Who We Are

Our Team

Ocean Conservancy staff members are scientists and lawyers, accountants and advocates. But we’re also surfers and divers, fishermen and kayakers.

When we’re not in the office working hard to protect the ocean, we’re out enjoying it – from catching the perfect wave to reeling in the perfect catch.  

Our work allows us to use our individual talents to make a collective impact on the health of the ocean. We all share in the responsibility to find the solutions.

Executive Office

Andreas Merkl
President and CEO
Email: amerkl@oceanconservancy.org

Janis Searles Jones
Executive Vice President, Policy and Programs
Email: jjones@oceanconservancy.org

Dennis Takahashi-Kelso
Executive Vice President, Science and Knowledge Management
Email: dkelso@oceanconservancy.org

Amelia Montjoy
Vice President, Resource Development
Email: amontjoy@oceanconservancy.org

Larry Amon
Chief Financial Officer
Email: lamon@oceanconservancy.org

Shannon Crownover
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Email: scrownover@oceanconservancy.org

Donna Hill
Vice President, Human Resources & Administration
Email: dhill@oceanconservancy.org

National Conservation Policy and Legal Affairs

Alexis Baldera
Conservation Biologist
Email: abaldera@oceanconservancy.org

Jeff Barger
Constituent Outreach Manager
Email: jbarger@oceanconservancy.org

Mojdeh Barros
Interim Director, Trash Free Seas Program
Email: mbarros@oceanconservancy.org

Sonya Besteiro
Associate Director, International Coastal Cleanup
Email: sbesteiro@oceanconservancy.org

Ellen Bolen
Senior Legislative Manager
Email: ebolen@oceanconservancy.org

Chris Dorsett
Director, Ecosystem Conservation Programs
Email: cdorsett@oceanconservancy.org

Melissa Ehrenreich
Director, Program Effectiveness
Email: mehrenreich@oceanconservancy.org

Libby Fetherston
Deputy Director, Fish Conservation Program
Email: efetherston@oceanconservancy.org

Claudia Friess
Fishery Analyst
Email: cfriess@oceanconservancy.org

Andrew Hartsig
Director, Arctic Program
Email: ahartsig@oceanconservancy.org

Greg Helms
Manager, Pacific Conservation
Email: ghelms@oceanconservancy.org

Bethany Kraft
Director, Gulf Restoration Program
Email: bkraft@oceanconservancy.org

George Leonard
Director of Strategic Initiatives 
Email: gleonard@oceanconservancy.org

Matt Love
Conservation Biologist-GIS Specialist
Email: mlove@oceanconservancy.org

Nicholas Mallos
Conservation Biologist, Marine Debris Specialist
Email: nmallos@oceanconservancy.org

T.J. Marshall
Director, Constituent Outreach
Email: tmarshall@oceanconservancy.org

Samantha Murray
Senior Manager, Pacific Program
Email: smurray@oceanconservancy.org

Susan Little Olcott
Coalition Coordinator, Marine Spatial Planning
Email: solcott@oceanconservancy.org  

Samantha Port-Minner
Policy Analyst
Email: sport-minner@oceanconservancy.org

Chris Robbins
Senior Restoration Planner
Email: crobbins@oceanconservancy.org  

Julia Roberson
Director, Ocean Acidification Program
Email: jroberson@oceanconservancy.org

Stan Senner
Director of Conservation Science
Email: ssenner@oceanconservancy.org  

Jeff Watters
Senior Manager, Government Relations
Email: jwatters@oceanconservancy.org

Sandra Whitehouse
Senior Advisor
Email: swhitehouse@oceanconservancy.org

Emily Woglom
Director of Government Relations
Email: ewoglom@oceanconservancy.org

Dana Wolfe
Staff Attorney, Gulf Fisheries
Email: dwolfe@oceanconservancy.org

Carmen Yeung
Conservation Biologist
Email: cyeung@oceanconservancy.org

Anna Zivian
Senior Manager, Marine Spatial Planning
Email: azivian@oceanconservancy.org

Marketing & Communications

Katie Cline
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
Email: kcline@oceanconservancy.org

Sara Thomas
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
Email: sthomas@oceanconservancy.org

David Willett
Director, Marketing and Communications
Email: dwillett@oceanconservancy.org

Resource Development

Sarah Ahrens
Senior Manager, Development
Email: sahrens@oceanconservancy.org

Amy Fonville
Senior Manager, Member Programs
Email: afonville@oceanconservancy.org

DeAndra Hicks
Managing Director, Resource Development
Email: dhicks@oceanconservancy.org

Betty Hallman
Director, Corporate Relations
Email: bhallman@oceanconservancy.org

Matthew Lider
Regional Philanthropy Officer, Western United States  (Seattle, WA)
Email: mlider@oceanconservancy.org

Kelly Luck
Director, Foundation & Government Relations
Email: kluck@oceanconservancy.org

Carleigh McDonald 
Regional Philanthropy Officer, Eastern United States (Washington, DC)
Email: cmcdonald@oceanconservancy.org

Charlotte Meyer
Director, Planned Giving
Email: cmeyer@oceanconservancy.org

Merrie Beth Nauman
Director, Database Management
Email: mnauman@oceanconservancy.org

Administration and Finance

Robin Bailey
Manager of Administration
Email: rbailey@oceanconservancy.org

Kenneth Donaldson
Director, Finance
Email: kdonaldson@oceanconservancy.org

Brian Crowe
Assistant Director, Finance
Email: bcrowe@oceanconservancy.org

Do An Ocean of Good

Stand with us in the fight to keep the ocean healthy for marine wildlife and for the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on it.

Features

Fight for Safe Seafood

Send a clear message to the FDA that GE salmon is a threat to our dinner plates and the very future of fish. Take action.

Why the Ocean Matters

The ocean provides the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Learn more about why the ocean matters to you.  

Celebrating 40 Years of Ocean Conservation

We've worked with you to fight for a healthy ocean since 1972 — thank you for four decades of support.

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