Director of Wildlife Ecotourism, Humane Society International
Toby Bloom is the Director of Wildlife Ecotourism for Humane Society International (HSI). Bloom focuses on community-based ecotourism development as a non-extractive income alternative for communities living in and around protected areas.
Bloom is responsible for overseeing existing capacity building programs in Latin America that deal with ecotourism, biodiversity conservation and management, and sustainable use of natural resources. She also helps to identify and develop new projects and fundraising efforts in Latin America and worldwide.
Past publications include “Desde Las Montañas al Mar III” and “Beyond the Beach: A Quick Reference Guide for Competing in the Sustainable Tourism Market.”
Prior to joining HSI, Bloom worked as a Sustainable Tourism Specialist for USAID projects, including creating national tourism accreditation systems, training local nature guides for protected areas, and administrating environmental projects in Latin America. She has completed various sustainable tourism consultancies in Central America and the Andean countries of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. She began her career in ecotourism as an interpretive guide in the U.S. and Canada, focusing primarily on national parks.
Bloom received her Masters Degree in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University in 2004 and her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and Psychology from James Madison University in 1996.
Updated Feb. 27, 2009
