Alison Rowe has joined the Waitt Institute as a Program Manager. In this role, Alison will manage the Blue Prosperity Vanuatu program, a partnership between the government of the Republic of Vanuatu and the Waitt Institute. She will spend part of her time in Vanuatu working directly with government officials and local stakeholders to advance Marine Spatial Planning, grow the Blue Economy, and support sustainable fisheries initiatives.
In 2019, Alison went back to school at Scripps Institution of Oceanography to pursue an interdisciplinary graduate degree that would help her get a job in marine conservation. She discovered sustainable fisheries policy and science, which quickly became an area of interest. For her master’s project, she partnered with San Diego’s fishing community to tell ocean-to-table stories of their sustainable seafood products.
After graduating, she was awarded a 2021 California Sea Grant State Fellowship with the Ocean Conservation Policy Team at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She supported research, policy development, and strategic communications around fisheries and aquaculture regulations, marine renewable energy, protected species, marine sanctuaries, and the climate-ocean nexus. She managed a campaign to rally nationwide support for increased marine protection and advocated for science-based ocean management at the state and federal levels.
Prior to joining the Waitt Institute, Alison led the Marine Biodiversity and Conservation summer course for graduate students at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She taught students from all over the world and fostered an inclusive, collaborative learning environment during the 10-week intensive course.
Alison is an accomplished educator, with over a decade of teaching experience. Earlier in her career, she taught high school science and math, led environmental education programs, and managed college access programs. Her facilitation, strategic planning, and project management skills along with her ability to connect with diverse groups will be assets in her new role.