Marine & Oceanic Sustainability Foundation Appoints a New Board Member

WILMINGTON, Del. - Dec. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- The Marine & Oceanic Sustainability Foundation (MOSF), a Delaware-based marine conservation nonprofit, today announced the appointment of Shilpi Chhotray to the organization’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Ms. Chhotray’s appointment expands the Board to 7 directors.

“MOSF is committed to building a strong Board of Directors, which is comprised of talented individuals that are dedicated to the promotion of successful marine conservation initiatives. We are delighted to have Ms. Chhotray join the MOSF team, her considerable talents and expertise in marine science and policy will be a great asset to our growing organization,” said Jennifer Pitzer, Managing Director of MOSF. “We appreciate her willingness to serve as a director and look forward to benefitting from her experience, expertise and enthusiasm.”

Shilpi Chhotray is a Manager of Stakeholder Engagement at Future 500 in San Francisco, CA. Future 500 is a global nonprofit specializing in stakeholder engagement and building bridges between parties at odds. She has seven years of experience related to marine science and policy, with a focus in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, federal marine policy, and ocean exploration. Ms. Chhotray has worked with NGOs, government entities, and the private sector to develop solutions for often challenging environmental problems. Prior to joining Future 500, Shilpi worked for Blue Earth Consultants, where she consulted on high priority projects for ocean protection, including supporting the development of a marine protected area implementation plan for the state of California. At Ocean Gate, she developed underwater submersible programs for research scientists, policy-makers, filmmakers, educators and youth to witness marine ecosystem dynamics first-hand.

Ms. Chhotray holds a Master of Earth and Environmental Resources Management, with a concentration in Marine Affairs, from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy and Planning from Virginia Tech University. While in graduate school, she conducted a thesis on marine protected areas and community-based involvement in the Carolinas region of the United States. During this time, she was a climate outreach research assistant for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Sea Grant program where she worked on climate adaptation strategies with stakeholder engagement.

Ms. Chhotray joins MOSF’s existing Board of Directors:

·       Armin Afsahi, Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Community Engagement at the University of California, San Diego

·       Kim Brown, a UK-based business owner, serial entrepreneur, consultant, and author. Kim and her family are current sailing around the world on a 56’ Oyster sailboat.

·       B.R. McConnon, III, founder, Chairman, and CEO of DDC Advocacy, an international full-service advocacy firm in Washington, D.C.

·       David Pitzer, Vice President and CIO of Frederick Mutual Insurance in Frederick, Maryland

·       Dr. Tiffany Moisan, Oceanogrpaher and Research Physical Scientist in the Hydrological Sciences Lab at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Wallops Island, Virginia

·       Rosemarie Watkins, retired, former Director of International Policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington, D.C.

About the Marine & Oceanic Sustainability Foundation

   Founded in 2013, the Marine & Oceanic Sustainability Foundation (MOSF) is a Delaware non-profit dedicated to the positive global promotion of successful marine conservation and education initiatives. MOSF researches and documents proven, successful marine conservation projects that balance ocean health and human prosperity. With the support of public and private sector partners, projects are selected for documentation and replication based on a model that evaluates financial feasibility, long-term sustainability, and the use of scientifically sound practices. MOSF engages coastal communities, at a grassroots level, to ensure that project implementations are culturally sensitive, community-driven and receive the support they need to thrive.