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Richard Boot
Chief Executive Officer
As founder and CEO of FishChoice, Richard is responsible for ensuring that FishChoice remains a leader in the creation of tools for industry and conservation organizations. His chief responsibility is to maintain a team that delivers true value for conservation. Prior to founding FishChoice in 2008, Richard helped to build FishWise (another conservation organization) by designing programs for seafood retailers and a mercury labeling program. Richard serves on the Steering Committee for the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions and was a Seafood Champion finalist in 2016. He spent 12 years in the hospitality industry as a chef, manager and seafood buyer for independent and corporate restaurants including Chart House and Landrys. Richard Graduated from the University of California and Santa Barbara with a B.A. in business economics.
Richard became involved in conservation because he believes that humans have a direct responsibility to preserve the planet in which we live. He has a love of seafood and believes that there are many advancements that the seafood industry can make in wild capture and aquaculture technologies to create sustainable food sources for humans.
Favorite Seafood Dish: Ceviche - with an ice-cold beer
Favorite Ocean Activity: Surfing and skipping rocks
Melissa Luna
Social Responsibility Program Associate
As the Social Responsibility Program Associate for FishChoice, Melissa supports the implementation, revision and clarification of the FisheryProgress Human Rights and Social Responsibility (HRSR) Policy. Specifically, she provides guidance and training for Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) reporting on www.fisheryprogress.org to meet HRSR Policy requirements, and supports stakeholder consultation processes, research, as well as identifying and tracking challenges and opportunities for program improvement. In addition, she engages in external projects to support HRSR Policy implementation and to build understanding of social responsibility and due diligence in the seafood movement more broadly. Prior to joining FishChoice, Melissa worked as an independent consultant integrating human rights based and gender-responsive approaches into global environmental programming, including the fisheries sector.
Favorite Ocean Activity: SCUBA diving and freediving in tropical warm waters and soaking up the sun during surface interval
Favorite Seafood Dish: Either ‘tiritas de pescado’ (a style of Mexican ceviche) or oysters on the half shell with a glass of crisp, dry white wine
Chase Martin
Communications Manager
Chase manages communications and marketing efforts for FishChoice and FisheryProgress. Prior to joining FishChoice, he held communications roles with Scripps Institution of Oceanography, FishWise, and Conservation International. Chase is passionate about marine conservation and stewardship, particularly marine resource management and sustainability, and loves navigating the communications landscape of the complex global seafood industry.
He holds an A.B.J. in Journalism from the University of Georgia and a M.A.S. in Marine Biodiversity & Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. When not working to communicate sustainable seafood, Chase spends his time fishing, kayaking, painting, and cooking.
Favorite Ocean Activity: Freediving and Fishing
Favorite Seafood Dish: Hard to choose, but oysters on the half shell are a particular favorite
Marisa Nixon
Fishery Improvement Project Analyst
Marisa works with the other fishery improvement project (FIP) analysts at FishChoice to review materials from FIP implementers who are working toward environmental and social improvements in their respective fisheries, ensuring that their data is up-to-date and accurate on FisheryProgress. Prior to joining FishChoice, Marisa worked with the West Coast Ocean Alliance and West Coast Ocean Data Portal, where she supported state governments, tribal governments, and federal agencies in coordination on marine planning and data sharing projects on the West Coast of the U.S. She has also worked in shellfish sanitation, environmental restoration, and inquiry-based science and sustainability programs for youth aboard several different sailing vessels. Marisa has a Bachelor of Science in Resource Economics from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington. She is currently based in Corvallis, Oregon, where she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her dog, Misha, and steadily replacing her lawn with flowers, vegetables and native plants. She also likes to home-can Oregon-caught Albacore!
Favorite Ocean Activity: Sailing
Favorite Seafood Dish: Freshly dug clams steamed with white wine, butter, and lots of garlic.
