Staff & Board
Staff
Objective Directors
Jenny Barker, M.P.A
Executive Director
Jenny has a long-held passion for working to support global populations and preserving our ocean utilizing holistic sustainability. She has more than two decades of experience in the public and private sector managing international programs, 11 of those doing fisheries work on three continents. Leading efforts like SALT and the USAID-funded Global FISH Alliance, she leads by bringing diverse stakeholders together (government, industry, fishers, and NGOs) to identify the best solutions to address issues affecting the ocean. For example, Jenny has implemented participatory approaches to fisheries management and traceability in Honduras, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Cambodia. For the global SALT effort, Jenny grew the network to 1800 people from 89 countries in five years to promote traceability best practices.
She graduated with a Masters in Public Administration from George Washington University.
Ashley Greenley, M.S.
Advancement Director
As the Advancement Director at FishWise, Ashley spearheads a collective effort to advance the organization’s mission of safeguarding ocean ecosystems and the people who depend on them. With a focus on developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies, Ashley cultivates strategic partnerships with key stakeholders from the seafood industry, philanthropic foundations, government agencies, and civil society. Working closely with the Executive Director and Programs Director, Ashley ensures that FishWise’s fundraising efforts align with the organization’s strategic priorities. These priorities include enhancing transparency and accountability in seafood production, fostering industry leadership in impactful supply chain due diligence, and driving industry investment and action in fisheries and aquaculture regions facing severe environmental and social challenges.
In her previous role as FishWise's Director of Business Engagement, Ashley orchestrated successful partnerships with major retailers, hotel chains, and seafood companies across the US, EU, and Japan. Through these partnerships, FishWise has redefined responsible business practices within the seafood industry and fostered private sector leadership in supply chain traceability, transparency, and human rights due diligence.
With over 20 years of experience in seafood sustainability, Ashley’s expertise is grounded in marine science and extensive engagement with fishing communities in California and Mexico. She holds a Master of Science degree from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aquatic Biology from UC Santa Barbara. Ashley's published work focuses on the role of marine protected areas as a tool for mitigating the impacts of climate change and overfishing.
Sara Lewis, M.A., M.E.S.
Director of Programs
As Director of Programs, Sara Lewis leads FishWise’s work with global business and civil society partners to develop and implement traceability, environmental, and human rights due diligence plans and policies. Her background in traceability and passion for inclusive and data-informed decision making has driven much of FishWise’s recent innovation and governmental advocacy relating to supply chain risk assessment. Sara has published peer-reviewed papers and other publicly available resources on traceability, illegal fishing, and social responsibility in seafood in wild fisheries and aquaculture. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and two masters degrees in Environmental Studies from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and the University of California, Santa Cruz, respectively. Outside of work Sara is an avid traveler, who loves hiking, comedy, and SCUBA diving.
Kate O’Rourke, M.U.R.P.
Deputy Executive Director
As the Deputy Executive Director, Kate brings 16 years of global operations and financial management experience to FishWise. Kate plays a critical role in the refinement, design, and integration of organization-wide, cross-division systems and processes to ensure alignment, increase operational efficiency, and maintain the organization’s financial strength. She earned her B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her MURP from Virginia Tech.
Counter IUU Fishing & Transparency
Lindsay Ceron, M.P.S.
Senior Project Director
Lindsay Ceron is a Senior Project Director with FishWise’s Traceability, Transparency, and Counter-IUU Fishing team, where she leads the organization’s governance reform and policy advocacy efforts. Working at the intersection of government, industry, and NGOs, she helps bridge diverse perspectives to find common ground on emerging challenges in seafood sustainability.With a background in marine policy and first-hand experience working with some of North America’s largest seafood retailers, Lindsay is dedicated to advancing fully traceable and transparent supply chains. She believes in the power of inclusive, solution-oriented dialogue to develop practical yet forward-thinking approaches that balance sustainability, accountability, and business realities. She sits on the GDST Partner Council, the U.S. IUU Fishing-Labor Rights Coalition, and the IUU-Action Alliance. She holds a Master of Professional Science in Marine Affairs and Policy from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and a BSc from Eckerd College.
