Managing Principals & Senior Scientists, Staff

Jane Lubchenco

(also a Senior Scientist)
Oregon State University
Department of Zoology
3029 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331

Dr. Jane Lubchenco is an environmental scientist and marine ecologist who is actively engaged in teaching, research, synthesis and communication of scientific knowledge. She graduated from Colorado College with a B.A. in biology. During college, she fell in love with the ocean and its inhabitants during a summer course in invertebrate zoology at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. She has worked on and around oceans ever since. She received a Master's Degree from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. from Harvard University, both in marine ecology.

Jane leads PISCO (the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans), an interdisciplinary team of scientists who study the near-shore portion of the marine ecosystem off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. In addition, Jane founded and co-leads the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program that teaches outstanding academic environmental scientists to be more effective communicators of scientific information to the public, policy makers, the media and the private sector.

She is Past-President of the International Council for Science and a former President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Ecological Society of America. She was a Presidential appointee to two terms on the National Science Board, which advises the President and Congress and oversees the National Science Foundation.

Jane has received numerous awards including a MacArthur ('genius') Fellowship, a Pew Fellowship and eight honorary degrees (including one from Princeton University). She is an elected member to numerous scientific bodies including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Royal Society of London. She served on the Pew Oceans Commission and is currently on the steering committee of the Joint Oceans Commission Initiative that combines members from the Pew Oceans Commission and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy.

Dawn Martin

SeaWeb
8401 Colesville Road, Ste. 500
Silver Spring MD 20910

Dawn M. Martin joined SeaWeb in 2004 as Executive Director and became President and Chair of the Board in December 2006. Under her leadership, SeaWeb established offices in France and the United Kingdom, expanded its programs by forging new alliances to protect the world's ocean, and doubled the size of its budget and staff. Martin serves as a Principal for the COMPASS partnership and on the advisory committee of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. She also sits on the Steering Committee as a founding member of the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands that works to ensure implementation of the international ocean commitments made at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.

As an effective advocate in public policy and political circles for more than 20 years, Martin brings a multi-disciplinary approach that builds on her skills as an attorney, strategic policy professional, communications specialist and ocean conservation expert. During the Clinton/Gore Administration she held several posts, including Associate Deputy Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Previously Martin served as founding Chief Operating Officer at Oceana, an international ocean conservation organization and Political and Legislative Director for American Oceans Campaign. She co-chaired the Clean Water Network and co-authored "Estuaries on the Edge: The Vital Link Between Land and Sea."

A native of Los Angeles, California, Martin received her undergraduate degree from Loyola Marymount University and her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 1986. She studied international human rights and humanitarian law at the International Institute for Human Rights, Strasbourg, France and the Henry Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, Geneva, Switzerland.

Mike Sutton

Monterey Bay Aquarium
Center for the Future of the Oceans
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940

Michael Sutton serves as Vice President of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and directs a new program known as the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The mission of the Center is to inspire action for conservation of the oceans. The Center will work to achieve lasting marine conservation outcomes by empowering individuals and influencing policy, focusing on initiatives where the Aquarium can make a unique and valued contribution.

Previously, Mike headed the Marine Fisheries Program at the David & Lucile Packard Foundation in Los Altos, California, the largest private funder of ocean conservation efforts in North America. Earlier, he founded and directed World Wildlife Fund's Endangered Seas Campaign, a global effort to promote the conservation and sustainable use of marine fisheries. In the United States, Mike has served as a senior advisor to the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of State on marine fishery issues, sitting on two Federal Advisory Committees. He was a founding member of the national steering committees of both the Marine Fish Conservation Network and the Ocean Wildlife Campaign, the latter an international coalition working to conserve large pelagic fishes such as sharks, tuna, and swordfish.

Mike holds a law degree in international and natural resources law from George Washington University's National Law Center in Washington, D.C.

Vikki Spruill

The Ocean Conservancy
2029 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Vikki Spruill is the President and CEO of The Ocean Conservancy. She joined The Ocean Conservancy after more than a decade of service at SeaWeb, an organization she founded. At SeaWeb, Vikki was a pioneer in bridging gaps among academic science, media, nonprofit, public and private sectors in advancing ocean conservation beyond the traditional environmental sector. Spruill's work over the past decade has significantly contributed to the development of a sustainable seafood movement and interest in ocean issues among people in the United States. Prior to SeaWeb, Vikki held a number of senior positions in strategic communications including co-owning her own firm. Immediately prior to SeaWeb, she was a Senior VP for Ruder Finn public relations. Vikki has managed a variety of clients ranging from prestigious Washington, D.C. law firms and other professional services firms to ambitious non-profit organizations. She has led the design of several major communications initiatives that won awards for creativity and innovation.

