Resumes: Christopher D. Howell, Ph.D.
Residence phone:202/369 4209
Email: chowell@irf.org
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE
Over twenty-five years of experience in regional economic, tourism and community development, natural resource management, environmental assessment and project management. Served as consultant to private sector clients, NGOs, international agencies, and national and local governments in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.
EDUCATION
- B.Sc., Hons., Economics, University of London, 1969
- M.Sc., Geography, University of London, 1970
- Ph.D., Geography, University of Florida, 1978
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Island Resources Foundation, Inc., Senior Associate, January 2002 to present: Responsible for governmental and NGO assistance in environmental management protection and management, primarily in the Caribbean.
PA Consulting Group, Senior Advisor, December 2001 to present; Chief of Party, September 1999 – December 2001: Red Sea Sustainable Tourism Initiative, September 1999 to present (USAID). Responsible for the strengthening of environmental policy and monitoring within the Egyptian Tourism Development Authority, and implementation of alternative tourism and environmental 'Best Practices' at the design, construction and operational phases for one of the largest ongoing tourism development programs in the world.
Consultant in Economic and Resource Management, 1996 to 1999. Responsible for natural resource and watershed management analysis, tourism development strategies, environmental impact and market feasibility assessments. Provided expert witness testimony for governmental entities in litigative matters relating to proposed development market feasibility and environmental economics.
Strategic Planning Group (SPG), Inc., President, 1997 to 1999. Responsible as senior professional on major projects and for corporate marketing for this international economic development and growth management firm.
Island Resources Foundation, Inc., Program Associate, 1974 to present. Senior research analyst to this NGO for studies relating to economic and community development, watershed management, environmental legislative guidelines and environmental impact analysis in the Caribbean.
Northwest Florida Water Management District, Senior Water Resources Planner, 1985 to 1987; Senior Policy Analyst, 1987 to 1991; Director – Division of Resource Management, 1992 to 1996. Directed and participated in major land/water planning projects and assessments, legislative liaison, and fiscal and economic analyses. Managed a multi-disciplinary staff of 35 professionals with an annual research and operations budget in excess of $4 million.
Applied Population Research Unit, The University of Queensland, Australia, Manager, 1991 to 1992 (on leave of absence.) Responsible for project coordination, management and client liaison for one of the leading demographic forecasting centers in the Southern Hemisphere. Clients included several federal, state and corporate entities.
RSH International, Inc., Associate Vice President, Project Development, 1979 to 1985. Managed and conducted overseas marketing and projects, primarily in the Middle East. Projects included nationwide feasibility and environmental impact studies for Egyptian Free Trade Zones (USAID), and a regional development strategy for Saudi Arabia (UNDP).
PLANTEC Corporation, Inc., Senior Socioeconomist, 1976 to 1979. Responsible for economic and demographic analyses, including market feasibility studies, and environmental and economic impact assessments.
Florida Atlantic University, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Spring Semester, 1974. Responsible for preparing and teaching advanced courses in conservation of natural resources and the circum-Caribbean area.
University of Florida, American Universities' Graduate Council Fellowship, 1971 to 1974. Doctoral research into alternative modes of development for island ecosystems and tourism carrying capacity methodology.
American Institute for Economic Research, Resident Fellow, 1970.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND DOCUMENTS
Howell, C. and E. Towle. Island Environment and Development: A Case Study of the British Virgin Islands. World Wildlife Fund/IUCN, 1976. Identification of environmental problems resulting from tourism growth and remedial recommendations.
Towle, E., C. Howell and W. Rainey. Virgin Gorda: Natural Resources Survey. Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, 1977. Analysis of development alternatives within a fragile environmental system.
Towle, E, C. Howell and W. Rainey. Natural Resources Inventory and Development Options for Anegada, British Virgin Islands. Lawrence Rockefeller Foundation, 1977.
Feasibility analysis for mariculture, agriculture and nature based tourism activities.