Nina Rosen, M.A.S.
Project Director
Nina is a connector–connecting efforts of the global seafood movement to due diligence efforts of discrete companies by focusing on multi-stakeholder engagement to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated catch from entering the market. By sharing traceability solutions and guidelines, Nina’s work often lies at intersections of communication, fisheries, and coordination. Nina’s interdisciplinary background and work with small-scale fisheries allow her to view seafood security through an environmental, economic, and social lens. Nina holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Alyssa Newhall (Withrow), MENV
Senior Project Manager
As Senior Project Manager, Alyssa drives Traceability Division research and work plan execution to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Her global collaborations yield innovative traceability and anti-IUU solutions for the seafood industry. Holding a B.S. in Integrated Science and Technology from James Madison University and a MENV in environmental and natural resource policy from the University of Colorado Boulder, Alyssa's past work spans Southern Ocean marine protected areas, Tanzanian illegal fishing studies, and the intersection of IUU fishing and U.S. national security. With expertise in ocean conservation, project management, and community engagement, she approaches environmental issues holistically and fervently works to bolster seafood sustainability, enhancing ocean resilience.
Social Responsibility
Kelley K. Bell
Social Responsibility Director
Kelley and her team lead the FishWise strategy and efforts in social responsibility, advising companies and collaborating across the sector to build resilient supply chains that uphold international human and labor rights. She is always looking for practical steps companies can take to integrate responsible practices and purpose into core operations. Kelley is also excited to drive the organization’s collaboration strategy, which allows FishWise to work with industry, government and NGOs to innovate and implement solutions for the sector. She currently sits on the Consortium for Social Risks in Seafood, the Seafood Working Group, the FAO Technical Working Group, the MBA Social Sustainability Advisory Group, and the Board of the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative.
Prior to FishWise, Kelley served 14 years as Global V.P. of Social and Environmental Impact at Driscoll’s where the efforts of her team resulted in long-term shifts in social and environmental practices in the produce industry and improved conditions for thousands of farm workers. In her free time, she serves on the board of the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.
Nahla Gedeon Achi, M.A.
Senior Project Manager
As Senior Project Manager, Nahla develops guidance to promote decent work in the seafood sector. Before joining FishWise, Nahla worked at the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions on marine resource conflicts and labor issues in tuna supply chains. Her interest in human rights started while studying International Relations and Human Rights, with a focus on understanding how industries with complex supply chains address labor issues. She pursued an M.A. in Earth Systems to explore the intersection of human rights and environmental issues and equip herself to work in the seafood space, where sustainability and social responsibility are often interlinked.
Sam Myers, M.A.
Project Director
As a Project Director, Sam works with the Social Responsibility team to develop innovative social responsibility resources for the seafood sector. Sam brings social responsibility expertise from a decade of work in multiple sectors, including: apparel, furniture, electronics, cotton, cocoa, and hazelnuts. Their dedication to social responsibility and human rights was sparked while studying worker movements and conflict in the 20th century. Since then Sam has advocated for connecting worker protections, human rights, and industrial development. They earned their BA and MA in International Affairs from the George Washington University.
Business Engagement
Michelle Beritzhoff-Law, M.S.
Senior Project Director
Michelle Beritzhoff-Law is an experienced and dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in fisheries management, sustainable seafood, and marine conservation. As Senior Project Director at FishWise, she oversees Business Engagement and helps lead projects focused on improving seafood sustainability, human rights, and traceability within the seafood industry. Her work involves collaborating with businesses, NGOs, and other stakeholders to develop and implement innovative solutions for a healthier ocean and more responsible seafood supply chains.
Ethan Y. Lucas, M.M.A.
