Webinar May 22 | Women in Ocean Impact: Taking Action to Create Solutions | Register Now!
ABOUT SEA FORWARD
Mission
We support innovative and effective solutions in the ocean space with a focus on sustainable aquaculture, science-based monitoring tools, circular economy, biodiversity, climate,
and regenerative nature-based solutions.
We develop a learning community around the most important ocean issues facing our world with the intent to foster collaboration that will accelerate positive change for our ocean.
Core Beliefs
Connection
We are inextricably connected with the natural world. Our own health relies on a healthy environment and ocean.
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Learning
By understanding how natural systems work, we can learn to do a better job of taking care of our planet’s life support system.
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Perspective
Having a sense of wonder, hope, and purpose are essential for making the changes we want to see in the world.
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Leadership
Being an early adopter and putting yourself out there as an example, even if it is uncomfortable, is almost always worth the risk.
Meet the Team
Laura Francis
Fund Director
A marine biologist and educator for the past 30 years, Laura has dedicated her professional career to ocean conservation. She worked at NOAA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary for 27 years in education and outreach. More recently, she turned her focus to making a deeper impact through philanthropy and impact investing. She is passionate about supporting a healthy, sustainable ocean and strives to make impact investing more collaborative, accessible, and inclusive. To this end, she joined Toniic, a global action community for impact investors, and recently set up the collaborative multi-donor Sea Forward Ocean Health Fund at ImpactAssets, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. She leads ocean working groups at Toniic and Rachel’s Network.
Nicole Wald
Communications & Marketing Strategist
Nicole is a charismatic content strategist, producer, and educator. Nicole's clients depend on her to build sustainable communications infrastructure and promote memorable brand stories that engage and empower their audiences to make a difference in the world. She often employs her skills with organizations that focus on educating youth as well as those that work to create environmental solutions, like Sea Forward.
Mara Booth
Communications Intern
Mara joins us while working towards her Master's at UCSB Bren School of Environmental Science and Management with Specializations in Coastal Marine Resources and Business and Sustainability. With a rich background in academic research, project management, and outreach, Mara brings a genuine passion for the ocean, nurtured through her experiences as a dive instructor and sailing captain. She's enthusiastic about exploring ocean impact investing and looks forward to contributing her unique perspective to our team.