Colleen Scanlan Lyons

colleen scanlan lyonsColleen Scanlan Lyons, Project Director, Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force

EDUCATION
2002 – 2010 University of Colorado at Boulder: Ph.D. in Anthropology
2000 – 2002 University of Colorado at Boulder: M.A. in Anthropology
1992 – 1995 School for International Training: M.A. in Sustainable Development
1986 – 1990 University of Notre Dame: B.A. in American Studies and French

FIELDWORK/RESEARCH
6/09 – 7/09 Ethnographic Fieldwork; Bahia, Sao Paulo, and Brasilia, Brazil
6/08 – 8/08 Completed ethnographic research on social and environmental movements in Brazil.
2/07 – 5/07 Methods included informal interviews, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires,
1/06 – 7/07 focus groups, and participant observation with family farmers, environmentalists,
quilombolas and nativos in the South of Bahia, Brazil. Worked with and mentored two
research assistants and trained community leaders in computer skills.
6/03 – 8/03 Ethnographic Fieldwork; Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Bahia, Brazil
Used semi-structured interviews and participant observation for a pilot study of research
opportunities in Brazil on conservation, development, and social movements.
10/02 Ethnographic Fieldwork; Washington, D.C.
Conducted semi-structured interviews with transnational environmental NGOs working
with conservation, development, and land reform issues in Brazil.

RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
4/11 – 7/11 Independent Consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank Educational
Project, in collaboration with CONSTRAT; Washington, D.C.
Produced 100 curriculum units for elementary and high school students focusing on
quilombola people and quilombo communities in Brazil as part of a collaboration with
the Brazilian Ministry of Education and an interdisciplinary team producing material for
national educational portals of Latin American countries.
4/04 – 9/05 Alliance Funds Coordinator, Global Greengrants Fund; Boulder, CO
Conceptualized and worked with local activists to start grant-making and capacity
building funds serving grassroots socio-environmental groups in Brazil, Mexico, and
Southeast Asia.
1/02 – 6/03 Consultant, Ambiental Amazônia; Manaus, Brazil
Conducted an ecotourism development project for the state of Amazônas, Brazil.
10/01 – 5/03 Associate, Domani LLC; Denver, CO
Served as a planning consultant for the Prairie Gateway Tourism Project.
10/00 – 4/01 Project Associate, EDAW; Denver, CO
Developed environmental education and outreach for Commerce City Municipal Project.
8/96 –10/00 Senior Associate, Eco Tourism International; Denver, CO
Conducted feasibility planning for an ecotourism project in Belize.
10/97 – 10/99 Natural Resource Planner, City of Boulder Open Space Department;
Boulder, CO
Engaged in public outreach and conservation planning for land management agency with
30,000 acres of public land.
4/97 – 10/97 Education & Outreach Specialist, City of Boulder Open Space Department;
Boulder CO
Developed, implemented, and evaluated outreach and public participation opportunities
for natural resource planning projects.
8/96 – 4/97 Environmental Education Coordinator, City of Boulder Open Space Department;
Boulder, CO
Managed all aspects of the Open Space environmental education program.
1/94 – 5/95 Ecotourism Consultant, The Minntica Company; San Jose, Costa Rica
Conducted feasibility and market study for ecotourism development in Costa Rica.
4/93 – 12/93 Research Associate, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia;
Manaus, Brazil
Worked with the Office of International Cooperation on ecotourism development,
environmental education, and inter-institutional scientific collaboration arrangements.
2/94 – 3/96 Program Coordinator, The American Forum for Global Education; New York, NY
Designed and implemented interdisciplinary educational projects on sustainability and
global education for schools and community organizations throughout New York City