Networking and Alumni Success
Environmental Policy graduates who have the Ocean and Coastal Resource Management specialization have done very well in the job market, with approximately 99% currently or formerly employed in the field.
IEP/OCRM Alumni Profiles
This video highlights a few graduates of the Environmental Policy & Management master’s program, most of whom have the Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) specialization—a specialization that the Center for the Blue Economy helped to establish more than 10 years ago. The CBE and our generous donors continue to support OCRM students, providing funded fellowships that offer real-world experience and key connections to launch successful careers.
The Center for the Blue Economy established the Ocean and Coastal Resource Management specialization in 2011 after consulting with hundreds of marine policy professionals in all sectors. We keep in touch with OCRM alumni once a year and are continually impressed. Alumni are routinely awarded prestigious fellowships such as NOAA Sea Grant, Fulbright, and Boren awards. Dozens of our alumni have risen to leadership positions, both domestically and abroad. Current students in the program are encouraged to reach out and chat with graduates to explore careers and gain valuable insight and connections in the field. Networking is a key component to student and alumni success at MIIS.
OCRM Alumni 2011–2025
Professional Positions as of Spring 2025
| Grad Year | Position | Employer | Former Employer/Notes |
| 2025 | CA Sea Grant | Port of San Diego | |
| 2025 | CA Sea Grant | Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary | |
| 2025 | Environmental Professional | NOAA Climate Adaptation (Alaska) | |
| 2024 | Program Assistant | Marine Conservation Institute | Formerly Sea Grant Fellow, CA Coastal Commission |
| 2024 | Job hunting! | Formerly with Regenerative Monterey | |
| 2024 | Manager of Operations | Collaborative for Right Relations | |
| 2024 | CA Sea Grant | NOAA, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary | |
| 2024 | Associate consultant | Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA) | Formerly: Advisor of the BHP Foundation, Santiago, Chile. |
| 2023 | Marine Program Associate | WildAid | |
| 2023 | CA Sea Grant | Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary | Formerly Fisheries Research Intern at Oceana working on ropeless fishing gear |
| 2023 | Coastal Program Analyst II | BCDC (SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission) | Formerly Sea Grant Fellow with the Ocean Protection Council |
| 2023 | Biological Science Assistant | Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife | Formerly: Sea Education Association, Maritime Studies Teaching Assistant |
| 2023 | CA Sea Grant | Chumash National Marine Sanctuary | |
| 2023 | Senior Project Associate | Farallones Strategies | |
| 2023 | Legal & Policy Fellow | The Waitt Institute | Formerly Climate Research Intern at the World Resources Institute |
| 2023 | PMF fellow, Environmental Protection Specialist | DOI USFWS Refuge System | Formerly: CA Sea Grant fellow at Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve; CBE Fellow at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Blue Star Program |
| 2023 | Director of Afterschool Programs | Stevenson School | Formerly: transportation planning internship at the Transportation Agency for Monterey County and Surf Instructor at the Wahine Project. |
| 2023 | Job hunting! | Formerly: Program Manager at The Ocean Foundation | |
| 2022 | Sustainable Materials Management Specialist | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | Formerly Watershed Health Program Coordinator for Inland Ocean Coalition; Formerly California Sea Grant State Fellow, Delta Stewardship Council |
| 2022 | Community Teacher/3rd Grade Head Teacher | Stevens Cooperative School | Formerly Research Fellow: Climate and Resilience Education Task Force at National Wildlife Federation |
| 2022 | Marine Science Instructor / PADI Diving Instructor | Sea|mester | Formerly Research Assistant for Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center |
| 2022 | Coastal Resilience Analyst/Planner | Hampton Roads Planning District Commission | |
| 2022 | Program Research Analyst/Philanthropy Fellow | The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | Formerly Illegal Fisheries Analyst at C4ADS |
| 2022 | Project Coordinator | SecondMuse (Regenerative Monterey Project) | Formerly Bycatch Mitigation Intern for WWF |
| 2022 | Freelance Journalist, Environmental writer | Formerly Multimedia Storyteller for Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust; Fullbright 2022 with Jiquilisco Bay Alliance in El Salvador to conduct research and help develop sustainable fisheries. | |
