Meet the Team
Blue Roots is rooted in long-term collaborations across Micronesia and the broader Pacific. These are the people anchoring the science, community partnerships, and resilience work.
Dr. Richard A. MacKenzie
Founder & Lead Scientist
Mangrove ecologist with 20+ years of international experience in mangrove monitoring, ecosystem restoration, and climate adaptation. Initiated several multi-institutional projects across the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Expertise includes ecosystem and carbon assessments, forest monitoring, and mangrove response to sea-level rise (LiDAR, rSET, 210Pb). Currently leads blue-carbon accounting, coastal resilience, and community-centered science through Blue Roots.
Dr. Sahadev Sharma
Collaborator / Technical Specialist
Forest ecologist specializing in mangrove ecology, blue carbon, and coastal resilience. His work blends field monitoring, remote sensing, and ecosystem modeling to understand carbon dynamics from local to global scales. Certified GHG Accounting Lead Verifier (TÜV SÜD, 2025) with expertise in carbon measurement, registry methodologies, and the design of robust, standards-aligned carbon finance mechanisms.
Mohammed Shorab
Collaborator / Technical Specialist
Geospatial specialist with nearly a decade of experience in GIS, remote sensing, and drone-based monitoring across the Pacific. He works at the intersection of forest mapping, carbon assessments, and climate resilience, and is a licensed drone pilot with more than 140 hours of RPAS flight time. Mohammed has contributed to regional blue-carbon and seagrass mapping efforts, supported Fiji’s NDC process, and helped mobilize climate finance to advance sustainable development in the Pacific.
This section is under construction — stay tuned for more updates!