Thomas Christian joined Triangle in 2017 and helps government clients, stakeholders, communities, and tribal sovereigns engage each other in natural resource and public policy planning and decision making. Thomas grew up on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula where he was exposed to controversial natural resource issues at an early age, which informed his interest in the ways that communities work through social, cultural, and political conflict. Thomas is excited to work at Triangle because of the team’s commitment to help communities engage in decision making on issues that directly affect them.

Thomas is a trained facilitator and experienced natural resource professional. At Triangle, he has supported clients from tribal, federal, state, and local governments working on issues related to public lands, forestry, water resources, salmon recovery, and rural community development. His projects range from highly technical efforts that require significant project management support, such as the effects analysis for the Columbia River System Operation (CRSO) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to the creative design of focused individual meetings, including a National Park Service workshop for partners working to promote winter range connectivity for large ungulates in the State of Montana.

Thomas holds an M.A. in Environmental Studies from Western Washington University (WWU) and a B.A. in History from Augustana College (IL). At WWU, he held a fellowship at the Border Policy Research Institute where he studied transboundary water governance and helped organize an international symposium on the renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty, signed by Canada and the United States. Thomas also has experience working in the public sector for the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, both agencies that Triangle has supported through many different collaborative efforts.

Outside of the office, Thomas loves to cook with his partner Claire, read about the history and geography of the West, and explore the mountains on skis and foot.