Expert Profile
Thomas Parks
Regional Director for Governance and Conflict
Expertise: Subnational conflict; peacebuilding; state fragility; aid policy on statebuilding and peacebuilding; political-economy analysis of development challenges; security issues in Southeast Asia; governance and international development; Cambodia; Thailand; Philippines; Timor-Leste; Nepal.
Thomas Parks is regional director for Conflict and Governance at The Asia Foundation, based in Thailand. He is an expert in subnational conflict, peacebuilding, state fragility, security and development in Asia. In this capacity, he works on the implementation of programs that address the root causes of conflict and governance-related challenges, and analyzes key political, economic and security trends in Southeast and South Asian countries. He has nine years of professional experience in development assistance in Asia, and ten years of experience in international development overall. He is directly involved in the design and implementation of conflict and governance programs in southern Thailand, Timor Leste, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines; and has worked in South Asia, East Asia, and Africa. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Parks served the Foundation as assistant director for governance, law, and civil society, based in the San Francisco headquarters, providing intellectual and programmatic leadership for the Foundation's Governance, Law and Civil Society theme, and field offices on a wide range of governance programs. From 2001-2004, Mr. Parks' served as regional program officer for information and communications technology (ICT), providing technical assistance and small grants to governments and civil society organizations in ten Asian countries to help them improve governance, elections and human rights monitoring through the use of ICT.
Education: MA in Southeast Asian Studies and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies; BA in Government from Harvard University.
MEDIA COVERAGE:
May 3, 2011: Asia Pacific Forum: Thomas Parks Explores the Thai-Cambodian Turf War
'IN ASIA':
Read Thomas Parks' blog posts
VIDEO:
Conflict and Fragile Conditions
PUBLICATION:
Political Settlements: Implications for International Development Policy and Practice