Tanya Hayes

Tanya Hayes is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Public Affairs and Nonprofit Leadership at Seattle University, with a joint appointment in the Environmental Studies Program. She serves as Director of both the Institute of Public Service and the Environmental Studies Program within the College of Arts & Sciences. Her work bridges academic teaching (research methods, environmental policy) and applied research on sustainable development and conservation policy in Latin America. She holds a PhD in Political Science and Public and Environmental Affairs from Indiana University (2007), alongside degrees from UCLA and Whitman College, and Peace Corps experience in Panama.

Her research focuses on institutional frameworks for land management, particularly how conservation policies interact with local norms and equity in rural communities. She employs ethnographic methods, household surveys, and land-cover analysis to assess policy impacts on social and ecological outcomes. Current projects examine Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs in Ecuador, emphasizing collective decision-making and long-term sustainability. Past work includes studies on forest governance, REDD+, and community-based resource management in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Tanzania.

Dr. Hayes collaborates with international organizations, NGOs, and local communities to translate research into actionable policy. Her teaching emphasizes applying interdisciplinary approaches to address complex environmental and social challenges. She has advised multiple capstone projects and grants, including NSF-funded studies on PES program continuity and community resilience in the Global South.

Her work has been disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, workshops, and policy briefs, with a focus on bridging academic and practitioner knowledge. She is a vocal advocate for equitable, participatory approaches to environmental governance and has contributed to debates on the future of conservation policy in rapidly changing socioeconomic contexts.