Seatone’s clients span the globe and include government agencies, multi-lateral institutions, universities, private foundations, Native American Tribes, non-profit conservation organizations and local communities. We are extremely proud to share what they have to say about our work.
“Rich Wilson has facilitated multiple meetings for us with our counterparts at the States on difficult topics ranging from climate impacts to natural resources to budget to scientific data collection. We were in a really challenging place in our relationship with the States when Rich started working with us. Using a combination of his technical knowledge, facilitation and conflict management skills, he was able to move the group to a much more positive space. While we still have difficult issues to work through, we are now able to do so in a collaborative fashion. We are thankful for Rich’s work and look forward to continuing to work with him in the future.”
Kelly Denit
Division Chief, Domestic Fisheries
NOAA Fisheries – Office of Sustainable Fisheries
“Rich Wilson has facilitated several meetings and workshops for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region Aquaculture Program in California. These events focused on sustainable marine aquaculture development and included multiple federal, state and local agencies and entities as well as numerous stakeholder interests. The topic of aquaculture is not without controversy and Rich is respectful of all opinions and ensures all participants have a voice in the discussion. He holds participants to that standard as well, thus being respectful of others and their comments ensured amongst the group. Rich uses his facilitation skills to effectively move the audience seamlessly through the agenda, yet can assist the group, in a productive and non-confrontational manner, to adjust and change course as needed. He worked with us to interview participants and note their perspectives on meeting/workshop topics. He then built agendas that met our needs and also addressed the participant interests he had identified. Rich is highly skilled in maintaining collaborative engagement and keep the group on task and on time. He also produces polished and professional summary reports and notes. I have consistently received very positive feedback from meeting and workshop participants regarding Rich’s facilitation and writing skills. Several meeting participants have since contracted Rich for their own meeting facilitation needs. He and the Seatone team set a high bar and consistently meet expectations.”
Diane Windham
Southwest Regional Aquaculture Coordinator
NOAA Fisheries – Office of Aquaculture
“We’ve worked with Rich Wilson on several occasions. He facilitated three National State Directors Meetings. These meetings are never easy as you try to balance the divergent needs and interests of 25 coastal states, all impacted by tightening budgets and increasing demands placed upon them and their staff. Rich excelled at identifying areas of shared interests and common ground, and helping the State Directors find solutions to cross-cutting issues. As the facilitator for our National Artificial Reef Workshop, Rich worked with a wide range of stakeholders, state and federal agency representatives, and scientists to assist them in revising the National Artificial Reef Policy, which guides artificial reef development and maintenance in our nation’s coastal waters. Based on the positive outcomes of these endeavors, we also contracted with Rich to conduct facilitation training for our staff to improve meeting efficiencies and the development of high quality products when they are working with their various management boards, scientific committees, and citizen advisory panels. In each case, Rich was able to create an environment that made the participants feel comfortable and respected, listened to and valued, and willing to seek solutions in an non-confrontational way. Because he is so approachable, responsible, and manages the process with confidence, I knew I could rely on him to make sure participants were fully engaged and we were systematically moving towards shared, creative solutions. I look forward to working with him in the future.”
Bob Beal
Executive Director
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
“We hired Seatone Consulting to provide support in project design and mentoring to the Mesoamerican Reef Leadership Program 2015 cohort. Over a year Rich Wilson trained our Fellows in governance, stakeholder engagement, progressive conservation strategies and tools, conflict resolution, negotiation and consensus building. Rich is an expert facilitator, possessing great knowledge in both environmental conservation and consensus building processes. His intervention was helpful for Fellows as they will implement the tools learned in their work as professionals interested in sustainable use of natural resources. Rich is enthusiastic, dynamic and was able to connect with Fellows from multicultural backgrounds.”
Maria Eugenia Arreola
Director
Mesoamerican Reef Leadership Program, Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature, A.C.
“Rich Wilson and the team at Seatone Consulting were key to hosting a successful national workshop on artificial reefs. The Seatone team effectively led efforts to plan, organize and execute the workshop, which included developing background materials, coordinating a national steering committee, providing guidance on agenda development, skillfully facilitating the meeting, and penning a final workshop report. They kept us on time and on task. Seatone performed beyond expectations.”
Russell Dunn
National Policy Advisor for Recreational Fisheries
NOAA Fisheries
“The Caribbean Environment Program of UNEP has collaborated with Seatone Consulting on a number of successful projects to increase MPA capacity and improve management effectiveness. Seatone has helped our Caribbean MPA network (CaMPAM) with the delivery of Training of Trainers courses and development of an innovative mentorship program for MPA managers. Rich Wilson’s extensive experience and understanding of the needs and issues facing Caribbean MPA practitioners and stakeholders, and his excellent facilitation skills, have been critical to achieve the desired results.”
Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri
Senior Program Officer
United Nations Environment Program — Caribbean Environment Program
“We were extremely happy with the work that Seatone Consulting provided to initiate the boundary expansion process for the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. Rich Wilson worked closely with our staff to gather information, and effectively initiated stakeholder engagement at a public meeting to identify important management issues. Rich was organized, communicated important points clearly to the group and kept the meeting focused and on task. Results from the meeting and the summary report generated important outputs that informed site management plans. Rich is easy to work with and an effective facilitator for helping diverse stakeholder groups address complex issues.”
Dan Howard
Superintendant
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, United States
“I have worked with Seatone Consulting on several projects, including stakeholder trainings and our most recent protected area network management effectiveness evaluation in the Bahamas, and I have found them to be a highly organized group. They are willing to make your project a success even if it requires going the extra mile or two. This type of dedication is invaluable when working on a tight budget. Their deliverables have been spot on and truly met our needs. Their products are first class!”
Rochelle Newbold
National Project Coordinator
Global Environment Facility (GEF) Full Size Project: Building a Sustainable National Network of Marine Protected Areas
“As a Mesoamerican Reef Leadership Program Fellow in the 2015 cohort, I received training from Rich Wilson in the areas of stakeholder mapping and engagement, negotiation, and consensus building. The format he utilized helped me analyze my project and develop useful tools and approaches which I can apply in the implementation of project activities. Through this training I have gained a better understanding of how to engage stakeholders I interact with on a continuous basis for my work. The skills I developed have enabled me to better organize and plan to engage stakeholders in effective ways and with a focus on achieving desired outcomes.”
Ralna Lewis
Assistant Country Director
Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize Program
“Rich Wilson and Ramon de León have supported my professional skills development as a park manager participating in the CaMPAM Mentorship Program. Their guidance helped me set ambitious yet realistic goals as a manager, and then they firmly but constructively pushed me to complete tasks on time and achieve those goals. As a result I have gained knowledge, confidence and a new appreciation for the challenging work I do. I believe all young managers like myself would benefit from the mentoring offered by Seatone Consulting.”
Shakera Arnold
Manager
Caye Caulker Marine Reserve, Belize
“IUCN contracted Seatone Consulting to develop the Capacity Building Plan for the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Program (BIOPAMA) in the Caribbean. This was the first interaction I had with the Seatone team and was appreciative of the friendly, professional manner in which they approached the task at hand. Seatone communicated and consulted with me throughout the entire process, always ensuring they were addressing my needs as a client. The end product was a comprehensive, high quality document that I was able to adapt to guide my work to this day. Thank you Seatone Consulting!”
Hyacinth Armstrong-Vaughn
Protected Areas Officer, BIOPAMA Program
IUCN Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (ORMACC)
“CaMPAM has used the services and expertise of Seatone Consulting on a number of projects focused on building MPA capacity in the Caribbean. Seatone possesses an insightful understanding of the social and cultural context within which Caribbean conservation needs and challenges are embedded. Their facilitative approach demonstrates how an environmental consulting firm based far away can make a significant contribution to increase the effectiveness of Caribbean marine conservation institutions. The Seatone team also knows how to work on a tight budget and still exceed expected contract deliverables. Rich Wilson’s professionalism, expertise and dedication—forged through many years of experience working to advance conservation in different countries around the globe—is a valuable asset for the Caribbean. I highly recommend Seatone to both government and non-governmental institutions looking to build their capacity and expand their expert base.”
Georgina Bustamante, Ph.D.
Coordinator – Caribbean Marine Protected Area Management (CaMPAM) Network and Forum
The UNEP-CEP capacity building program for marine protected area managers and stakeholders
“I have worked with Rich Wilson of Seatone Consulting on a range of assignments in my former capacities as IUCN Coordinator for the Caribbean Initiative and as Director with the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (a subsidiary of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association). Most recently, we collaborated on the conceptual development of a major project undertaking for a high profile, World Heritage site in the Caribbean, on strengthening capacity at this site, developing multi-stakeholder participatory processes, and fostering partnership and joint collaboration. Rich regularly demonstrates abundant talent at engaging stakeholders across many interest groups and in facilitating related collaborative consultations and meetings. He has great interpersonal skills, is a team player and delivers high quality outputs. He is a delight to work with and I am pleased to recommend him and the Seatone team for any undertaking.”
Deirdre Shurland
Coordinator – Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism and Senior Consultant, Tourism and Environment Program
United Nations Environment Program