Project Director
As Business Engagement Project Director at FishWise, Ethan develops and leads sustainable seafood programs across the supply chain, integrating environmental sustainability, traceability, and social responsibility into seafood sourcing practices. He represents FishWise in key multi-stakeholder initiatives, including the NGO Tuna Forum and Sea Pact, collaborating with industry leaders to drive progress. Ethan became involved in wild capture fisheries at a young age on Cape Cod, MA and has spent over 13 years advancing sustainability in the seafood industry. He holds a B.S. in Aquaculture and Fisheries Technology from the University of Rhode Island, a Master of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington, a Knauss Fellowship at NOAA Coral Reef Watch, and served in the U.S. Peace Corps in the Philippines.
An Nguyen, B.A.
Senior Project Manager
As Senior Project Manager, An supports and facilitates business partnerships to advance companies’ environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and traceability goals. She works cross-functionally with FishWise’s Social Responsibility team, providing expert guidance to partners on human and labor rights. She also serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. An leverages her background in environmental research and analysis, stakeholder engagement, and communications to drive positive change in the seafood industry. Prior to FishWise, An’s work focused on coastal resources management and communications, experience she now leverages to enhance her contributions to the seafood industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with minors in Spatial Studies and Art & Technology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Jessie Zupcic, M.S.
Project Director
Jessie joined our Market Engagement team in 2017. In her role as a Project Director, she advises companies big and small, regional and multinational, to create impactful seafood sustainability programs. She helps our partners and their suppliers move from reactively to proactively dealing with salient supply chain risks like human rights abuses and illegal fishing. Jessie specializes in distilling complex science, NGO guidance, and government requirements into pragmatic recommendations that our partners can readily act on.
Outside of work, Jessie’s love of the ocean carries over into culinary adventures like perfecting her recipe for cured salmon roe.
Garrett Goto, MESM
Project Manager
Garrett supports supply chain engagements and industry partnerships to advance environmental sustainability and social responsibility in the seafood sector. As Project Manager, he leverages data and best-available science to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvements, including transitioning away from high-risk seafood products. Garrett’s background includes work in responsible aquaculture, international food systems, coastal resilience, and seafood sustainability. His expertise in aquaculture, environmental science, and research supports FishWise’s ongoing environmental performance and data analysis efforts. Garrett holds a B.S. in Hydrologic Science and Policy from UC Santa Barbara and a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School. Outside of work, he’s an avid bikepacker, fisher, and woodworker.
Data and Technology
Chris Young, B.S.
Senior Project Manager
As Senior Project Manager in the Data and Technology Division, Chris is helping FishWise meet its goals by developing digital data tools with analytic engines. Chris graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire where he worked in the Interoperability Lab and the Research Computing Center supporting projects in the Earth, Oceans, and Space department. He went on to work for internet companies Cisco and Cabletron Systems to develop embedded software solutions. Outside of work, Chris is a certified advanced diver and enjoys exploring the waters in Monterey Bay as well as volunteering in California State Parks.
Adzan Adlan, M.S.
Senior Project Manager
Born and raised in California, Adzan spent his formative years living between the U.S. and his homeland Malaysia. Early exposure to local fisheries, aquaculture, and conservation efforts in both countries led to his life-long interest in seafood sustainability and marine conservation. Before joining FishWise, Adzan attended Heriot-Watt University where he earned an M.S. in marine data science. His thesis work focused on modeling the interactive impacts of climate change and commercial fishing on regional fish abundance which earned him a distinction. Adzan holds a B.A. in environmental studies and biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Operations
Hanae Matsui, B.S.
