Janis Searles to join Oceana as Regional Counsel/Senior Policy Advisor for the Pacific - Oceana

Janis Searles to join Oceana as Regional Counsel/Senior Policy Advisor for the Pacific

Press Release Date: October 6, 2009

Location: Juneau, AK

Contact:

Anna Baxter | email: abaxter@oceana.org
Anna Baxter

Today, Oceana announced the hiring of Janis Searles as Regional Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor in its North Pacific Office. Formerly with Earthjustice and a summa cum laude graduate of Northwestern School of Law, Searles brings nearly a decade of experience in environmental litigation and advocacy.

“Great teams are founded on great players, and Janis is MVP level. We are thrilled to have her join our Pacific team,” said Jim Ayers, Senior Director of the North Pacific Office. “Janis has excelled at applying the law on behalf of environmental protection, but in her new role she will have greater responsibility for policy advocacy as well. She will be an enormous asset to fulfilling Oceana’s mission to restore and protect the world’s oceans.”

The move for Searles also helps promote the cooperative work among environmental organizations. “Though we’ll certainly miss her, we are happy for Janis and glad that she’ll still be working on these important issues,” said Eric Jorgenson, managing attorney for Earthjustice in Juneau. “I look forward to working with Janis in her new role at Oceana as both organizations continue to promote ocean protection and healthy marine ecosystems.”

Searles, formerly from Alaska, now resides in Portland, OR where Oceana will be opening an office this summer. She will begin with Oceana on May 1, 2003, and will work on issues of importance to the Pacific coast from California to Alaska.

Oceana is a non-profit international advocacy organization dedicated to restoring and protecting the world’s oceans through policy advocacy, science, law and public education. Founded in 2001, Oceana’s constituency includes members and activists from more than 150 countries and territories who are committed to saving the world’s marine environment. In 2002, the American Oceans Campaign became part of Oceana’s international effort to protect ocean eco-systems, thereby extending our outreach in the United States. Oceana, headquartered in Washington, D.C., has additional offices in key U.S. coastal areas, a South American office in Santiago, Chile, and will open a European office in fall of 2003. For more information, please visit www.Oceana.org.