Ocean Conservancy is pleased to announce new senior staff appointments.  The Board of Directors and CEO Andreas Merkl have elevated Janis Searles Jones to the position of president, effective January 1, recognizing seven years of outstanding leadership and programmatic direction.  Second, in light of Amelia Montjoy’s retirement, Ocean Conservancy has hired Sarah Humphries as its new Vice President for Resource Development, effective February 17^th.

Statement from Andreas Merkl, CEO:

“I could not be more fortunate than to have had Janis by my side in these first two years of my tenure at Ocean Conservancy. Janis’s strategic thinking, legal acumen, ocean knowledge and wisdom have served us incredibly well. I look forward to many more years of collaboration with her in this new leadership position.

Sarah Humphries brings over two decades of fundraising experience to her post at Ocean Conservancy.  As Vice President for Resource Development, she will be responsible for Ocean Conservancy’s fundraising efforts from individuals, foundations, corporations and government agencies.  An avid scuba diver, Sarah’s passion and enthusiasm for the ocean will be a perfect fit for our team.”

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 More about Janis Jones:

Janis came to Ocean Conservancy in 2008 after impressive stints as Senior Regional Counsel and Policy Advisor for the Pacific Regional Office of Oceana and staff attorney for the Alaska office of Earthjustice. First serving Ocean Conservancy as general counsel, Janis was promoted to executive vice president for policy and programs and later to chief operating officer.  Based in Portland, Ore., Jones will oversee administration and communications & finance and jointly direct Ocean Conservancy’s programmatic efforts with Andreas Merkl, CEO.

More about Sarah Humphries:

Sarah comes to us from Population Action International (PAI), where she worked closely with the CEO to grow the annual budget and hone the organization’s niche in the sphere of global reproductive rights. With almost two decades of professional development experience, she has worked extensively in the environmental community, running a statewide river conservation organization in Seattle and directing fundraising programs for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Grist Magazine and Defenders of Wildlife.  Prior to her stint at PAI, Sarah ran the development program at NARAL Pro-Choice America, raising over $45 million dollars for the reproductive rights organization and overseeing a staff of 13. Sarah received her B.A. degree from Middlebury College and is completing a course on exponential fundraising at Harvard’s Hauser Institute for Civil Society.

Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit www.oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.