Tanya Hayes

Tanya Hayes CV (PDF)

At Seattle University, I hold a joint appointment with the Institute of Public Service and the Environmental studies program where I teach courses in research methods, environmental policy and governance, and direct senior capstone projects. As an instructor, my goals are to work together to learn and apply academic skills and knowledge to address our pressing social and environmental problems.

As a researcher, I seek to understand how we can design policies and programs to prompt behavioral changes and collective action for sustainable development. My expertise is in using institutional analysis to assess if and how conservation policies promote sustainable development in rural communities. With over twenty-years’ experience working in conservation and development in Latin America, my recent work assesses how incentive-based conservation programs (payment for ecosystem services) impact household land-use decisions, collective resource management and equity in rural Ecuadorian communities. I share my work in internationally and nationally through publications, workshops and seminars for students, academics, practitioners, and the communities where I work.

As a Seattle native, I feel fortunate to have found my way back home! Prior to coming to Seattle University, I earned a joint PhD in Political Science and Public and Environmental Affairs from Indiana University, Bloomington (2007), where I specialized in policy analysis and natural resource management. In addition, I have a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA, a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Whitman College, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama.

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