Vikki is a frequent speaker on social marketing, communications and strategic planning. She is a member of the executive committee of the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program and a member of the conservation committee of the Sea Change Investment Fund. She was recently selected for the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's Ocean Science Initiative Council and serves as a board member of SkyTruth. Most recently, Vikki founded FoundationWorks, a project working with foundations to enhance communications effectiveness for foundations and grantees.

Steve Palumbi

Stanford University
Hopkins Marine Station
Oceanview Boulevard
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 655-6210

Steve has published over 100 papers on the genetics and ecology of a variety of marine and terrestrial systems. A major focus of Steve's laboratory work is on the conservation and management of marine populations based on insight from molecular genetics. This approach has been applied to the design and implementation of marine protected areas for conservation and fisheries enhancement, as well as to reconstruction of past population sizes of baleen whales, and the identification of whale and dolphin products available in commercial markets. He has co-organized a working group at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis on Marine Protected Areas, organized an American Association for the Advancement of Science symposium on advances in whale research, reported on marine reserves as ecosystem tools to the Pew Oceans Commission.

Communication to non-scientists is a core part of Steve's activities. He recently published The Evolution Explosion (WW Norton, NY), a book for non-scientists that exposes the impact of humans on evolution, particularly of disease and pest organisms. In addition, Steve helped write and research and also appears in a the TV series The Future is Wild (BBC, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel) that explores the way evolution may shape the animals and plants of the future world. Continuing projects include work on a new microdocumentary series called Short Attention Span Science Theater, and completion of a CD with Steve's studio band Flagella.
Steve holds a Pd.D. from the University of Washington. He has received numerous awards for research and conservation, including a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation.

Andy Rosenberg

University of New Hampshire
College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
136B Morse Hall
39 College Road
Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862-2020

Dr. Andrew Rosenberg is a Professor in the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space at the University of New Hampshire where, prior to April 2004, he was dean of the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. Over the past three years he has also been a member of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Prior to coming to UNH he was the Deputy Director of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service from 1998-2000, the senior career position in the agency. As Deputy Director he dealt with policy decisions on science and resource management issues nationwide as well as the administration of the agency. Before becoming NMFS Deputy Director, Andy was the NMFS Northeast Regional Administrator. He negotiated and implemented the recovery program for New England fisheries, reversing overfishing and resource declines on George's Bank as well as other areas for groundfish and scallop fisheries. He also worked to develop and implement marine mammal recovery programs and endangered species protections throughout the northeast. He also has served as the U.S. lead representative in several international fishery management organizations such as NAFO, NASCO and FAO.

Brooke Simler Smith, Executive Director

Oregon State University
Department of Zoology
3029 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-9173
simlerb@science.oregonstate.edu

As Executive Director, Brooke oversees the development, execution and coordination of COMPASS initiatives, and is responsible for management and fundraising aspects of the partnership. She works with COMPASS' science, policy, communications, and regionally focused teams to lead strategic planning; ensure implementation of efforts and initiatives; and connect and leverage the work of COMPASS staff. She reports to, and works closely with, the COMPASS Principals (leaders from the partner organizations). Brooke's experiences are in ocean sciences and policy, connecting science to policy and the public, state and federal environmental policy, and program management. She has an M.S. from Oregon State University's College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences and a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Duke University.

Adina Abeles, California Science/Policy Coordinator

Stanford University
Hopkins Marine Station
Oceanview Boulevard
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 648-7988
abeles@stanford.edu

Adina joined COMPASS in May 2005 as the Science/Policy Coordinator for California, where she works to ensure that the state's marine policy efforts are informed by the best available science. Her background is in ecology, marine policy and public environmental management. She received her BA in Ecology from Cornell University and her Master's from the interdisciplinary program at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara. Her interests include finding practical means to balance the many uses of marine ecosystems so that marine resources can be enjoyed and used sustainably.

