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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 Manager
As the Social Responsibility Program Manager, Melissa oversees the implementation and evolution of the Human Rights and Social Responsibility (HRSR) Policy, engaging with Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) implementers, industry stakeholders, and NGOs to drive meaningful change in supply chains. She supports the organization to work with the larger seafood community to integrate human rights and social responsibility into FIPs—and fisheries more broadly—ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and progress that drive on-the-water-impact for fishers and their communities. 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, working with communities on the ground in Mexico, Belize and the Philippines.
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 supports the review of materials from FIP implementers 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 in a variety of environmental roles, including supporting intergovernmental coordination on marine planning, shellfish sanitation, environmental restoration, and inquiry-based science and sustainability programs aboard 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 family and two dogs, 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
Director of Strategic Engagement
Jamie brings more than sixteen years of experience working with producers, workers, and buyers in global food supply chains to implement systems to improve working conditions and livelihoods. For twelve of those sixteen years, Jamie worked with the storied United Farm Workers of America, where she led efforts to expand collective bargaining within the highly vulnerable US agricultural workforce. Her background offered the opportunity to witness several compelling examples of the strong business case to be made for investing in frontline workers and small producers. She is passionate about market recognition for worker and producer innovation, peer to peer learning in worker and producer communities, and strong systems for continuous improvement.
Favorite Ocean Activity: Kayaking and lounging on the beach
Gabby Petrelli
Deputy Program Manager
As Program Manager, Gabby ensures FisheryProgress continues to provide transparent and credible information for the seafood industry. She supports FisheryProgress’ strategic goals by overseeing program operations, including FIP review processes, partner management, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring & evaluation. Gabby earned a B.A. in Environmental Science from Northwestern University and has a decade of experience in environmental nonprofit program management. Prior to FishChoice, she worked for the Shedd Aquarium and the Alliance for the Great Lakes, where she developed and executed community and business engagement programs focused on sustainable seafood, plastic pollution, and climate change. Based in Chicago, Gabby enjoys exploring the city’s restaurant and music scenes, hanging out along Lake Michigan, and spoiling her black cat, Violet.
Favorite Ocean Activity: Whale watching
Favorite Seafood Dish: Hamachi nigiri
Mary Stevens
Associate Director of Technology and Design
Mary is the Associate Director of Technology and Design at FishChoice where she works to highlight and further the organization’s mission through accessible and creative user-centric design, innovative tech solutions, and strategic partnerships. 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 enjoys a number of creative outlets as an artist (utilizing recycled materials whenever possible), exploring with her dog Pokey, analogue technology, and an ever expanding music collection.
Favorite Ocean Movie: JAWS
Favorite Ocean Activity: Paddleboarding, Snorkeling