University Hall
301 University Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Biography
Dr. Ash Enrici is an assistant professor at the Lilly School of Philanthropy and serves as a McKinney Family Fellow of Environmental Resilience and Philanthropy. Ash and her students define the field of "environmental philanthropy" as a mosaic of intentional practices rooted in a kaleidoscope of traditions and ways of knowing. In her work, Ash aims to explore how these practices advance well-being for current and future generations of all beings, recognizing our interconnectedness with the ecosystems that sustain life.
Her current research investigates how donors can support climate change mitigation and conservation in more effective ways. She is also developing a project that leverages dive tourism for coral reef restoration and coral futures. Having worked in Indonesia, Fiji, Palau, and the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, Ash brings a global perspective to climate change adaptation and ocean conservation. She employs collaborative methods of knowledge co-production, ethnography, and Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), while also studying how storytelling can spur positive environmental change.
Beyond her scholarship, Ash has served as a certified freediving instructor since 2015, reflecting her deep passion for the ocean. As a mother of two young children, Ash remains dedicated to exploring new ways of fostering meaningful connections between people and the environment to help ensure an ecologically thriving future.
Education
- PhD: Geographical Sciences December 2016 | University of Maryland, College Park, MD
- Master of Applied Arts: Anthropology May 2010| University of Maryland, College Park, MD
- B.A.: Anthropology May 2003| Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Publications
- Conceptualizing responsible exits in conservation philanthropy (with E Le Cornu, RL Gruby, JE Blackwatters, A Enrici, X Basurto, M Betsill)
- More than funders: The roles of philanthropic foundations in marine conservation governance (with JE Blackwatters, M Betsill, A Enrici, E Le Cornu, X Basurto, RL Gruby)
- Opening the Black Box of Conservation Philanthropy: A Co-Produced Research Agenda on Private Foundations in Marine Conservation. (with Rebecca L. Grubby, Michele Betsill, Elodie Le Cornu, Xavier Basurto and Research Co-Designers)
- Philanthropic Foundations as Agents of Environmental Governance: A Research Agenda. (with Michele M. Betsill, Elodie Le Cornu and Rebecca L. Gruby)
- Coastal Flooding and Environmental Justice: Identifying Potential Strategies for Adapting to Climate Change in Two Urban Communities in the Boston Metropolitan Area, Massachusetts. (with Ellen M. Douglas, Paul H. Kirshen, Michael Paolisso , Chris Watson , Jack Wiggin and Matthias Ruth)
- Coastal Flooding, Climate Change and Environmental Justice: Identifying Obstacles and Incentives for Adaptation in Two Metropolitan Boston Massachusetts Communities. (with Ellen M. Douglas, Paul H. Kirshen, Michael Paolisso, Chris Watson, Jack Wiggin and Matthias Ruth)
- Enrici, Ash. (2022). Patagonia’s Founder Has given His Company Away to Fight Climate Change and Advance Conservation: 5 Questions Answered. The Conversation.
- A Crisis of Confidence: Stakeholder Experiences of REDD+ in Indonesia. (with Klaus Hubacek)
- Business as Usual in Indonesia: Governance Factors Effecting the Acceleration of the Deforestation Rate after the Introduction of REDD+. (with Klaus Hubacek)
- Challenges for REDD+ in Indonesia: A Case Study of Three Project Sites. (with Klaus Hubacek)
- Social and Cultural Incentives and Obstacles to Adaptation to Increased Coastal Flooding in East Boston, MA USA. (with Paul H. Kirshen, Ellen M. Douglas and Michael Paolisso)
- Integrating Social Science into Conservation Planning. (with Rebecca Niemiec, Rebecca Gruby, Michael Ryan Quartuch, Christina T. Cavaliere, Tara Teel, Kevin Crooks, Jonathan Salerno, Jennifer N. Solomon, Kelly W. Jones, Michael Gavin, Anna Lavoie, Amanda Stronza, Leah Meth, Katie Lanter, Christine Browne, Jonathan Proctor and Michael J. Manfredo)
- Climate Change, Justice, and Adaptation among African American Communities in the Chesapeake Bay Region. (with Michael Paolisso, Ellen Douglas, Paul Kirshen, Chris Watson and Matthias Ruth)
Research Interests
Philanthropic foundations are influential sponsors of conservation networks, policy initiatives, and projects around the world. Yet there has been little research on environmental philanthropy, and even less on how shifts in funding impact communities, organizations, and conservation agendas.
Between 2018-2023, our team is leading a social science research project to develop new insights about ocean philanthropy and foundation exits. In 2018, we co-designed the project with input from more than 100 stakeholders, including grantees and non-grantees in the Pacific region, and individuals from six foundations working in marine conservation globally. Together, we identified the following research questions:
- What roles do foundations play in marine conservation?
- What are best practices for managing donor exits in marine conservation?
- What happens to philanthropic-supported marine conservation agendas after donor exits, and how can we explain differences in outcomes?
- What do stakeholders and donors perceive as the legitimate role of foundations in marine conservation?
Our goal is to assist marine conservation practitioners, donors, and other stakeholders by enhancing understanding of the factors that contribute to effective, equitable, and enduring ocean philanthropy and conservation.
Research Interests
Philanthropic foundations are influential sponsors of conservation networks, policy initiatives, and projects around the world. Yet there has been little research on environmental philanthropy, and even less on how shifts in funding impact communities, organizations, and conservation agendas.
Between 2018-2023, our team is leading a social science research project to develop new insights about ocean philanthropy and foundation exits. In 2018, we co-designed the project with input from more than 100 stakeholders, including grantees and non-grantees in the Pacific region, and individuals from six foundations working in marine conservation globally. Together, we identified the following research questions:
- What roles do foundations play in marine conservation?
- What are best practices for managing donor exits in marine conservation?
- What happens to philanthropic-supported marine conservation agendas after donor exits, and how can we explain differences in outcomes?
- What do stakeholders and donors perceive as the legitimate role of foundations in marine conservation?
Our goal is to assist marine conservation practitioners, donors, and other stakeholders by enhancing understanding of the factors that contribute to effective, equitable, and enduring ocean philanthropy and conservation.