In his role as Cadasta’s Senior Manager for Community Land and Climate, Pano helps develop, lead, and manage Cadasta’s partnerships, program strategies, and projects aimed at supporting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in their efforts to map, document, and secure their land and resource rights. Pano assists Cadasta’s program team in deploying technology and services to partners working in the field, all as part of a broader strategy to safeguard their lands and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

Pano has been working with and supporting indigenous communities in Canada and abroad for nearly 20 years. His role with Cadasta is a reflection of his expertise utilizing a wide variety of GIS and mapping technologies within the areas of land use planning, natural resource management, conservation, cultural and heritage research, and forest carbon. Pano’s specializations include designing and implementing indigenous land use and occupancy research, helping communities increase their mapping and information management capacity, and utilizing drones for mapping and other applications.

Pano has a strong connection to the rich and vibrant indigenous cultures of Canada. His family’s family roots and membership with Tla’amin Nation have provided him with a unique perspective and a profound appreciation for the traditions, values, and stories that shape the communities he works with.

Pano has a BSc in Geography from the University of Victoria, an advanced diploma in GIS from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, and a MSc in Forestry from the University of British Columbia. Pano lives in Sidney, Canada where he enjoys camping on the west coast of Vancouver Island and building all kinds of things out of Lego with his two boys. (edited)