| 2022 | Job hunting! | Formerly Senior Associate at Nuka Research and Planning Group, LLC; formerly Coastal Geospatial Technician for the National Park Service in Anchorage, AK | |
| 2022 | Planner 1 | Permit Sonoma | Formerly Temp Permit Technician, Forestry Division of Public Works in Carmel-by-the-Sea |
| 2022 | Program Coordinator, US Regions | Environmental Defense Fund | Formerly Blue Carbon Seaweed Intern, same organization |
| 2022 | Marine Spatial Planning Manager | The Waitt Institute | Formerly Senior Associate for The Pew Charitable Trusts |
| 2022 | Environmental Planner | Planwest Partners LLC | Currently also on Board of Directors for the Monterey/Silicon Valley Chapter of Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) |
| 2022 | Research Analyst | Virgil Group | |
| 2021 | Tribal Response Program Specialist | Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Indians | Formerly a Student Project Assistant at the Meridian Institute |
| 2021 | Principal Associate, Protecting Coastal Wetlands (& PhD student) | Pew Charitable Trusts | Currently also PhD student at University of Colorado, Boulder, will specialize in wetland conservation and finance with an emphasis on carbon markets; formerly Int’l Blue Carbon Policy Consultant for Conservation International; Formerly Fair Carbon Intern at IUCN; formerly Lead Project Developer, Fair Carbon |
| 2021 | Founder and Environmental Project Manager | Ecological Insight | Currently also an Environmental Education Intern with the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy; formerly Assistant Environmental Planner, Circlepoint |
| 2021 | District Supervisor | California Coastal Commission | Formerly California Sea Grant Fellow with California State Parks; formerly Coastal Planner with CCC |
| 2021 | Job hunting! | Formerly Project Lead at the Good Food Institute; Formerly Project Management Assistant at Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions; Formerly Recruiter and Culture Builder, Wildtype (cellular ag and seafood co) | |
| 2021 | Manager, Collaborations | Climate, Transport | Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) | Formerly a Business Strategy and Partnerships at Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) |
| 2021 | Coral Reef Management Fellowship | NOVA University/NOAA, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) | Formerly Assistant Environmental Planner at Circlepoint; formerly Coastal Planning Analyst, California Coastal Commission |
| 2020 | Communications Officer (first ever-this is a new position) | Arctic Council Sustainable Development Working Group Secretariat | Formerly a Polar and Climate Programme Project Assistant for GRID-Adrenal in Norway; Formerly Research and Policy Associate with Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition |
| 2020 | Project Manager, Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability (SALT) | FishWise | Formerly a Seafood Social Risk Tool Analyst for the Monterey Bay Aquarium; Formerly an Int’l Conservation Policy Consultant for The Ocean Foundation |
| 2020 | Coastal Management Specialist | Pasay Harbor City Corp | Fomerly Resarch Intern at WWF; Formerly Marine Research Intern at Cape Eleutherea Institute |
| 2020 | Coordinator | Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center | Formerly Americorps Member at Teton Science Schools |
| 2020 | Coastal Program Analyst | California Coastal Commission | Formerly Planning Intern, same organization |
| 2020 | Climate Change Program Manager | California Ocean Protection Council | Formerly Sea Grant Fellow at CA State Coastal Conservancy |
| 2020 | Fish Culturist II | Wally Noerenberg Hatchery, Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation | Formerly Fisheries Technician III at Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation |
| 2020 | Veterinary Medicine Student | Murdoch University in Perth, Australia | Formerly Crew Supervisor/Rescue Intern at The Marine Mammal Center |
| 2020 | Marketing Manager and Educational Guide | Upwelling Sustainable Seafood Company | Formerly Marketing Assistant at TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council) in L.A., CA |
| 2020 | Senior Project Manager | Mercy Housing | Formerly Sustainable Transportation Collaboration Fellow at BSR |
| 2020 | Senior Analyst, investment evaluation team | AES Clean Energy | Formerly Sustainable Energy Consultant at GreenMax Capital Advisors; formerly Analyst, Endurant Energy (formerly GI Energy) |
| 2019 | Senior Research Associate | Oceana | Formerly Research Assistant, same organization; Formerly intern at NOAA National Marine Protected Areas Center |
| 2019 | Environmental Scientist | Integral Consulting Inc. (analysis/assessment/negotiation/design for health, environmental, and natural resources problems) | Formerly California Sea Grant Science & Policy Fellow at California State Lands Commission |
