A New Years Resolution Focused on the Oceans

Starting out 2021 blue? We are. Focusing in on the blue economy and ocean preservation @ AltaSea. Join Giving Pledge Philanthropist Melanie Lundquist & LA City Councilmember Joe Buscaino for a deep blue discussion.

The webinar will focus on the importance of ocean economy and sustainability incubators like AltaSea, and the importance of giving to organizations dedicated to finding 21st century solutions to one of the most pressing issues in the world today: climate change.

Panelists

Melanie Lundquist is one of Southern California’s most significant and active philanthropists and a respected voice on philanthropic issues. Melanie and her husband, Richard, are both signatories of The Giving Pledge, a commitment created by Bill & Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett to give the majority of their wealth to address some of society’s most pressing problems. They have appeared four times on The Philanthropy 50, the annual list of the nation’s 50 most generous philanthropists published by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The couple has pledged more than $325 million over the last decade to support various education, cultural initiatives, and health care efforts in Southern California, the place they have called home their entire lives.

Councilmember Joe Buscaino has served on the Los Angeles City Council since 2013. He represents the City’s 15^th Council District, which is home to AltaSea. Additionally, Buscaino recently served as President of the National League of Cities, the oldest and largest national organization representing over 2,000 municipal governments throughout the United States with a focus on improving the quality of life for their current and future constituents. A lifelong South Bay resident, Buscaino has supported AltaSea since its inception. Buscaino gave his 2018 State of the District at AltaSea’s campus, highlighting the ocean incubator in his district as “the epicenter for the emergence of an entirely new industry.”

Timothy B. McOsker is the CEO of AltaSea. Prior to his leadership appointment in February 2018, Tim represented AltAea in critical legal matters, including the lease renegotiation with the Port of Los Angeles. He is a lifelong San Pedro resident and an attorney with more than three decades of experience in government, regulatory, and land development matters. Tim has had a long history of serving San Pedro, the City of Los Angeles, and the State of California in numerous leadership roles, including as Chief of Staff and Chief Deputy City Attorney for former Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. Before serving in the City of Los Angeles, Tim served as city attorney to various Southern California jurisdictions.

Jenny Krusoe is the Founding Executive Director of AltaSea. She plays a crucial role in the success of the organization, from strategic planning to securing funding and partners in the ocean sustainability. Over the course of her career, Krusoe has raised hundreds of millions of dollars by way of foundation, corporate, and government grants. The California native received the Spirit of Los Angeles Award, one of the city’s highest mayoral honors.

Robin Aube is Manager of Advancement at AltaSea. A lifelong San Pedro resident, Aube leads AltaSea’s annual campaign and education programming. Currently, Aube is a key facilitator and teacher for Expand LA, a Mayor’s Fund initiative to create a crucial science education program for LAUSD schools. Currently, Expand LA is responsible for the science curriculum of nearly 35,000 LAUSD students. The curriculum includes both live lectures and online classwork, along with virtual field trips.

Moderator

Moderating the webinar will be the multi-Emmy award-winning journalist, Val Zavala. Zavala spent 30 years as a broadcast journalist at KCET in Los Angeles, winning numerous journalism awards. During her career, Zavala has covered a broad spectrum of Southern California issues, including politics, the environment, and the economy.