About Us – Ocean Science Trust

About Us

We are dedicated to accelerating progress towards a healthy and productive ocean future for California. Created by state legislation, we bridge the gap between cutting-edge scientific research and sound ocean management.

What we stand for

LINKED TO THE STATE.

Our organization is novel. We are an independent non-profit created by a California statute that recognized the value of independent science to support decisions.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS.

We see diversity, equity and inclusion as central to our organizational philosophy and culture and imperative to our mission. Learn more here.

FINDING COMMON GROUND.

Connecting government, science, and communities is hard—and the reason for our existence. We work across traditional boundaries to build trust.

MAKING SCIENCE USEFUL.

We empower broad participation in policy and management decisions with useful, reliable science.

PARTNERS IN GOOD GOVERNANCE.

Our position—independent of academia and the state but linked to both—is a new model for the future of science-informed policy.

STUDENTS OF OUR OWN WORK.

We reflect on our progress, and incorporate diverse perspectives to improve our work. We lay a pathway for science, and walk down it together.

OUR LINK TO CALIFORNIA

Ocean Science Trust was created by the California Ocean Resources Stewardship Act (CORSA). First passed in 2000, an update to our founding legislation in 2022 (AB2287) reaffirms our continued value to the state. Recognizing the value of independent science and the opportunity to better connect the wealth of scientific expertise in academia with policy and management decisions in the state, CORSA mandates the creation of a science trust ‘to seek and provide funding for ocean resource science projects and to encourage coordinated, multiagency, multi-institution approaches to ocean resource science’. Every day the Ocean Science Trust team is committed to implementing this important legislation.

OUR PEOPLE

Team

We’re proud to bring together thinkers and doers from a rich array of disciplines: natural and social sciences, technology, policy, communications and more. Our team is located in our headquarters location in Sacramento, as well as the broader San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Cruz.

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Dr. Brie Lindsey
Deputy Director
she/her/hers

Dr. Jill Harris
Senior Science Fellow: California Ocean & Coast Report Card
she/her/hers

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Dr. Lauren Linsmayer
Senior Science Officer
she/her/hers

A young white woman with dark blonde hair smiles at the camera. She wears a brown blazer and glasses.

Monica LeFlore
Science Officer
she/her/hers

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Dr. Heidi Waite
Science Officer
she/her/hers

A young white man with blond hair smiles at the camera. He stands in front of a blurry tree and wears a dark blue button-down shirt.

Kevin Travis
Science Officer
he/him/his

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Kiya Bibby
Senior Science Officer
she/her/hers

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Lori Zook
Director of Finance & Administration
she/her/hers

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Dr. Liz Whiteman
Executive Director
she/her/hers

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Emma Stone
Administrative & IT Coordinator
they/them/theirs

Board

Our Board positions us for the greatest possible impact. The Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency and the Director of Finance each appoint one trustee. The Natural Resources Secretary receives nominations for the remaining seven trustees and appoints them as follows: three trustees represent the California State University and the University of California; two trustees represent ocean and coastal interest groups of the state; and two trustees represent the general public. In addition, by virtue of office or position, our Board contains ex officio members.

Rafael Catellano
Partner, Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP

Karen Mogus
Chief Deputy Director, State Water Resources Control Board

Michele Perrault
Chief Deputy Director of Policy, California Department of Finance

Jenn Eckerle
Executive Director, Ocean Protection Council

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Dr. Alexis Jackson
Associate Director, Oceans Program, The Nature Conservancy, California chapter

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Dr. Karina Nielsen
Director, Oregon Sea Grant

Dr. Phil Taylor
Emeritus Associate Dean for Research Advancement Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, USC

Margaret Spring
Chief Conservation and Science Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Dr. Margaret Leinen
Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences, UCSD; Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Dr. Gary Griggs
Distinguished Professor of Earth & Planetary Sciences, UCSC

ACCOUNTABILITY

We are a tax-exempt, 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with support from the state, academic institutions, federal government, philanthropy and private industry. We hold ourselves accountable to all our funders and supporters. Thank you for trusting us with wise, respectful and effective use of your funding and contributions.

Vision & Impact

2020 Impact Report
2020 Strategic Vision
2000 CORSA legislation
2022 CORSA amendment
2025 Strategic Vision

Reports to the Legislature

2008-09 Report to the Legislature
2009-12 Report to the Legislature
2012-14 Report to the Legislature
2014-16 Report to the Legislature
2016-17 Report to the Legislature
2017-19 Report to the Legislature
2020 Report to the Legislature PDF
2021 Report to the Legislature PDF
2022 Report to the Legislature PDF
2023 Report to the Legislature PDF

Form 990

990 2011
990 2012
990 2013
990 2014
990 2015
990 2016
990 2017
990 2018
990 2019
990 2020
990 2021
990 2022
990 2023

What we stand for

LINKED TO THE STATE.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS.

FINDING COMMON GROUND.

MAKING SCIENCE USEFUL.

PARTNERS IN GOOD GOVERNANCE.

STUDENTS OF OUR OWN WORK.

OUR LINK TO CALIFORNIA

OUR PEOPLE

Dr. Brie LindseyDeputy Directorshe/her/hers

Dr. Jill HarrisSenior Science Fellow: California Ocean & Coast Report Cardshe/her/hers

Dr. Lauren LinsmayerSenior Science Officershe/her/hers

Monica LeFloreScience Officershe/her/hers

Dr. Heidi WaiteScience Officershe/her/hers

Kevin TravisScience Officerhe/him/his

Kiya BibbySenior Science Officershe/her/hers

Lori ZookDirector of Finance & Administrationshe/her/hers

Dr. Liz WhitemanExecutive Directorshe/her/hers

Emma StoneAdministrative & IT Coordinatorthey/them/theirs

Rafael CatellanoPartner, Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP

Karen MogusChief Deputy Director, State Water Resources Control Board

Michele PerraultChief Deputy Director of Policy, California Department of Finance

Jenn EckerleExecutive Director, Ocean Protection Council

Dr. Alexis JacksonAssociate Director, Oceans Program, The Nature Conservancy, California chapter

Dr. Karina NielsenDirector, Oregon Sea Grant

Dr. Phil TaylorEmeritus Associate Dean for Research Advancement Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, USC

Margaret SpringChief Conservation and Science Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Dr. Margaret LeinenVice Chancellor for Marine Sciences, UCSD; Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Dr. Gary GriggsDistinguished Professor of Earth & Planetary Sciences, UCSC