WASHINGTON – Ocean Conservancy is pleased to welcome Dr. Fatima Candace Vahlsing as its first Vice President for Climate. Her first day is February 18, 2025.

In this new role, Dr. Vahlsing will lead a robust team of policy experts and scientists working at the intersection of climate change and the ocean. Ocean Conservancy’s climate portfolio includes accelerating the shift to responsible clean ocean energy; transitioning to a zero-emission maritime shipping industry; and advancing the body of ocean climate science.

“Climate change is the single greatest threat to the ocean; and, at the same time, the ocean can be one of our greatest assets in tackling this crisis,” said Dr. Vahlsing. “I’ve dedicated my career to crafting and advancing policies that meet the climate crisis head on; and I look forward to working with the Ocean Conservancy team to ensure that ocean solutions are brought to the forefront.”

Dr. Vahlsing comes to Ocean Conservancy with extensive experience in climate policy. Prior to joining the organization, Dr. Vahlsing served as the inaugural Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Industrial Strategy and Senior Climate Advisor at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where she drove progress on policy priorities at the intersection of clean energy industrial policy, climate, finance, economic resilience, and international development. Prior to her appointment at USAID, Dr. Vahlsing was the Associate Director for Climate, Energy, Environment, and Science at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) where she was one of a small group of White House aides that designed, negotiated, and implemented the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the CHIPS and Science Act – the largest investment in climate and clean energy in the history of the world. Dr. Vahlsing also led the domestic climate, environment, and science policy team for the Biden-Harris Transition and served as a senior advisor to Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO). In the Obama White House, she served as a Senior Policy Advisor for Energy and Climate Change. In addition to her work on clean energy, finance, science, and international affairs at the global and national level, Dr. Vahlsing worked for both Democratic and Republican Administrations at the State of California’s Air Resources Board.

She holds a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences, a Masters in Global Environmental Health, and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley. 

”The ocean has long been overlooked as a source of climate solutions – and these solutions alone have the power to provide nearly a third of the global emission reductions we need to meet climate targets,” said Kacky Andrews, Chief Conservation Officer at Ocean Conservancy. “Dr. Vahlsing has been a central player advancing this work on a national and global stage, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Ocean Conservancy team.”

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