Catherine Wahlen (Dr.)

Dr. Catherine Wahlén is a Writer and Team Member with the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, where she has worked since 2010 covering a wide range of multilateral environmental and sustainable development processes. Her reporting has included negotiations under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Montreal Protocol, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the Convention on Migratory Species, contributing analysis and daily coverage used by governments, researchers, and civil society.

Dr. Wahlen brings more than 15 years of experience advancing biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management across more than 20 countries. Her work has spanned strategy design, program implementation, and policy support for organizations including the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, and global and local NGOs, with a technical focus on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, strengthening sustainable fisheries, and supporting biodiversity and climate programs. Earlier in her career, she conducted doctoral research with small-scale fishing communities in Papua New Guinea and Cambodia, informing coastal resource management and fisheries policy at local, regional, and national levels.

Since 2026, Dr. Wahlen has also served as a Senior Partnership Manager with Texan by Nature, supporting a network of more than 195 conservation partners and helping organizations translate conservation goals into actionable initiatives that deliver measurable environmental and community outcomes.

Dr. Wahlen holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree from the Yale School of the Environment, and a bachelor’s degree from Colby College.