and recommended reform to the regulatory framework needed to reduce water scarcity and improve water quality; an assessment of the vulnerability of major crops to drought and water scarcity; and water footprint profiles for seven Sub-Saharan Africa countries to be used by Dutch embassies in consultation with local Ministries. Project partners included companies such as Nestle, Coca-Cola, Unilever, C&A, Tata Chemicals, Motors, Power and Steel in India, InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) and Radisson Blu, development organizations such as IFC, World Bank, FMO, DEG and SDC and public agencies including the EU Commission, UK Environment Agency, South Africa Water Resource Commission and Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Led a multi-stakeholder process with staff, partners and the Supervisory Board to develop a five-year strategic plan. As primary spokesperson, was interviewed by local, national and international media and presented at conferences and national, regional and international forums. Delivered training and capacity building for representatives from public agencies, companies, academia and NGOs.

Beijing City, China

Delivered strategic management support to the Director, Climate and Energy Program including managing the transition from separate thematic teams into a cohesive group working together on climate change. Guided the development of a comprehensive, integrated strategy on climate and energy for WWF’s China Program.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Responsible for WWF’s conservation activities in Vietnam including project/program management, monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning, technical leadership, external representation and partner engagement, fundraising and proposal development, staff recruitment, training and supervision and regional coordination of technical and policy initiatives.Managed the Conservation Program Team and led the implementation of projects on improved livelihoods through agroforestry, community-based ecotourism, establishing a new cocoa value chain through a public-private partnership, sustainable rattan, reducing illegal logging through FSC certification, Payment of Environmental Services for community forestry, a basin approach to sustainable hydropower, development of pangasius aquaculture standard, group FSC certification for smallholders, Mekong Delta wetlands restoration, nature-based climate change adaptation, endangered species conservation, illegal wildlife trade and corporate engagement in conservation.Engaged with the Department of Water Resources on developing a nationwide database and water allocation system, the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant agencies and institutes to advocate for coherent water policy protecting environmental flows, the Mekong River Commission and other parties involved in dialogues on the building of mainstem dams on the Mekong River and multi-stakeholder dialogues on the future of the Mekong Delta under climate change.

Provided a range of technical and policy level services to support the implementation of ecologically sustainable water management. • Represented Nature Conservancy in the Baker Project FERC relicensing negotiations . Provided technical, scientific, and strategic policy guidance in developing the Conservancy’s position and advanced that position at all levels of the negotiations. Worked with state and federal agencies, tribes, consultants and the utility to come to agreement on an environmentally beneficial flow regime. Worked closely with legal counsel to gain acceptance of license articles that reflected the Conservancy’s interests. • Participated in King County’s Normative Flow Project . Conducted hydrologic analyses of historical and current flow regimes using the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration software. • Conducted in-depth interviews to gather information on the status of the funding and staff capacity; legal and regulatory framework; public and legislator awareness; science and technical tools; and enforcement of instream flows in selected states. Documented interviews, summarized results and compiled recommendations in final report. • Researched public and private sources of funding and identified top targets for fundraising activities. Interviewed stakeholders in public and private water utilities and public agencies for recommendations of funding opportunities and possible pilot projects. Co-wrote proposal for funding a feasibility study of the Blue Water Certification concept and submitted proposal to Great Lake Protection Fund. • Interviewed international freshwater experts in the Paleartic region to identify ecoregions with mounting near-term threats to freshwater biodiversity and/or ecoregions with significant opportunities for freshwater biodiversity conservation. Identified key strategies, enabling legislation and potential partnerships. Data were used in developing long-range goals for conservation organization.

Manager, Freshwater Conservation Programs, Washington Chapter, 2001-2004Led the expansion and integration of freshwater conservation programs in the Pacific Northwest Region and built capacity and strategies for ecologically sustainable water management across the region. With freshwater focal points in each state implemented projects in partnership with public agencies, private industry and NGOs. Represented the Conservancy in the FERC relicensing negotiations for the Baker River Dam owned by Puget Sound Energy in which the protection of tribal fishing rights and endangered species through protection of environmental flows was balanced with hydropower production.Apalachicola Project Manager, Florida Chapter, 1998-2001Established a new office and initiated a program to protect environmental flows in the Apalachicola River, estuary and bay. Led the Conservancy's participation in the water allocation negotiations for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin under the tri-state water compact and collaborated with National Fish and Wildlife Service, Northwest Florida Water Management District and the Apalachicola Bay Reserve to provide technical and policy inputs to reach an agreement that would protect environmental flows and sustain the fishery in the Apalachicola Bay. Worked closely with the Global Freshwater Team to develop a framework for ecologically sustainable water management. Received training in Measures of Success and conducted workshops with external stakeholders to develop a conservation plan for the Apalachicola River estuary and bay.Hydrology Technician, Western Resource Office, 1996-1997Conducted expert review of rare and imperiled fish and mussel species across the US and built a geo-referenced database with results published in the report Rivers of Life: Critical Watersheds for Protecting Freshwater Biodiversity and book Precious Heritage: The Status of Biodiversity in the United States.Short-term Contract, Biohydrology Program, 1995

Master Of Science (Msc), Water Resources Management And Planning

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Evolving Structures: Earth Politics And The Creative Spirit