| 2019 | Director kwanini.foundation, NbS consultant | Kwanini Foundation | Formerly Boren Fellow at Boren Insitute - Mozambique (researching how natural resource management and climate change relates to political stability); Formerly Fulbright Fellow - Senegal (researching dynamics of climate impacts, focusing on coastal fishing communities) |
| 2019 | Executive Producer / Program Associate | After the Fire USA | Formerly Program Analyst for Taking Action for Living Systems; Formerly Media Specialist at Communities for a Sustainable Monterey County |
| 2019 | Senior Manager of Cloud Logistics Sustainability | Microsoft | Formerly Policy Lead at Blue Sky Maritime Coalition; Formerly Director, Global Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship at Crowley |
| 2019 | Manager - Ethics and Compliance | KPMG Norway | Formerly Graduate Student studying the Law of the Sea, at UiT - The Arctic University of Norway |
| 2019 | Supply Chain Planning Manager | Second Harvest of Silicon Valley (food security) | Formerly Replenishment Analyst at West Marine in Watsonville, CA |
| 2019 | Able Bodied Seaman | Fill-in Captain | Stabbert Maritime Holdings, LLC | Pacific Scuba Divers | Formerly a Divemaster with Bamboo Reef Enterprises in Monterey |
| 2019 | Deputy Project Manager | Denise Duffy & Associates (planning, natural resource, and environmental consulting services) | Formerly Program Manager at Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust |
| 2018 | Sustainability Coordinator | County of San Mateo | Formerly Manager at Monterey Bay Kayaks |
| 2018 | Sr. Environmental Scientist | Climate Change Programs | California Natural Resources Agency | Formerly Coastal Planner at San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission |
| 2018 | Program Manager | The Waitt Institute | Formerly Manager, Office of the CEO at Oceana |
| 2018 | Geospatial data analyst - ocean ecology | HUB Ocean | Formerly Marine Spatial Ecologist for Rare, World Wildlife Fund, and National Geographic, Fisheries Ecologist for NOAA NEFSC, Senior Marine Geospatial Modeler for NOAA NCCOS Marine Spatial Ecology Division |
| 2018 | Supervisory Park Ranger | Scissortail Park Foundation | Formerly Human Intelligence Collector at Army National Guard in Oklahoma City |
| 2018 | Institutional Giving Manager | The Marine Mammal Center | Formerly Climate Corps Fellow/ Assistant Project Manager at City of Hayward (shoreline adaptation); |
| 2018 | Program Manager | Alaska Solar LLC | Formerly Resilience Fellow, Mayors Office, Anchorage, Alaska |
| 2018 | Owner + Lead Planner | Molly Skye Events | Formerly Marketing Specialist at Fair Trade USA; Formerly Marine Program Officer at Wild Aid |
| 2018 | Nature-Based Solutions Lead for the Climate Preparedness and Resilience Community of Practice | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Formerly Coastal Program Analyst, followed by Coastal Planner, CA Coastal Commission |
| 2018 | Job hunting! | Formerly with RARE, Policy and Governance Advisor on Fisheries; Formerly with FAO working on Blue Growth Initiative | |
| 2017 | Project Manager | Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) | Formerly with Monterey Bay Aquarium, Policy Division |
| 2017 | Development & Communications Associate | Washington Water Trust | Formerly Operations Coord. For Arboretum Foundation; Operations Associate, Conservation Northwest |
| 2017 | Mediator and Program Manager | Meridian Institute (facilitation for environmental and sustainability policy) | Formerly Conservation Program Manager Santa Lucia Conservancy; |
| 2017 | Business Owner - Animal Rights Advocate/Vegan Blogger | Off the Streets, Animal Transport & Wellness | (being vegan blogger = include her as current environmental field?) |
| 2017 | Environmental Planner (primarily work on Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments in compliance with NEPA. Our main clients are BLM, USFS, and US Bureau of Reclamation) | AECOM | Formerly Policy Analyst at Univeristy of Alaska Fairbanks International Arctic Research Center ( NOAA); Natural Resource Specialist I, promoted to II, promoted to Southeast Regional Manager with Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources |
| 2017 | Job hunting! | Formerly Environmental Management Advisor for Peace Corps Jamaica; Formerly Digital Marketing Specialist, Think Beyond Plastics; Formerly H2O Innovation Coordinator, Blue Mind Life (ocean and water related non-profit) | |
| 2017 | Urban Conservation Manager | Seattle Audubon Society | Formerly Project Scientist, The Nature Conservancy |
| 2017 | West Coast Resilience Technical Assistance Specialist | NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration | Formerly Environmental Specialist II/Coastal Planner at Dudek |
