Gillian MARTIN MEHERS

Biography

Gillian MARTIN MEHERS is the Head of the Learning and Leadership Unit at IUCN - the International Union for Conservation of Nature, based at the international secretariat in Gland, Switzlerland. In her position she works internally and with external partners on learning frameworks, learning design and delivery, and group process design and facilitation. Gillian is also the Focal Point for IUCN's Commission on Education and Communication - one of IUCN's six expert Commissions.

Prior to joining IUCN in 2006, she was Director of Capacity Development at LEAD International. She joined LEAD in 1998 and spent seven years building LEAD’s global training curriculum, signature methodology and partnership portfolio. In her position at LEAD, Gillian was responsible for the management of LEAD’s international Capacity Development Team, which designed and conducted training and learning events for the LEAD network and external partners.

At LEAD, Gillian was also responsible for LEAD’s International Training Sessions each involving up to 250 LEAD Associates and staff from the 14 LEAD Offices (from Beijing to São Paulo); and for the design, monitoring and implementation of the LEAD curriculum at the national/regional and international levels. She assisted in the recruitment and selection of new trainees (Associates); developed and managed collaborative capacity development projects with other leadership training organizations; and developed a publication programme that generated a series of 11 knowledge products, including CD-ROMs, a LEAD online case study resource, and print products. These publications not only captured LEAD’s learning at the time, but also provided a growing revenue stream for the organization. During her time at LEAD, Gillian designed and facilitated LEAD training events at which over 1000 of LEAD’s 1600 international, multi-sectoral, mid-career leaders (called LEAD Fellows) participated.

Prior to LEAD, Gillian worked from 1992-1998 at the International Academy of the Environment (IAE), Geneva, Switzerland, as a Program Manager, developing and implementing capacity building and training activities in environmental management for decision-makers and multi-stakeholder groups in over twenty-two developing and industrialized countries. At the IAE, she was in charge of an on-going joint project with the World Bank and UNDP to build capacity for environmental management in fourteen countries in the MENA (Middle East/North Africa) region. This activity was conducted in collaboration with the World Bank, UNDP and local partners. Gillian also worked as an Environment Specialist in the Focal Point for Environmental Matters at the International Labour Office (ILO) in Geneva from 1990-1992. And from 1989-1990, she worked as a Programme Officer at the International Federation of University Women (IFUW) in Geneva.

As a learning practitioner, Gillian’s expertise is in creating experiential learning environments, curriculum and training materials development, and interactive training design. She has worked as a facilitator and trainer, particularly in the core leadership skills of systems thinking, cross-cultural communication, environmental communication planning, teambuilding and networking, and environmental conflict management. She is an experienced process facilitator, and has developed and implemented training-of-trainers activities internationally. Gillian has a passion for working interculturally, which culminated in a recent publication, Training Across Cultures: A Handbook for Trainers and Facilitators Working Around the World (ISBN 0-9546927-9-9) for which she is Editor and co-author. She has undertaken work for a wide range of organizations around the world, both with LEAD and as an independent consultant, including: The British Council (InterAction Leadership Programme in Africa), International Federation of the Red Cross, UNDP, United Nations University for Peace (Costa Rica), Japan for Sustainability, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (Canada), the Environmental Leadership Programme (USA), Aachener Stiftung (Germany), Forum for the Future (UK), Hungarian Ministry for Environment, University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center (USA), IUCN, The Earth Charter Initiative (Costa Rica), GTZ (Germany), and others.

Gillian has degrees from the Ohio State University and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

This biography was last updated on May 26, 2008