Senior Project and Operations Manager
As a Senior Project and Operations Manager, Hanae supports FishWise's program and organizational operations. Most recently, Hanae launched FishWise's monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) effort. Prior to taking on her current role, Hanae worked in communications and operations of FishWise's USAID-funded project, Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability (SALT). Leveraging her background in bridging the seafood industry's cultural differences, she also managed SALT's in-country partnership in Vietnam. Before joining FishWise, Hanae worked at a Tokyo-based sustainable seafood consultancy, where she led communication and outreach strategies. She created educational toolkits and guidance documents by applying and tailoring what she learned from the global sustainable seafood movement to meet the unique market needs in Japan. Outside of work, Hanae is an advocate for dog rescue. She fostered and trained many dogs with special needs.
Jodie King, B.S.
Administrative Services Manager
As Administrative Services Manager, Jodie supports and facilitates the day-to-day operations while performing a wide range of administrative, finance, and human resources duties. Prior to FishWise, Jodie held positions within the Telecommunications and Hospitality industries. Jodie received her Bachelor of Science degree from CSU Sacramento, and credits living on both the west and east coast to her understanding of the importance of seafood sustainability. With her interpersonal and organizational skills and appreciation for the ocean, Jodie is well-suited to support FishWise and its team.
Board of Directors
M. Benjamin Eichenberg
Ben Eichenberg is a California attorney with additional expertise in international trade law. In his position as the enforcement attorney for San Francisco Baykeeper, Ben is responsible for prosecuting an active docket of high-impact water quality cases through research, litigation, and settlement negotiations. Throughout his legal career, beginning in 2010, Ben has represented environmental and community groups in civil litigation to protect endangered environmental resources. Ben received his J.D. from University of California Hastings College of the Law in 2008. After law school, Ben was a Fulbright Scholar in Oslo, Norway, where he studied climate change regulation and international trade and received a master’s degree in Public International Law from the University of Oslo. Ben’s Master’s thesis and subsequent related research has been focused on the interaction of environmental regulation with tariffs and trade, both under the auspices of the World Trade Organization and other mechanisms of public international law.
Selina Heppell
Selina Heppell, Ph.D., is Department Head and Professor of marine fisheries ecology at Oregon State University. She strives to bridge quantitative ecology and practical solutions to marine resource issues. Her work with biologists, fishermen and management agencies takes her all over the globe, and she often works with her husband, Scott, on fisheries research and teaching. Recently, she served as Chair of the Ecosystem Management Subcommittee for the Science and Statistical Committee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council. She regularly serves on advisory teams for marine conservation projects, including a National Research Council review of sea turtle assessment methods, the Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force, and the Ecosystem Science and Management Working Group for NOAA’s Science Advisory Board, as well as a variety of working groups and review panels for NOAA-Fisheries. Selina’s awards include Fishery Worker of the Year (Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society), Excellence in Leadership and other awards from OSU (College of Agricultural Sciences), and a nomination by the Carnegie Foundation for U.S. Professor of the Year.
David Kibrick
David Kibrick is an Enrolled Agent and business/nonprofit consultant, with a background in taxation, accounting, IT, and online nonprofit development. He has worked with the Verified Voting Foundation and the Election Verification Network to improve the availability of voter-verifiable ballots and post-election audits nationwide. He is also a founding member and the current webmaster of KSQD Radio 90.7 FM, a new community radio station. A lifelong Santa Cruz, California resident, David is keenly interested in the preservation of ocean ecosystems and assuring the sustainability of ocean-based food supplies for the many nations that rely on them.
David has an A.S. degree from Cabrillo College in Accounting, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with additional training in computer networking and information security. He is also a semi-professional macro/nature photographer who has done several photo series showcasing the environment of the Monterey Bay.
Chris Ratto
Chris Ratto is an accomplished Sustainability and Organization Development Leader. Mr. Ratto collaborates with leaders within organizations to influence and impact initiatives and goals. He received his Master of Science in Organization Development from the University of San Francisco. Chris focuses on talent and leadership development, employee engagement, culture change and succession management. While serving as the Director of Sustainability for a Fortune 100 retail corporation, Chris partnered with internal and external stakeholders to influence sustainable seafood sourcing practices while eliminating illegal and unethically sourced product.
