Ron Mader is an American leader in sustainable practices and ecotourism. In 1994, he founded Planeta.com, the first website focused on ecotourism and responsible travel. Since then, he has worked to promote sustainable tourism through his website, speaking engagements, and involvement with organizations like TAPAS. He has received many awards for his work from the Mexican government and International Ecotourism Society.

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Curriculum Vitae: Ron Mader
editor@planeta.com
Twitter: @ronmader
Ron Mader is a recognized American leader and
communication and collaboration catalyst.
Since 1998 Ron's professional work has focused
on the broad movement toward sustainable and
responsible practices.
In 1994 he founded Planeta.com, the award-
winning website, as the Web's first website
focusing on ecotourism and responsible travel and conscious travel.
Ron earned a bachelor's degree in communication (1987) from Indiana
University and a master's degree (1990) from the Institute of Latin American
Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
Ron developed the award-winning Planeta.com in 1994 as a reporter's
notebook. Planeta pioneered online reporting focusing on practical
ecotourism around the globe. The award-winning site provides free access (no
paywall) to articles and resource guides for travelers, researchers and policy-
makers. The site has won awards from major magazines and national
governments.
Ron is also the ecotourism and Latin America contributing editor for the
U.S.-based Transitions Abroad.
Prior to the 2002 Ecotourism World Summit, Ron Mader hosted tourism's
largest online e-conference, a virtual gathering of more than 900 people
around the world.
Ron is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas and currently
serves in the executive committee of the Tourism and Protected Areas
Specialist Group (TAPAS).

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Ron is a popular and articulate speaker, having been a presenter at the World
Ecotourism Summit (2002), the Mexico Ecotourism Conference (2003), the
Aboriginal Australia Tourism Conference (2007) Ecotourism New Zealand
Conference (2007), Belize Responsible Tourism Conference (2009), Estonia's
European Ecotourism Conference (2010) , Responsible Tourism in Cities
(South Africa, 2011) COP11 Biodiversity Summit (India, 2012), Native
Innovation Conference (USA, 2015 and 2017), European Ecotourism
Conference (2017)
Ron has received many awards, including recognition from the Mexican
government for exemplary tourism coverage. Presidents Fox and Zedillo
presented Ron with the Lente de Plata Award in 1999 and 2002. American
Environmental Leaders (2008) includes a profile of Ron for his work in
environmental journalism and community activism. In 2010 he won
the Innovation Awards presented by the International Ecotourism Society
Education
Bachelors Degree in Communications, Indiana University, 1987
Masters Degree, Latin American Studies, University of Texas at Austin, 1990
Language
English, fluent
Spanish, passable
German, Māori, Zapotec – learning how to pronounce key concepts

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Parks and Tourism
Ron serves in the executive committee of the Tourism and Protected Areas
Specialist Group (TAPAS).
The Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group (TAPAS) envisions a
future where travel in protected areas is environmentally, socially and
economically sustainable. In the 2017-2020 period we foresee a continued
growth of social web communication. In addition, expect increase usage
of open education resources which permit use and reuse of reports and
educational textbooks, and innovative hybrid conferences which engage
participants in the room and around the world on the web
via livestreaming video.

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Indigenous Culture
Ron is a long-time ally of Indigenous culture, language and tourism around
the world. He has led workshops focusing for Indigenous artisans, guides and
officials.
Ron has led online webinars for members of Aboriginal Tourism Australia
and Indigenous Tourism Rights Association. After consulting with members
of Aboriginal Tourism Australia, Ron launched the online World Forum on
Tourism and Indigenous People, which has been incorporated into
Planeta.com’s Indigenous Wiki.
In 2007 Ron has collaborated with the UN Secretariat of the Convention on
Biological Diversity in launching the Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity
Website Award. The winners have continued to collaborate, creating
the Indigenous Peoples Week (2010-ongoing).
In 2017 and 2015 Ron led workshops at the Native Innovation Conference
for educators, showing how online video streaming works with examples of
livestreaming video, Facebook Live and Google hangouts.

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Publications
Frequent contributor to Transitions Abroad
Author, Mexico: Adventures in Nature (1998)
Co-Author, Honduras: Adventures in Nature (1997)
Latin American Ecotourism: What is it? Current Issues in Tourism
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13683500208667923

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Face-to-Face Training
Native Innovation, USA 2017
Native Innovation, USA 2015
World Parks Congress Preparation, Mexico 2014
All Travel is Local, Mexico, 2013
CoP11 Biodiversity and Indigenous Tourism Workshop, India, 2012
Responsible Tourism in Cities, South Africa 2011
Chiapas Workshop, Mexico 2010
ITBW Award Workshop, USA 2010
Tourism and the Web, Ecuador 2008
Ecotourism New Zealand, 2007
Aboriginal Australia Tourism, 2007
Guadalajara Workshop, 2006
Mexico City Workshop, 2005
Oaxaca City Workshop, 2002

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Presentations
Parks and Tourism Webinar
http://www.slideshare.net/planeta/parksweb2
World Parks on the Social Web
https://www.slideshare.net/planeta/worldparks
2016 World Conservation Congress on the Social Web
https://www.slideshare.net/planeta/iucn2016
Global Workshop for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities:
Biodiversity, Tourism and the Social Web
http://www.slideshare.net/planeta/socialwebcop
Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award
http://www.slideshare.net/planeta/itbw2010
International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
https://www.slideshare.net/planeta/iystd2017
Engaging Events
http://www.slideshare.net/planeta/engagingevents
Set the Default to Open
http://www.slideshare.net/planeta/openaccessdefault
Biodiversity Now
https://www.slideshare.net/planeta/biodiversitynow
We Suck at Collaboration
https://www.slideshare.net/planeta/wesuckatcollaboration
We Suck at Communication
https://www.slideshare.net/planeta/wesuckatcommunication

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Awards
2010 Innovation Awards presented by the International Ecotourism Society
2008 American Environmental Leaders includes a profile of Ron for his work
in environmental journalism and community activism.
1999 and 2002 Presidents Fox and Zedillo presented Ron with the Lente de
Plata Award