| 2017 | Senior Associate II, Air Quality/GHG and Energy Services (energy services practice lead) | PlaceWorks (planning, design, and environmental firm) | Formerly Senior Air Quality Scientist at FirstCarbon Solutions |
| 2017 | Senior Wildfire Safety Policy Advisor | Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety (OEIS) | Formerly Water Resource Control Engineer at CA Water Boards Emergency Mgmt Program; Agricultural Water Management Specialist at Resource Conservation District of Monterey County |
| 2017 | Implementation Director | Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) | Former employer: University of Alaska, Fairbanks |
| 2017 | Manager | Sanctuary Rock Gym | |
| 2016 | Senior Manager, Climate Policy | Ocean Conservancy | Formerly Climate Change Program Manager at California Ocean Protection Council |
| 2016 | Senior Consultant | Celerity Consulting Group | Formerly GIS Analysist via Apex Systems for Apple |
| 2016 | Research Area Specialist Associate | Graham Sustainability Institute | Formerly Field Organizer for Yes on 1631 |
| 2016 | Vessel Manager (intl. cargo ships on Columbia River, marine resource mngmt, emergency response, marketing) | Transmarine Navigation Corporation | Concurrently, Equestrian advocate, liberty trainer; Formerly artist/performer/media spokesperson with Cavalia; a trainer/supervisor, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament; formerly EMT in the 911 system in Oregon; involved with Lower Columbia River Harbor Safety Committee and WIMOS - the Women in Maritime Operations Association, a nationwide group working to bring more women into this industry |
| 2016 | Communications Specialist | NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Marine Debris Division | Formerly Communications and Outreach Specialist at I.M. Systems Group Inc |
| 2016 | Associate Water Resources Specialist | Valley Water | Formerly Social Media Director at ESTUARY News |
| 2015 | Senior Digital Associate | Lenfest Ocean Program (part of Pew Charitible Trusts) | Formerly Outreach Coordinator, Blue Frontier Campaign (ocean advocacy group) |
| 2015 | Senior Fisheries Analyst | Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Fisheries New Zealand | Formerly Environmental Scientist at California Department of Water Resources |
| 2015 | Senior Environmental Scientist | CA State Lands Commission, Environmental Planning and Management Division (working on sea level rise policy) | Formerly NOAA Sea Grant Fellow, same organization |
| 2015 | Visiting Researcher | University of Victoria | Formerly PhD Candidate at Memorial University of Newfoundland Marine Protected Area Network Evaluation and Geography; Formerly Land Stewardship Assistant, Ostego Land Trust |
| 2015 | (Two roles—see notes) Resource Protection Specialist Affiliate, Nat’l Marine Sanctuaries (Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, and Greater Farallones ) | NOAA | Concurrently, Marine Resource Protection Program Director, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation; Formerly NOAA Sea Grant Fellow, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary |
| 2015 | Corporate Partnerships Manager | Global Ghost Gear Initiative | Formerly Coastal Program Analyst, followed by Coastal Planner, CA Coastal Commission |
| 2015 | GloLitter Partnerships Project Coordinator | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) | Formerly PhD Candidate at University of Tasmania, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies and a Consultant (variety fisheries management and plastic pollution consulting, focus in Pacific region) |
| 2015 | Southern California Transportation Program Manager | California Coastal Commission | Formerly Coastal Program Analyst II- Enforcement, CCC; formerly Senior Transportation Planner, CCC |
| 2015 | Co-Director/Co-Founder | Community Greening | Formerly Business Partner, Both Co Aquaponics |
| 2014 | Compliance and Legal Department | NORCAL Group | Formerly International Environmental Regulatory Research Analyst, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C., Autin, TX |
| 2014 | Research and Operations Associate | Kathy Macdonald Associates, Inc. (HR administrative recruiting organization) | Formerly Peace Corps Mexico |
| 2014 | Permit Supervisor, Central Coast District, California Coastal | California Coastal Commission | |
| 2014 | Senior Planner | County of Santa Barbara (land use issues including coastal management) | Formerly Planner II, same organization |
| 2014 | Conservation Programs Manager | Save the Waves Coalition | Formerly Plastic Pollution Manager The Surfrider Foundation |
| 2014 | Mariculture Program Coordinator | Southeast Conference | Currently also an Owner/Farmer & composting consultant for Takshanuk Watershed Council; formerly Interim Executive Director, Haines Economic Development Corporation |
