Stephanie Ritter is the Individual Philanthropy Officer (West) at Ocean Conservancy. She specializes in building and cultivating long-lasting relationships with funders and donors, and connecting supporters to the impacts of their gifts. Stephanie has been working for environmental advocacy nonprofit organizations for more than 10 years, and during that time she has honed her expertise in individual philanthropy, grant writing and management, and event planning. Prior to Ocean Conservancy, Stephanie was the Development Director at San Diego Coastkeeper, an environmental advocacy nonprofit focused on protecting and restoring inland and coastal waters in San Diego, California. She has also worked with community-based organizations, serving as a Board of Director for the Ocean Beach Town Council in San Diego, California and as a Philanthropy Fellow at The San Diego Women’s Foundation. Stephanie attended the University of Redlands in Southern California and graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a B.A. in International Sustainable Development.

Stephanie is originally from San Anselmo in Marin County, which is just north of San Francisco, and currently lives in Northern California (soon to be Bend, Oregon!). She has dedicated her personal and professional life to environmental protection. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves to explore new places, go on adventures with her golden retriever and husband, and be in and around our waters. In her free time, Stephanie is either hiking, snowboarding, surfing or reading a book on the beach.

Favorite ocean animal: Napoleon Wrasse—Highly intelligent and curious, the napoleon wrasse is an enormous coral reef fish that has thick lips and a giant forehead hump. They are incredibly beautiful with brilliant colors ranging from blues, greens, purples, and reds. They can live up to 30 years (some sources even say up to 50 years), and are a key part of the marine food chain in keeping a balanced and healthy coral reef. Fun fact: they can rotate their eyes 360 degrees.