Tamsin is an evolutionary biologist and biomimicry pioneer known for her original research on baboon social structure and speciation and comparative applications to human organization and evolution, past and future.

Inspired by her undergrad mentor Dr. Robert Trivers, father of parental investment theory and sociobiology, she went on to study speciation in wild populations of hybridizing baboons with Dr. Clifford Jolly. Alternately living in a tent in Ethiopia’s Awash National Park and a genetics lab at New York University, she examined individual behavior, mate choice, population structure, altruism, and the speciation process itself in social primates whose evolutionary history mirrors our own. With more than a thousand baboons sampled over a 25 year time span, this was the longest running and most complete population genetic study for non-humans at that time. Several significant technologies and methodologies were developed in the process, and many exciting findings revealed. The study remains a key reference for modeling speciation and gene introgression among ancient humans.

Today, this work informs Tamsin’s efforts with communities and organizations. A Biomimicry pioneer, Tamsin was an early contributor to the San Diego Zoo’s Bioinspiration Initiatives, the first Biological Strategy Editor for the Biomimicry Institute’s AskNature database, inaugural contributor and editor for their blog AskingNature, and one of the first cohort receiving the Masters in Biomimicry from Arizona State University. She has provided Biomimicry innovation and strategy for a Fortune 500 clientele for more than a decade, both as an independent Biologist at the Design Table for industry pioneer Biomimicry 3.8, co-founded by Janine Benyus and Dayna Baumeister, and through her company TEEM Innovation Group.

Tamsin is widely regarded as the progenitor of Organizational Biomimicry – organizational design drawn from deep patterns in evolutionary biology, anthropology, sociobiology, and behavioral ecology, and designed to release and empower evolutionary potential. YPO/Entrepreneur Organization founder Verne Harnish called her book, TEEMING: How Nature’s Oldest Teams Adapt and Thrive, the most important business book of the 21st century. Now in its second edition, the book was a bestseller in Organizational Learning, Environmental Economics, and Animal Behavior, and continues to grow readers.

In 2018 Tamsin was appointed Dean of the School for Biocultural Leadership at Geoversity, a 30-year 501(c)3 in Panama working to grow biocultural habitats and leaders, founded by Oxfam America founder Nathan Gray. Her curriculum for biocultural leadership, developed with Regenesis Institute for Regenerative Practice faculty-member Chris Lopez, is the centerpiece of “Gap Year at GeoSchool” programming and the core of our virtual and in-person Nature of place programming at The BILD.

The Endangered Generation? is a full-length feature documentary from Cannes-award winning Australian filmmaker Celeste Geer, following Tamsin and Guna activist Agar Tejada as they travel through the semi-autonomous Panamanian Guna Yala territory, speaking with the chiefs about their experiences of climate change. Narrated by Academy Award winner Laura Dern, the film highlights scientists and First Nations leaders working together to restore the systems life depends on. You can check out the trailer here.

Tamsin’s new book, The TEEMING Transformation, coming soon, anchors her findings from TEEMING to actionable methodologies and frameworks to help life-minded leaders connect their purpose to the unique potential of place and people.

Developed with Regenesis Institute for Regenerative Practice faculty-member Chris Lopez, as well as traditional and Western ecological knowledge and practices of place, the book informs and supports Your TEEMING Transformation, a 3-track 9-module developmental learning journey designed to help purpose-led members of communities, organizations, and movements connect to their nature of place and teem up to regenerate its unique and diverse potential.

Organizations looking to grow Living Design-based economies that renew proven biocultural knowledge and practice of place experience world-class support through Seeding Change’s Living Design Advisory, which includes Your TEEMING Transformation learning journeys and support.

Experience Living Design at the Borrego Institute for Living Design, a first-in-class “living archeology” field school for seeing, thinking, and designing as full-fledged participants in the ecologies we are part of and depend on, through proven biocultural knowledge and practices of place.

Applications are open for Creative Residencies and Internships, and guests can reserve glamping tents and suites on Hipcamp now. We welcome inquiries from aligned facilitators seeking the perfect rustic venue for their own retreats and events.

Please join Tamsin and teem in One World’s virtual network of Radically Collaborative changemakers, including Brand Earth’s regenerative Biomimicry-based finance and marketing initiatives, Purpose Earth, Compassion Games, Four Worlds International, and so many more, and make the pledge

“synergize humanity, regenerate Mother Earth.”