Candidate, Draft and Final Environmental Impact Assessments, FBM Submarine Support Base, Kings Bay, Georgia. Department of the Navy, 1976 to 1978. The first EIS to address multiple site selection assessment, and one of the largest EISs undertaken to date in the United States. Responsible for economic, fiscal and demographic analysis.
Howell, C., Tourism in the British Virgin Islands: Perceptions Toward Land Carrying Capacity. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida, 1978. Development of a computer model incorporating economic, physical and perceptual parameters to identify the location and type of potential future tourism development. Accepted by the BVI Government as an official guideline for growth.
Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Broward County Commission/Federal Aviation Authority, 1978. Responsible for assessing economic and demographic impacts arising from expansion of a regional airport to one of international status handling 15 million persons annually.
Key Biscayne Bay Economic Impact Assessment. Florida Department of Natural Resources, 1978. Analysis of economic impacts resulting from declaring Miami's Key Biscayne Bay a State Preservation Area. Responsible for project management, analysis and expert testimony.
Orlando Central Park Market Feasibility and Development Analysis. Martin Marietta Corporation, 1979. Phasing and alternative development scenarios for a major convention/multi-hotel/attraction center. Responsible for economic base analysis and market demand projections.
Economic Impact Assessment for the Jacksonville Port Authority, Florida, 1979. A detailed analysis of the port's economic impact upon the regional economy, evaluation of its market share, and identification of sectoral growth opportunities. Responsible for project management, surveys and economic analysis.
General and Organizational Structure Analysis and Pre-Feasibility Review for Suez City Free Zones. General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, Ministry of Economy and Economic Cooperation, Arab Republic of Egypt/USAID, 1979. Principal author and project manager
Ismailia Free Zone Prefeasibility Analysis. Governorate of Ismailia and General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, Arab Republic of Egypt/USAID, 1979. Responsible for industrial targeting, fiscal and economic analysis, and project management.
Feasibility Analysis and General Review for the Adabiya Free Zone. General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, Arab Republic of Egypt/USAID, 1980. Responsible for industrial targeting, fiscal and economic analysis, and project management.
Scoped Environmental Assessment of the Public Free Zones at El Ameria, Port Said and Nasr City, Egypt. USAID, 1980. The first scoped environmental assessment to be undertaken for USAID and accepted as a model for future such studies. Responsible for project management and for economic, demographic and transportation analyses.
Industrial Estate Reconnaissance Survey. Ministry of Economy and Economic Cooperation, Arab Republic of Egypt, 1981. Investigation into a potential nationwide industrial estate program. Included investor and legal surveys, and resource, market and site selection analyses. Responsible for project management, surveys, industrial targeting and analyses.
Howell, C., A Guide to the Water Resources of Northwest Florida. Northwest Florida Water Management District, 1983. A layman's guide to water resources, problems and management.
Comprehensive Regional Development Plan: Tabuk Region. Ministry of Regional and Rural Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/ UNDP, 1983 to 1985. The project involved a regional development strategy and detailed master plans for selected settlements. Responsible for technical coordination; environmental and physical resource assessments; demographic surveys, cohort analysis and seasonal population projections (Hajj and bedouin); economic surveys, analysis and projections (net regional output, gross regional product, location quotient and input-output analysis, industrial targeting); and evaluation of alternative economic and spatial development strategies.
River Basin Management Plans for the Apalachicola, Ochlockonee, St. Marks, Choctawhatchee and Pensacola Systems. Northwest Florida Water Management District, 1986 to 1988. Project manager and principal investigator. Responsible for demographic and economic projections, water resource availability studies, environmental assessments and remedial recommendations for an 11,200 square mile area.
Howell, C. and A. Maristany. Public Perceptions Toward Stormwater Problems, Management Alternatives and Funding: A Case Study of the City of Tallahassee and Environs. American Water Resources Association, 25th Annual Conference, 1989.
Leitman, S. and C. Howell. Does Water Flow Downhill? The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River System: A View From the Bottom. Georgia Water Resources Conference, 1991.
