Kathryn is an independent consultant with over fifteen years’ international experience working on the sustainable and best practice approaches to managing social and human rights impacts and risks surrounding private sector projects, with a particular focus on the extractive industries and indigenous peoples. Kathryn has expertise in the management and implementation of international social performance standards in the extractive industry as well as specific expertise in Indigenous People rights, including Free Prior and Informed Consent.

Kathryn holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Sussex, completed in 2005, which explored indigenous peoples’ land rights in Venezuela during the development and aftermath of a conflict over the building of an electricity power line through indigenous territories.  Since completing her PhD, Kathryn has carried out project work in Latin America, Africa, North America and Australia involving intersection between customary and indigenous land rights and private sector project development.

Specific project experience has included

• performing the role of head-office technical support to and assurance over mining, and oil and has projects and sites;
• engaging with indigenous peoples’, communities, civil society and government on project related matters;
• advancing and monitoring benefit agreements between companies and indigenous peoples;
• developing social performance and indigenous relations (including FPIC) company policy and management processes;
• developing resettlement policy frameworks and social impact assessments;
• carrying out social and human rights audits and due diligences; and
• developing tools and guidance on indigenous peoples for the extractive industries.