He is engaged in the community through the Boy Scouts of America. In his free time, Chris enjoys backpacking and spending time at South Lake Tahoe.
Richard Stavis
Board Chair
Richard Stavis is an internationally acknowledged seafood thought leader and innovator with over thirty years in the seafood community and a deep understanding of global seafood harvesting, processing, and sales trends. Over the last decade his primary focus has been understanding, advocating for and applying best practices in sustainability, traceability, and ensuring responsible labor practices within the seafood supply chain. After 20 years as the Chief Executive Officer of Stavis Seafoods, Richard transitioned to the Chief Sustainability Officer in January 2018. Additional current roles include Sustainable Fisheries Partnerships’ Squid Supplier Roundtable Industry Chairperson and Advisory Committee member for the Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability (SALT).
Candice Dickens-Russell
Candice Dickens-Russell is the President & CEO of Friends of the LA River and a passionate leader in sustainability, education, environmental literacy, and environmental justice. With nearly 20 years of experience in the non-profit environmental sector, Candice has worked with schools, school districts, government agencies, utilities, and municipalities to develop and deliver high quality sustainability and environmental education programs. She has led large teams and multi-million dollar contracts creating innovative environmental education resources. Candice served as the regional director for environmental education for the State of California Department of Education for 12 years, representing all of Los Angeles County. There she built a strong and vibrant network of L.A. based environmental organizations. In 2015 Candice was selected as one of 47 people statewide to serve on the Blueprint for Environmental Literacy Taskforce for the state and continues to serve on the implementation committee, the California Environmental Literacy Initiative as the Equity Innovation Hub Chair. An equity thought leader with a passion for environmental justice, Candice is also certified in Diversity & Inclusion and Micro-aggressions. She has led organizations in equity strategic planning and organizational development for over five years.
Candice serves on several boards and advisory councils for environmental organizations such as Ten Strands, Friends of the Los Angeles River and USC Sea Grant. She majored in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Sustainability & Social Justice at San Francisco State University.
Nicole Condon
Nicole Condon is a leader in the seafood sustainability space with over two decades of multi-disciplinary experience at the intersection of industry, science, non-profits, and policy, Her work, driven by an unwavering passion for marine life and a commitment to the communities who depend on these vital ecosystems, is helping to shape a more sustainable, ethical, and transparent seafood industry. After a decade in nonprofit management, Nicole transitioned to the private sector as the Director of CSR & ESG at Oddisea SuperFrozen where she is working to tackle human rights, environmental, and traceability challenges along the supply chain, cementing Oddisea's leadership at the forefront of sustainable practices. Prior to that, Nicole served as the US Program Director for the Marine Stewardship Council and held a key role on the World Wildlife Fund's Global Seafood Markets team, where she catalyzed industry commitments and fostered multi-stakeholder platforms to support more sustainable and responsible seafood sourcing and production around the world. Nicole has expertise in marine science and sustainability management, with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from The University of New England, a Masters in Oceanography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and a Masters in Sustainability Management from American University’s Kogod School of Business. Nicole is also an alumna of the prestigious National Fisheries Institute Future Leaders Program.
Mark Kaplan
Mark is Chief Sustainability Officer of Wholechain, an FDA-Award Winning Traceability System that is verified capable by Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability and a GS1 Premier Solution partner for interoperable data sharing. Mark leads Wholechain’s Better Food Future initiative in support of the UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship Coalition.
Prior to creating Wholechain, Mark was Co-Founder and CEO of Envisible; a sustainable seafood sourcing company responsible for winning the 2021 Store Brands Gold Award for the top rated meat of 2021, the 2022 and 2023 Store Brands Impact Award for Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain Transparency. Envisible powers full traceable, sustainable sourcing for Topco Full Circle Market, Associated Food Stores 40 Knots Brand and Giant Eagle Nature's Basket brand of frozen fish fillets. Envisible was recently sold to Arkk Food.
