Society for Conservation Biology

As Chief Scientist, Kathryn (Katie) is responsible for ensuring Oceana’s campaigns are informed by the best and most current scientific understanding, tracking emerging issues, advising on strategic direction, and supporting more than 50 staff scientists across the organization’s offices in 12 fishing nations.

She also heads the Science and Strategy department at Oceana’s international headquarters, including teams focused on transparency in ocean governance, programmatic monitoring and evaluation, and the role of fisheries in livelihoods and nutrition. She also leads Oceana’s development of new campaign teams in Ghana, Malaysia, and Senegal.

Prior to Oceana, Katie led a marine conservation and sustainable fisheries grantmaking program at The Pew Charitable Trusts, advocated for better tuna fisheries management with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, and served as a science fellow at both the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Congress.

She has an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in Earth and Environmental Science and a B.Sc. in Geological Sciences from Tufts University.

Liz Karan leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ campaign to address gaps in ocean governance through meaningful international cooperation. She focuses on developing policy mechanisms to protect the ocean’s natural assets and address negative human impacts on marine ecosystems at the United Nations, International Seabed Authority, Convention on Biological Diversity, and World Trade Organization.

Karan previously led Pew’s effort to secure a new legally binding agreement to protect high seas biodiversity and has worked on aquaculture reform, global shark conservation, Southern Ocean protections, and other international marine initiatives.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Mount Holyoke College and a master’s in international environmental policy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Gonzalo “Gonzo” Araujo is a marine scientist and conservationist working on the ecology, biology, and conservation of threatened marine megafauna, with a particular focus on sharks. Over the past 15 years, his work has centered on the Endangered whale shark, contributing to global knowledge, management strategy development, and conservation implementation.

In 2020, Gonzalo founded the UK-based Marine Research and Conservation Foundation (MARECO), which collaborates with NGOs, governments, research institutions, and local communities globally. He is a member of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, a 2017 Kinship Conservation Fellow, and a Postdoctoral Associate Researcher at Qatar University.

Paolo Fanciulli, known as “Paolo il Pescatore,” was born in the fishing village of Talamone in Tuscany, Italy. He has spent his life as an artisanal fisherman fighting illegal fishing and protecting marine ecosystems.

In 2012, Paolo launched La Casa dei Pesci (The House of Fish), placing dozens of monumental underwater marble sculptures off the coast of the Maremma Natural Park to prevent illegal inshore trawling. The area is now thriving with marine life.

He is also working to protect octopuses by creating habitat from terracotta amphorae decorated by school students. In 2026, National Geographic named him one of 33 changemakers worldwide.

Helen Webb is Co-Founder of Sea-Changers, a UK charity supporting grassroots marine conservation through small grants to locally led projects. Her role spans fundraising, volunteer management, and the development of effective grant programs. Drawing on a professional background in equality, diversity, and inclusion, she works to broaden participation in protecting the UK’s coasts and seas. She was awarded an MBE in 2023 for services to marine conservation.

Rachel Lopata is Co-Founder of Sea-Changers, established to fund locally driven marine conservation initiatives. With a career background in community engagement and consultation, she sees community action as a vital component of conservation. Her role includes developing funding partnerships and growing the charity’s income sustainably. She was awarded an MBE in 2023 for services to marine conservation.

April is Executive Manager of the Conservation Leadership Programme, a global partnership that equips the next generation of conservation leaders with the skills, support, and resources needed to deliver biodiversity conservation. A biologist by training, she brings 14 years of experience leading international conservation partnerships and grant programs across marine fisheries and aquaculture, wetlands, and forest ecosystems.

Stuart Paterson is Chief Executive Officer of The Rufford Foundation, a UK grant-making charity that supports students, researchers and conservation practitioners through small grants, and locally led conservation organisations through multi-year core funding. With over 20 years' experience in the conservation sector, he has extensive expertise in grant-making, conservation leadership, organisational development, and developing strategic partnerships to advance collaborative conservation.

Dr. Shaili Johri is President of the Society for Conservation Biology’s Marine Program, Chair of IMCC8, a Pew Marine Conservation Fellow, and a Research Scientist at Stanford University. Through SCB-Marine, she has expanded small-grant opportunities and strengthened pathways for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in marine conservation. Her research integrates conservation genomics, AI, and policy to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Mastak is Programme Director at Becht Foundation, where she is responsible for strategy and development of a grants portfolio protecting and restoring biodiversity through marine conservation and climate communications. She has 10 years of experience in product marketing, sales, and business development in the consumer goods and nonprofit sectors and holds degrees from Delhi University, Manchester Business School, and INSEAD.

Jessie McGrath is the Senior Program Manager for the Bloomberg Ocean Fund, covering the 30x30 in national waters and fisheries transparency portfolios.

Markus Knigge has been Executive Director of Blue Action Fund and Chair of its Management Board since the foundation’s inception in 2017. He oversees the organization and its grant program and serves as Germany’s representative to the governance committee of the G20 Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform.

Previously, Markus built The Pew Charitable Trusts’ European Marine Programme and led efforts to end overfishing in the European Union. He has also held roles with WWF and the Ecologic Institute.

Emma is a conservation scientist and philanthropic advisor with experience designing international grant portfolios, managing advocacy coalitions, and building organizational strategies. At Arcadia, she substantially increased the marine portfolio and helped expand support for seascape restoration, Oceans 5, and the Joint 30x30 Funding Initiative. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Oxford in evidence-based conservation.

Mariko Powers is a Program Officer at Oceankind, where she oversees grantmaking related to fisheries sustainability, marine habitat protections, and coastal ecosystem conservation. She also serves on several philanthropic advisory boards, including Oceans 5, Biodiversity Funders Group, the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance, and the 30x30 Southeast Asia Ocean Fund.

Meg Caldwell dedicated her career to ocean and coastal protection. She directed Stanford’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program and helped found the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions. Her public service included leadership on the California Coastal Commission and work following the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

At the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, she led ocean philanthropy, initiated funding for ocean-based climate solutions, chaired Oceans 5, and helped develop the Foundation’s first human rights policy. She continues advancing conservation and climate action through nonprofit board service.