Nancy Baron, Director of Ocean Science Outreach

SeaWeb
c/o National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)
735 State St., Suite 300
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 892-2515
baron@nceas.ucsb.edu

A zoologist and science writer, Nancy is the Ocean Science Outreach Director for SeaWeb and COMPASS (Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea). She is also the lead communications trainer for the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program. In these capacities, she works with environmental scientists helping them translate their work effectively to journalists, the public and policy makers. Nancy also leads communications training workshops for academic scientists, graduate students and post docs. She has an interdisciplinary Masters degree in Global Marine Studies from the University of British Columbia, a B.Sc. in Zoology and has won numerous science writing awards.

Verna DeLauer, New England Science/Policy Coordinator

University of New Hampshire
Ocean Processes Analysis Laboratory
Durham, NH 03824
(603) 446-3580
vernadelauer@yahoo.com

As COMPASS' New England Science/Policy Coordinator, Verna bridges the communication gap between scientists and resource managers by providing opportunities for them to share their work and learn from one another.

Verna's other ocean-related work includes her past roles as the Outreach Coordinator for New Hampshire Coastal Zone Management and as the Education Chairperson of the Gulf of Maine Council.

She holds an MS in Environmental Education and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of New Hampshire. Her research looks at communication styles and their impact on marine policy decision-making.

Chad English, Director of Science Policy Outreach

SeaWeb
8401 Colesville Road, Ste. 500
Silver Spring MD 20910
(301) 830-7075
cenglish@compassonline.org

Chad joined COMPASS in January 2007 as Director of Science Policy Outreach, where he works to connect ocean conservation science and scientists to federal ocean policy and management discussions in Washington, D.C. He first came to Washington for a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, which he served in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation working on ocean and fisheries issues. Chad comes to COMPASS from the House Committee on Science, where he worked on legislation and oversight related to ocean science and federal ocean governance. He received a Bachelor's degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego.

Brittany Grayson, Science Outreach and Policy Coordinator

SeaWeb
8401 Colesville Road, Ste. 500
Silver Spring MD 20910
(301) 495-9570
bgrayson@seaweb.org

Brittany Grayson supports and coordinates efforts between COMPASS' science outreach and policy teams. She helps scientists communicate important messages about marine science to the public by connecting them with journalists and policy makers and helping them present their science in compelling and accessible ways. Brittany recently earned her science writing certificate from University of California, Santa Cruz and completed internships with the Monterey County Herald, UC Santa Cruz Press Office, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Discover Magazine. She received a B.S. in Ecology, Evolutionary, and Population Biology from Purdue University, where she was allowed to spend summers watching whales and tagging sea turtles.

Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Marine Reserve Science Coordinator

Oregon State University
Department of Zoology
3029 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-2914
(541) 737-9981
grorudck@science.oregonstate.edu

As Marine Reserve Science Coordinator for COMPASS, Kirsten's role is to synthesize current marine reserve research in order to better understand ecosystem-wide impacts of protection. With a strong background in field research, she assists in bridging the gap between scientific findings, policy implementation, and public understanding of marine reserves as a conservation tool, both in the US and internationally. Kirsten received her B.A. at Occidental College and her Ph.D. at the University of Miami, where she investigated juvenile fish survival and the impact of marine reserves on fish communities.

Kimberly Heiman, Ecosystem-Based Management Science Coordinator

Oregon State University
Department of Zoology
3029 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-9982
heimank@science.oregonstate.edu

Kimberly joined COMPASS in August 2006 as the Ecosystem-Based Management Science Coordinator. Based at Oregon State University, Kimberly works to synthesize and communicate scientific knowledge about Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) in marine systems. By reviewing EBM case studies and fostering communication between interested parties, she nurtures enhanced understanding of how EBM can be implemented successfully. Kimberly's background is in marine ecology with an interest in conservation and management-relevant science. She received her B.A. in Biology from New College of Florida and her Ph.D. from Stanford University, where she studied anthropogenic and biological influences on the distribution of invasive species in estuaries.