Jamie Padilla
Human Rights Transparency Manager
As the Human Right Social Responsibility Manager for FishChoice, Jamie leads the operationalizing of the FisheryProgress HRSR Policy, and the continuous improvement of the organization’s strategy for facilitating impact for fishers and fishing communities through its implementation. Jamie brings 15 years of experience working with farm workers in 8 different countries, in roles that span from organizing and campaigning to collectively bargain, to managing programs that engage the whole supply chain to drive improvements in agricultural labor and farm worker wellbeing. While new to the seafood space, Jamie suspects that much like in agriculture, change at scale in this sector will require a multitude of approaches and folks working at different levels. Jamie is passionate about inclusive program development, effective models of problem solving and grievance resolution, and mechanisms that facilitate worker voice both in and beyond the workplace.
Favorite Ocean Activity: Kayaking and lounging on the beach
Gabby Petrelli
Deputy Program Manager
As the Deputy Program Manager for FishChoice, Gabby supports both the FishChoice and FisheryProgress platforms. Prior to joining the FishChoice team, Gabby served as the Conservation Action Coordinator for Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where she led the aquarium’s plastic pollution and sustainable seafood programs. She enjoys inspiring volunteers, businesses and the public to take action on behalf of the environment and believes one of the best places to start is with the food on your plate. Gabby holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Northwestern University. Gabby is based in Chicago, where she enjoys exploring the city’s restaurant and music scenes, visiting Lake Michigan’s many beaches, and playing tennis.
Favorite Ocean Activity: Whale watching
Favorite Seafood Dish: Miso glazed sablefish
Jeremy Rude
FisheryProgress Program Manager
Jeremy ensures that the information on FisheryProgress is consistent, accurate, and credible. He works with the implementers of Fishery Improvement Projects to share their status and progress with potential buyers, so that buyers can make informed seafood sourcing choices. Jeremy has 10 years of experience in marine science and conservation, with specialized experience in fisheries management, strategy development, and data analysis. He holds a Master’s degree in Coastal Marine Resource Management from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Favorite Seafood Dish: Peruvian ceviche with leche de tigre
Favorite Ocean Activity: Happy hour sailing somewhere warm to the tune of bossa nova
Kristin Sherwood
Program Director
Kristin leads FisheryProgress.org, FishChoice’s fishery improvement project (FIP) tracking website, and works to increase industry adoption of the site globally, builds key partner relationships and fosters new innovations for the site. She also supports strategic planning, impact tracking and funder relationships for FishChoice more broadly. Kristin has more than 20 years of experience in international marine and coastal conservation, and before joining FishChoice, she ran the Conservation Partnership Initiative for The Nature Conservancy, where she created in-person and online training programs supporting the development of smart, sustainable partnerships. Prior to that, for six years, Kristin was a Program Officer for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s Conservation & Science Program, and earlier in her career, she worked with IUCN’s marine program in Washington, DC. She spent a number of years living and working in Central America and in the Central and Western Pacific where she really began to understand the need for conservation efforts that support the livelihoods of people and communities. Kristin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Virginia Tech and a Master’s degree in Environmental Resource Management from James Cook University in Australia. Kristin lives in Fort Collins, CO and has a husband and two young daughters that are also avid fish-spotters.
Favorite Ocean Activity: Snorkeling & diving on coral reefs
Favorite Seafood Dish: Tie between ceviche and Hawaiian poke
Mary Stevens
Senior Designer
Mary is the Lead Graphic and UX Designer at FishChoice, working to highlight and further the organization’s mission through creative design solutions for its two online platforms, as well as creating their supplemental marketing and resource materials. Prior to joining Fishchoice in 2015, Mary worked as the Digital Content Manager for the City of Boston, creating digital content and constituent communications, and managing updates to Boston.gov. It was during this time that she became interested in sustainable food issues while assisting on projects for the Office of Food Initiatives. Mary graduated with a B.A. in International Relations from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Outside of work, Mary pursues a number of creative outlets as an artist, utilizing recycled materials whenever possible, and enjoys creating pieces that focus on highlighting the beauty and humor in things traditionally deemed as ugly, weird, or dated.
Favorite Ocean Movie: JAWS
Favorite Ocean Activity: Paddleboarding, Snorkeling