Neil Sorensen is the Founder and CEO of TenureSecurity.org, an independent initiative advancing knowledge, dialogue, and informed action on land and resource tenure security. With more than two decades of experience in international communications, institutional governance, and policy engagement, he works at the intersection of land rights, sustainable development, climate, agriculture, and global governance.
Before founding TenureSecurity.org, Neil served for more than ten years as Communications Specialist and Head of Communications at the Land Portal Foundation, where he led communications strategy, institutional positioning, stakeholder engagement, digital outreach, media partnerships, donor communications, events, and communications monitoring and evaluation. He helped position the Land Portal as a leading global platform for land governance knowledge, open data, and dialogue, reaching audiences of more than 80,000 monthly website visitors and regularly convening webinars with over 1,000 registered participants.
Neil previously served as Governing Bodies Officer and Strategic Adviser to the Secretary of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). In this role, he supported high-level governance processes involving Member States, senior management, the Executive Board, and the Governing Council, while contributing to institutional planning, senior-level communications, strategic coordination, and international engagement. He also represented IFAD as rapporteur at UNFCCC COP21 and supported the organization’s work on the International Year of Family Farming.
Earlier in his career, Neil led communications for the International Land Coalition, the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. His experience also includes communications and media work with CGIAR and Burness Communications, as well as earlier policy and advocacy work on global governance, biodiversity, trade, indigenous rights, and natural-resource governance with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.
Neil holds a Master’s degree in Global Diplomacy, with Merit, from SOAS University of London and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and German, summa cum laude, from St. Cloud State University. A dual French and American citizen based in the Paris region, he works in English, French, and German.