Prior to Envisible, Mark was Global VP of Sustainable Solutions for Unilever. At Unilever, Mark was responsible for integrating technology across the Chief Sustainability Office's initiatives, expanding existing digital partnerships and establishing new digital partnerships. Prior to Unilever, Mark was CEO of Tone, a start-up that led the mFish Initiative with the U.S. State Department to enable mobile services for small-scale fishers. mFish won the 2016 D&AD Wood Pencil, Hollywood A-List Bronze for Most Innovative Use of Mobile Technology, OneShow and Cannes Lions Awards for mobile technology.
Joseph Lasprogata
With over 30 years of experience in the seafood industry, Joseph Lasprogata is an industry leader known for driving strategic growth, product innovation, and operational excellence at Samuels Seafood Co. As Senior Vice President of Business Development, Joseph oversees a wide range of initiatives—from product development and purchasing strategy to sustainability and system transformation—ensuring the company remains an industry leader in quality, traceability, and customer service.
Joseph began his career at Samuels in 1989 as Director of Purchasing, where he built strong vendor relationships, expanded the company’s product line, and led a high-performing team that helped fuel regional growth. In 2012, he transitioned into his current leadership role, where he has since spearheaded proprietary product launches, negotiated exclusive vendor agreements, and championed innovative packaging solutions like 10K vacuum and skin packaging to enhance food safety and shelf life.
A forward-thinking executive, Joseph is deeply involved in implementing cutting-edge systems to future-proof the business. Most notably, he’s leading the charge on FDA Section 204 traceability compliance by integrating GDST and GS1 standards across the supply chain—ensuring Samuels remains at the forefront of transparency and food safety.
Joseph also played a pivotal role in expanding Samuels' retail footprint, guiding live seafood system installations in Florida, and transforming the company’s Ippolito’s Retail Market in Philadelphia. His leadership was instrumental in scaling the company from a modest start-up to a $400M+ powerhouse, distributing over 30 million pounds of product annually.
A marine biologist by training, Joseph holds a B.S. in Marine Biology from Southampton College of Long Island University.
Christopher Giordano
Practical and field-tested fisheries and aquatic food systems expert with 12+ years of experience designing value chain and market-based solutions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America in small-scale fisheries. Specializing in value chain analysis, post-harvest loss reduction, circular economy integration, and carbon footprint mitigation, Christopher brings a systems-thinking mindset grounded in ecological science and cultural empathy. He has delivered high-impact projects ranging from quality upgrading in Peru’s mahi mahi fishery, to launching a community-driven octopus FIP in Indonesia, to conducting value chain assessments that improved fisher incomes in East Africa. Christopher has supported the design and implementation of six FIPs seeking MSC certification or Seafood Watch green ratings. Mission-driven but outcomes-oriented, he focuses on building localized, resilient, and socially-responsible aquatic food systems.
Eric Buescher
Eric Buescher is an attorney with fifteen years of experience. He spent the first 11 years of his career representing individuals, businesses, employees, and non-profit organizations in litigation matters, focusing on fraud, elder abuse, employment matters, and land-use and environmental issues. For the last four years, he has worked at San Francisco Baykeeper, where he serves as the Managing Attorney and is responsible for implementing Baykeeper’s litigation and advocacy strategies related to holding polluters and government agencies accountable to ensure that San Francisco Bay, its ecosystem, and its watershed are clean and healthy to support wildlife, fisheries, and communities.
Eric grew up in Denver, Colorado where he enjoyed the outdoors year-round, spent fifteen years in the Bay Area, and currently lives outside Philadelphia with his wife and two daughters, ages 9 and 7.
Eric received his undergraduate degree in political science from Duke University (2005), and his JD from Georgetown University Law Center (2010).
