Sean Southey's Public Profile

About Me

Sean is currently Program Director at PCI-Media Impact. PCI-Media Impact’s pioneering approach uses creative media, the power of storytelling and the reach of broadcast media to mobilize individual, community and political action in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, environmental conservation and sustainable development, and human rights and democracy. Founded in 1985, Media Impact has trained hundreds of organizations and thousands community leaders in the effective use of media and broadcast more than 242 productions in 27 countries, including radio and television serial dramas, comic books, documentaries and public service announcements.

Sean holds a Masters in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has held positions as Development Worker with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in India; Economist and later Policy Advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy in Canada; Environment Programme Officer with UNDP in Malawi; Environmental Specialist with UNDP’s flagship sustainable development program – Capacity 21; and, Secretary General of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.

Before Media Impact, Sean spent two years as a Vice President at Rare – working with the "Pride English Program" team. Prior to Rare, Sean was the founding Manager of the Equator Initiative, a UNDP partnership program focused on supporting community initiatives that reduce poverty through the conservation and wise use of their biological resources. At the grassroots level the Equator Initiative and its partners sponsor capacity development initiatives work to promote successful local initiatives that are helping conserve biodiversity while reducing poverty. Sharing these local initiatives and lessons learned with national, regional and global policy specialists, the Initiative works to create new policy regimes to promote local and community action.

Educational Credentials

M.Sc. Economics (1989) London School of Economics and Political Science University of London, London, England Specialization: Environment and Development Economics B.A. Economics (Honors), First Class (1987) University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Top Honors Graduate and Thesis (Joseph A. Crumb Award): "Socio Economic Rationale for Fertility Decisions in Developing Countries" Special Trainings: Leadership Training, Center for Creative Leadership, March 2009. USA. VDA Advanced Training Course in the Mutual Gains Approach to Negotiation, MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program and the Consensus Building Institute, (February – August, 2006) Training of Trainer Course: UNDP Leadership on Gender, (November 21/22, 2005) Executive Training Course on Global Public Policy, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany, (August 28 to September 7, 2004)

My Contributions