Skinner, J. and C. Howell. Australian Business Demographics and Small Enterprise Planning. Australian Small Enterprise Conference, 1992.
Howell, C. A Tale of Two Lakes: Jackson and Deer Point, Florida. American Planning Association National Conference, 1996.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Trellis Bay Estate, Beef Island, British Virgin Islands. Town and Country Planning Department, Government of the British Virgin Islands/Quorum Island (BVI) Ltd., 1998. Assessment of the first phase of a major tourism/commercial development in a particularly fragile mangrove/bay ecosystem. Field project manager and principal author.
National Parks and Watershed Management Project, Trinidad and Tobago. Final Preparation Mission Report, FAO/World Bank, 1998. Responsible for watershed management cost/benefit analysis and detailed plans of remedial action for three major basins in Trinidad and Tobago, together with recommendations for institutional strengthening and capacity building.
Howell, C. Trends in Hotel Certification and Rating Programs: Guidelines for the Caribbean. Caribbean Action for Sustainable Development/Caribbean Hotels Association, 1999. A region-wide assessment regarding the relevancy of eco-labeling, certification programs and codes of conduct for the tourism industry in the Caribbean, environmental best management practices, and recommendations for a strategic approach.
- Plan of Action and Climate Change Workshop for U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change National Communications. Government of Antigua and Barbuda/ UNEP/GEF, 1999. Facilitation of the first national communication in the Caribbean, and preparation of a detailed project work plan.
- Florida Keys Carrying Capacity Study. State of Florida and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1999. Provided expert guidance on carrying capacity methodology and design for estimating thresholds for various development scenarios.
- 1998 Water Quality Assessment for the United States Virgin Islands. Department of Planning and Natural Resources, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1999. Provided technical coordination for the 305(b) Report submitted to USEPA in accordance with the Federal Clean Water Act.
- First Year Institutional Plan and Budget for the Policy Implementation Unit, Egyptian Tourism Development Authority, Tourism Development Authority/USAID, 2000. Conducted a comprehensive strategic planning process to identify the role, mission and responsibilities of this unit, resulting in a detailed management and financial plan. Principal author.
- Environmental Screening Form and Guidelines for an Individual Project within a Tourism Development Center, Tourism Development Authority/Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency/USAID, 2001. These guidelines represent the first of an integrated set of instruments that rationalizes the current EIA process for tourism projects in Egypt. Task leader and joint author.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND HONORARY POSITIONS
- Resident Fellow, American Institute for Economic Research, 1970 to 1971
- Research Affiliate, Caribbean Research Institute, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1974 to 1976
- Editorial Reader, Rural Development, 1975 to 1976
- Editorial Reader, University of Florida Press, 1976 to 1978
- United Nations Expert – Regional Planning, 1984 to 1986
- Resource Person, Florida State Comprehensive Plan Commission, 1985 to 1986
- Resource Person, Florida Speaker's Advisory Committee for the Future, 1986 to 1987
- Steering Committee, Florida International University/Florida Atlantic University Joint Studies Center, Caribbean Development Clearing House, 1988
- Resource Person, Florida Governor's Water Resource Commission, 1989
- Technical Advisory Committee, Florida Aquatic Resources Education Program, 1993 to 1994
- Technical Advisory Committee, Florida Land Use and Water Planning Task Force, 1993 to 1994
- Technical Advisory Committee, Florida Water Resources Atlas, 2nd Edition, 1993 to 1996
- Panelist, Climate Change and Extreme Events Workshop, 1998. Sponsored by NOAA
- Office of Global Programs, U.S. Global Change Research Program, and The White
- House Office of Science and Technology Policy Steering Committee
- Florida Ecotourism Association
- American Water Resources Association, Florida Section
- The Ecotourism Society
PERSONAL
United Kingdom citizen; United States permanent resident
Basic skills in French and Spanish, conversational Arabic
REFERENCES
Available upon request