Sarah Lester, California Current Ecosystem-Based Management Project Manager

Long Marine Laboratory
100 Shaffer Road
University of California
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 459-5586 slester@ucsc.edu

Sarah is the Project Manager for the California Current Ecosystem-Based Management (CCEBM) Initiative, a joint effort between COMPASS and the Institute of Marine Science at the University of California, Santa Cruz. This project seeks to advance the natural and social science required to effectively implement EBM in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. The centerpiece of this effort is a working meeting planned for January 2008, bringing together scientific experts, policy makers, and resource managers. Sarah received her B.S. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and her Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. For her thesis research, she studied both the role of dispersal ability in determining geographic range size for marine taxa and large-scale patterns of reproductive output in intertidal invertebrates. She has also recently been working on a project sponsored by COMPASS and the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) to synthesize data on the biological effects of no-take marine reserves.

Karen McLeod, Director of Science

Oregon State University
Department of Zoology
3029 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-9822
overholk@science.oregonstate.edu

Karen is the Director of Science for COMPASS, based at Oregon State University. With expertise in marine ecology, she holds a PhD from OSU, an MS from the University of South Florida, and a BA from Franklin & Marshall College. For her dissertation, she examined coral-reef fish ecology in the Bahamas, specifically looking at how the spatial distribution of reefs affects predator-prey interactions. As Director of Science, she works to synthesize and communicate science relevant to timely marine conservation topics—primarily ecosystem-based management and marine protected areas—and provides scientific support to all of COMPASS' efforts.

John Meyer, Program Associate

Department of Zoology
3029 Cordley Hall
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-9840
john.meyer@science.oregonstate.edu

John's position at COMPASS is two-fold, offering science support for emerging ocean issues, such as ecosystem-based management, and helping facilitate the use of science to develop sound ocean policy in the Pacific Northwest. He holds a MS from the University of New Hampshire and a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara, bringing to COMPASS a strong background in marine ecology. Much of his work has focused on invasive species and the ecology of marine protected areas, yet he also has experience developing practical applications of science to ecosystem-based management. John comes to COMPASS after completing a Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship in Washington, D.C. where he worked for a prominent member of Congress helping inform and advance ocean policy on Capitol Hill.

Elizabeth Neeley

Assistant Director of Ocean Science Outreach
SeaWeb
5521 South Ryan Street
Seattle, Washington 98178
(425) 679-6167
eneeley@seaweb.org

As Assistant Director of Ocean Science Outreach for COMPASS, Liz develops and leads communications training programs for scientists, works as a liaison with the Ecosystem Based Management science team, and helps to identify and translate important research results for journalists and the general public. Her primary role is to connect journalists to the experts and background information they need to cover ocean science stories. Liz's background is in animal communication and behavior. She received her B.S. in marine biology from the University of Maryland, College Park and her M.A. in Biology from Boston University, where she studied the evolution and visual ecology of tropical reef fishes.

Lynn Rutter, Program Coordinator

Ocean Process and Analysis Laboratory
Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space
Morse Hall 142
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862-0067
lynn.rutter@unh.edu

Lynn is a program coordinator for the COMPASS program in the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space at the University of New Hampshire, and comes to UNH with a Masters in Education and several years of teaching in both public and private elementary schools. Her work extends to environmental and marine education. Lynn supports the work of Dr. Andy Rosenberg, a senior scientist for COMPASS in Fisheries and Ocean Policy, through her coordination, organization and facilitation of grant administration, meeting planning, travel arrangements, and assistance for graduate student and visiting researchers. In the upcoming year Lynn will assist with the development of a science plan related to a new COMPASS direction in Massachusetts. In addition, Lynn is the coordinator for the Regional Association of Research on the Gulf of Maine (RARGOM).

Matthew Wright, Outreach Specialist

SeaWeb
8401 Colesville Road, Ste. 500
Silver Spring MD 20910
(301) 830-7086
mwright@seaweb.org

As Outreach Specialist for COMPASS, Matthew works to raise the profile of ocean science and conservation issues. He helps scientists communicate the meaning of their science to the wider world, and connects these experts with journalists who want to know the latest in marine conservation. In collaboration with his COMPASS teammates, he helps catalyze relationship building between scientists, journalists and policy makers. Matthew holds a Master's degree in Marine Science from Arizona State University, where he studied sea snails that are adapted to survive sudden and extreme shifts in temperature. He also has a Graduate Certificate in Science Communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and has held several science writing internships at Stanford University. Prior to joining COMPASS, Matthew worked as a science writer for the Carnegie Institution of Washington in Washington, D.C.