Profile

An independent consultant with ten years' international experience working on the social issues surrounding private sector projects, with a particular focus on oil, gas and mining projects.

Trained as a social anthropologist, Dr Tomlinson completed between 2001 and 2005 an ESRC funded PhD, 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 then, she has worked as a consultant on numerous international projects advising on the sustainable and best practice approaches to dealing with the social impacts and risks of private sector energy and infrastructure projects.

Specific project experience has included setting up the Social Performance function for a LNG export terminal and gas pipeline project in British Columbia, Canada; initiating the development of agreements between a company and indigenous groups, as well as reviewing past agreements; developing resettlement policy frameworks and social impact assessments for various mining, oil and infrastructure projects; carrying out social audits and due diligences; advising on the internal company management of social performance issues; and the development of tools and guidance documents concerning the management of mining, and oil and gas project impacts on indigenous peoples for the industry.