Blue + Green Session 2: Aquaculture Industry and LA

Date: Thursday, May 13th, 4:00 PM

To register, click here.

Sponsors:

Speakers:

Paul Dobbins, Senior Director of Impact Investing and Ecosystems Services, Aquaculture, World Wildlife Foundation

Paul Dobbins is the Senior Director of Impact Investing and Ecosystems Services on the WWF-US Aquaculture team. He is identifying companies for impact investment, stakeholder collaboration, and research opportunities that will accelerate the growth of seaweed and shellfish farming. His project, titled Advancing Aquaculture for Climate Gains, includes research into the potential market for feed additives for ruminants and the development of new markets for seaweed biomass.

Before joining WWF Paul operated shellfish farms and spent a decade leading the development of the country’s first open ocean commercial kelp farms. He has served on the advisory boards of NOAA SeaGrant, the Aquaculture Research Institute at the University of Maine, the Maine Aquaculture Association, Focus Maine, and the Conservation Law Foundation, a serves as a delegate to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. https://www.worldwildlife.org/

Diane Kim, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Holdfast Aquaculture

I’m a biological oceanographer and marine microbial ecologist by training, turned kelp biologist by way of a Department of Energy project I began working on in 2017 to explore kelp as a potential biofuel source (you can learn more about the project on NPR’s All Things Considered). I earned my Ph.D. from the Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography department at USC in 2013 and have over 10 years of oceanographic and microbiological research experience that I bring to the HoldFast team. My growing interest in sustainable and regenerative food systems began in 2014 with research, education and outreach efforts using aquaponics (a system that combines aquaculture and hydroponics). And now, I’m excited to combine my love for ocean science with sustainable food production through the work we do at HoldFast. Oh, it also helps that I love to eat shellfish and seaweed! https://www.holdfastaq.com/

Ferris Kawar, Sustainability Project Manager, Santa Monica College

For the past 20 years Ferris has been using his degree in Marketing and his experience working at an ad agency to promote environmental awareness instead of product consumption.

As a behavioral change professional, Ferris has found himself teaching sustainability workshops, producing climate-related media, researching and published green business guides to LA, SF and NYC, and serving as Recycling Specialist for the City of Burbank.

Ferris is currently the Sustainability Project Manager for Santa Monica College where he gets to work with students, faculty and staff to keep the institution’s sustainability leadership position strong among the community colleges in California. https://www.smc.edu/community/sustainability/

Moderator:

Michael H. Kelly, Executive Director, The Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs

Michael H. Kelly currently serves as the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs, a non-profit bi-partisan organization that brings together leaders from business, labor, academia and nonprofits to advance initiatives that generate economic growth, create quality jobs and a skilled work-force, and improve the region’s overall quality of life.

Prior to working with the Los Angeles Coalition, Mr. Kelly has worked in a number of high-level positions, both in the private sector with The Boeing Company and with California Governor’s Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He currently serves as the chair of the FUSE Corps L.A. Advisory Committee, founding chair of the Philanthropic Foundation for California State University, Dominguez Hills, a partner at Saving The West and an advisory board member for WorkingNation.