Board Emeritus
Dr. Marc Mangel
Dr. Marc Mangel is Distinguished Research Professor of Mathematical Biology and Director of the Center for Stock Assessment Research (CSTAR) at the University of California Santa Cruz, where he has served since 1996. He also acts as the Senior Scientific Advisor for MRAG Americas. MRAG Americas is an independent consulting business dedicated to promoting responsible, rational and sustainable utilization of aquatic resources. MRAG Americas performs multi-disciplinary projects for a variety of clients including international, governmental and non-governmental entities, as well as industrial and commercial companies.
From 1980-1996, Mangel was at the University of California Davis, where he served as Assistant, Associate and Full Professor. There, he was founding Director of the Center for Population Biology. His awards include, in part, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship, 1987; Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship, Oxford University, 1988; George Gund Foundation Distinguished Environmental Scholar, Case Western Reserve University,1992; Distinguished Statistical Ecologist, International Association for Ecology, 1998; Mote Eminent Scholar, Florida State University, 2000; Fellow, California Academy of Sciences, 2000; Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2003; UCSC Academic Senate Excellence in Teaching Award, 2003; Frohlich Fellow, CSIRO Hobart, 2006; Astor Lecturer, University of Oxford, 2007; Kaeser Lecturer University of Wisconsin, 2008; Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2009; and an honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Guelph, 2014.
Between 2010 and 2013, Mangel was the independent scientific expert called by Australia for the case in the International Court of Justice concerning Japanese special permit whaling in the southern ocean. In 2014, the Court ruled that the Japanese program was contrary to international law.
Mangel has numerous journal publications and books that include, in part, Dynamic State Variable Models in Ecology: Methods and Applications (with Colin Clark, 2000, Oxford), and The Theoretical Biologist’s Toolbox. Quantitative methods for ecology and evolutionary biology (Cambridge, 2007). He has supervised more than 50 undergraduate research projects or senior theses, 30 PhD students and 30 post-doctoral colleagues.
FishWise is deeply grateful to Marc Mangel for his leadership from the organization’s inception through to his retirement from the Board in December 2020.
Gideon Shaanan
Gideon Shaanan is an accomplished high-tech executive and an Entrepreneurship Development consultant. Mr. Shaanan works with organizations and executives to rapidly reach their business, organizational and entrepreneurship goals. He also leads the UCSC School of Engineering’s Entrepreneurship Studies Initiative where he developed and teaches the core courses in entrepreneurship.
Throughout his career, in both executive (CTO, VP) and consulting capacities, Mr. Shaanan has been serving large and small organizations in a wide range of industries. These include global corporations, cutting-edge high-tech startups, educational institutions and non-profits. Among them are Apple Computer, Vitro, U3 (a joint Venture of SanDisk and M-Systems), the Foundation for Hearing Research, Catalyst Strategies, The Adizes Institute, the National Geographic Society, Quarto Publishing of London, the Technion and the Santa Fe Institute. Mr. Shaanan received a Masters of Engineering degree from Cornell University.
Shaanan retired from the FishWise board of directors in April 2023.
George Leonard, Ph.D.
Trained as a marine ecologist, George has 20 years of experience in ocean policy and advocacy, market-based solutions to environmental challenges, and marine research. As Chief Scientist at Ocean Conservancy, he provides strategic leadership on science and policy across the organization’s initiatives, including marine debris, ocean acidification and climate change, marine protected areas, and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. George led an effort to re-envision Ocean Conservancy’s 30-year effort on marine debris that resulted in an institutional commitment to a new global strategy to secure private sector commitment to stem the flow of plastics to the marine environment. He also launched and led new programs on ocean acidification and aquaculture. Before joining Ocean Conservancy in 2007, George developed the scientific foundation for the nascent sustainable seafood movement at Monterey Bay Aquarium and helped launch COMPASS (the Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea), an innovative approach to communicating conservation science. George holds a Ph.D. from Brown University in Rhode Island and a M.S. from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California. A native of New England, he is located in Ocean Conservancy’s West Coast office in Santa Cruz, California.