People & Partner Type: Oceana Staff

Leslie joined Oceana in July 2014 and supports the Legal Department as a Corporate Governance and Compliance Manager. A New Orleans native with sixteen years of experience working in Washington DC law firms, Leslie’s previous work primarily focused on regulatory and litigation practice areas. Leslie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Certificate of … Read more

Lara Levison brings her extensive knowledge of policy-making processes, gained through experience in the non-profit and governmental sectors, to Oceana. As a policy advisor for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Levison was deeply involved in the development of major energy and environmental legislation. Joining her team in 2001, Levison’s experience spanned Rep. Pelosi’s positions as Appropriations Committee … Read more

From an early age I have enjoyed exploring the marine environment of the Dutch coast; growing up by the North Sea allowed me to be in close contact with sea creatures, like plaice, common shrimp and jelly fish. Marine life continues to fascinate me, as beautifully described by Jacques Cousteau: “The sea, once it casts … Read more

Brianne is the Pacific GIS Analyst in Oceana’s Juneau, Alaska office. Her GIS, mapping, and analytical expertise support Oceana’s campaigns from the Arctic to the California Current. Her work has helped win victories such as stopping offshore drilling in the Arctic or protecting important areas in the Bering Strait. She has also worked extensively on … Read more

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the marine world. From the magic of vibrant coral reefs to the mysterious waters of the ocean deep, I am awed by the ocean’s complex ecosystems and the diverse creatures that compose them. As more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by ocean, it is a … Read more

Ben Enticknap is Oceana’s Pacific Campaign Manager and Senior Scientist, based in Portland, Oregon. With a focus on marine science and policy, he has helped Oceana successfully protect critical habitat for Pacific leatherback sea turtles, establish marine reserves and protected areas off the Oregon coast, and advance responsible fishing practices. Ben currently serves on the … Read more

Family vacations to various California aquariums captivated my mind and heart. Since then, all I ever wanted to do was become a marine biologist and study our ocean’s awe-inspiring marine mammals. As an undergrad at the University of California Santa Barbara, I studied Aquatic Biology and was selected to spend a semester in Australia learning … Read more

Geoff Shester is Oceana’s California Campaign Director based in Oceana’s Monterey office and working with Oceana’s Pacific Team.  After completing a double major in Biology and Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Geoff Shester interned for the Exxon Valdez Restoration Office in Anchorage, Alaska and then landed his first big job at Oceana’s first … Read more

Since I grew up in a small town in New York where the closest body of water was of the fresh – rather than salty – variety, I looked forward to our family vacations to the sea.  Spending hours at the beach without a care in the world is the best way to really relax … Read more

Being close to water has always been a truly revitalizing experience for me. I was born and raised in Bulgaria and I’ve never known a Bulgarian who didn’t go to the Black Sea beaches during the hot summer months. My parents were fortunate to own a summer house in the northern part of the coast … Read more