| 2014 | Acting Manager of Environmental Sustainability (re: Climate Change Coordinator) | Huon Valley Council | Currently also Adjunct Faculty, University of Tasmania; Earned his PhD from the University of Tasmania, School of Geography and Environmental Studies (Studying climate change adaptation in the coastalscapes of southern Tasmania); Formerly National Coral Reef Management Fellow at U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Rota, Mariana Islands; |
| 2014 | Senior Associate | Environmental Incentives, LLC | Currently Co-owner at Kinship Kitchen; Formerly at The White Mountain School |
| 2014 | Adaptation Program Manager | Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions, University of Arizona | Formerly NOAA Coastal Management Fellow, Puerto Rico Coastal Zone Management Program |
| 2014 | Co-Creator, Host | Waste Not Why Not | Formerly Senior Consultant at RESET Carbon Ltd. in Taipei City |
| 2014 | Senior Staff Specialist | Bay Area Air Quality Management District | Formerly Air Quality Planner, Monterey Bay Air Resources District |
| 2014 | Senior Consultant | Implement Consulting Group | Formerly Head of International Delivery for cBrain (neuroimaging software) |
| 2014 | Envrionmental Planner | Dudek (environmental consulting firm) | Formerly ENV Permitting Coordinator at Loeven Groups, Inc. (owns or operates funeral homes and cemeteries in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom) in San Francisco |
| 2014 | Senior Associate | Environmental Incentives, LLC | Formerly Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services Consultant, Inter-American Development Bank |
| 2014 | Arborist | Orchardscapes | Formerly Farmer/Education Supervisor, Homeless Garden Project |
| 2013 | Bay Resources Analyst | San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) | Currently also a PhD Marine Policy Candidate at University of Delaware, Formerly with US Army Corps of Engineers as a NOAA Sea Grant Fellow |
| 2013 | International Policy Specialist | US Forest Service | Formerly with San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC); formerly Director (Independent Consultant), Kearns & West |
| 2013 | Director of Content Marketing | Zeplin (product design software & firm) | Formerly Integrated Marketing Manager at Comfy by Building Robotics (mission: make modern buildings more energy efficient, comfortable for humans) |
| 2013 | Microgrant Co-Manager | Our Kids Climate (International) | Formerly Lionbridge (translation & localization company); Formerly Llikchary Institute, Ecuador (mission: protect rain forest and indigenous culture) |
| 2013 | Equity and Policy Manager | Portland Water Bureau | Formerly Director of Governance and Policy and Senior Manager of Ocean Health Index at Conservation International |
| 2013 | Land Protection Manager | Triangle Land Conservancy (mission: get people out into preserves and into nature) | Formerly with South Carolina Environmental Law Project |
| 2013 | Foreign Affairs Officer | U.S. Department of State | Formerly International Affairs Specialist at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) |
| 2013 | Fisheries Consultant | Nordenfjeldske Development Services (NFDS) | Formerly Consultant at TRAFFIC: Conducts intelligence gathering at wildlife markets in South Africa to analyze the scale of the illegal wildlife trade at major urban centers; Streamlines information sharing between customs officers from ten different countries at major customs workshop in China. |
| 2013 | Writer, Editor, Strategist | Self-Employed | Formerly California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF |
| 2013 | Senior Manager, Project Delivery, Marine, Gender and Safeguards Specialist | Conservation International | |
| 2013 | Impact Project Manager | University of California Office of the President | Formerly Operations Project Manager at CelLink Corporation; formerly Program Project Manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS) |
| 2012 | Lecturer | California State University, Monterey Bay | Formerly with County of Monterey |
| 2012 | Senior Manager, Corporate Climate Solutions | Conservation International | Formerly with Lestari Capital, Before that with World Resources Institute |
| 2012 | Disabled | Formerly with Paddle On/ Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC) | |
| 2012 | VP of Enterprise Operations | The Reynolds Group | Formerly with Stevenson School, Pebble Beach; Formerly Friends of Sea Otters |
| 2012 | Senior Director, Marine Program | Pacific Environment | Formerly Marine Program Senior Manager at WildAid (SF) |
| 2011 | Policy Coordinator | Surfrider Foundation | Formerly with California Coastal Commission |